The weebley-wobbly stop-motion. The red-nosed kindertrauma puppets. The songs about misfit toys and River Bottom Nightmare Bands. We love to bask in the warm nostalgic glow of classic Christmas specials. Whether they’re finely crafted or cheesy messes, they all can evoke our childhood wonder because we first saw them back when we still had wonder. After that, they only came out once a year. It’s hard to get nostalgic over something you see on TBS year-round.
I’m here to help you find that classic Christmas special from your childhood — or find a new special that may not haunt your kids for years. Some are streaming on major platforms. Others may take more creative ways to locate.
Here are the Top 50 Classic Christmas Specials.
50. Christmas Comes to Pac-Land (1982)
Riding peak Pac-Man mania, this bright, bouncy special follows Pac-Man and family as they help Santa recover the toys and save Christmas.
49. Alf’s Special Christmas (1987)
ALF’s visit to a children’s hospital turns this from a holiday gag reel into one of the most unexpectedly sincere specials of the 80s.
48. Raggedy Ann & Andy in The Great Santa Claus Caper (1978)
A sweet little romp that feels like flipping through a forgotten Christmas picture book.
47. Yogi’s First Christmas (1980)
The world’s friendliest freeloader, Yogi the Bear, wakes up from hibernation to crash the holiday season.
46. A Chipmunk Christmas (1981)
A little holiday lie spirals into a big act of generosity when Alvin gives away his prized harmonica.
45. Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas (1992)
Inspector Gadget blunders his way through a festive caper while Dr. Claw does everything in his power to ruin the season.
44. The He-Man & She-Ra Christmas Special (1985)
By the power of Grey Skull, Skeletor makes a temporary Scrooge-like transformation.
43. A Jetson Christmas Carol (1985)
A Dickens tale retelling featuring the futuristic nuclear family.
42. A Flintstone Christmas (1977)
Fred bungles his way into Santa duty and somehow makes prehistory feel festive.
41. A Mouse, a Mystery & Me (1987)
A forgotten live-action/animated caper where a bookish detective and his cartoon mouse partner unravel a holiday whodunit with soft, VHS-era charm.
40. A Very Brady Christmas (1988)
A full-blown reunion special that leans into the Brady’s signature big-family chaos.
39. Casper’s First Christmas (1979)
Casper tries to celebrate Christmas without scaring off the guests — no easy feat with no feet.
38. Olive, the Other Reindeer (1999)
A quirky adventure where an optimistic dog decides she belongs on Santa’s team.
37. A Very Merry Cricket (1973)
A gentle, music-filled New York story that shines like a quiet holiday night.
36. Ziggy’s Gift (1982)
A quiet but pleasant special where Ziggy reminds everyone that kindness still counts.
35. The Small One (1978)
Don Bluth delivers beautiful animation for this tender, bittersweet Disney tale.
34. The Town That Santa Forgot (1993)
An annoying spoiled kid learns generosity the hard way in this moral tale.
33. The Leprechauns’ Christmas Gold (1981)
Rankin/Bass goes full folklore chaos with leprechauns, banshees, and snow-covered strangeness.
32. The Stingiest Man in Town (1978)
A musical Dickens retelling that leans hard into the theatrical, in the most Rankin/Bass way possible.
31. Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol (1962)
The first animated Christmas special ever — and still one of the most heartfelt Dickens versions. Way better than it should be.
30. The Berenstain Bears’ Christmas Tree (1979)
A warm story about your favorite picture book bears who find the perfect tree and remember what matters.
29. A Wish for Wings That Work (1991)
Opus the penguin fumbles his way toward holiday magic in this offbeat special.
28. Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer (2000)
A goofy, silly musical that’s also a kid mystery. Not your usual Christmas special.
27. Noel (1992)
A little tale about a living ornament that wants nothing more than to bring joy.
26. Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey (1977)
A small donkey with big ears earns a big place in Christmas legend — and your heart!
25. The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas (1973)
A bear goes searching for Christmas instead of hibernating and takes us on a fun, little journey.
24. Frosty Returns (1992)
A light, goofy sequel that’s nowhere near the original but still carries cozy Saturday-morning energy.
23. A Sesame Street Christmas Show (1978)
Big Bird, Bert, Ernie, Cookie Monster — your toddler’s favorites are all here for a no-stakes Christmas get-together full of songs and kindness..
22. The First Christmas: The Story of the First Christmas Snow (1975)
A tender Rankin/Bass gem about belonging, kindness, and the miracle of a snowy night.
21. Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too (1991)
Pooh’s earnest plan to help Santa backfires in the softest, most Pooh-like way possible.
20. Muppet Babies: A Muppet Babies Christmas (1984)
Pure imagination-powered holiday fun with the tiniest versions of your favorite Muppets.
19. A Pink Christmas (1978)
This stylish, unexpectedly emotional holiday special gives the Pink Panther one of his most endearing moments.
18. A Claymation Christmas Celebration (1987)
Dinosaurs, stop-motion carols, and one of the best versions of “Carol of the Bells” ever. Sorry, Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
17. The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus (1985)
Rankin/Bass reimagines Santa’s beginnings as a sweeping fantasy quest filled with wizards, forests, and just enough warmth to keep it comforting.
16. The Christmas Toy (1986)
A fantastic, emotional Jim Henson special with unmistakable Toy Story-before-Toy Story energy.
15. ’Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974)
A mouse family and a clockmaker team up to save Christmas with the kind of old-school warmth you only get from hand-drawn holiday specials.
14. Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat (1982)
A delightfully strange Seussian duel that spins into pure holiday nonsense in the best way.
13. Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983)
A brisk, heartfelt Dickens adaptation anchored by Mickey and Scrooge McDuck.
12. Frosty the Snowman (1969)
Simple, warm, and endlessly rewatchable — the textbook “put it on while sipping cocoa” special.
11. A Garfield Christmas Special (1987)
Surprisingly emotional under the lasagna-munching snark thanks to grandmother’s side story.
10. The Snowman (1982)
A wordless, beautifully scored winter dream that leaves a gentle ache behind.
9. The Little Drummer Boy (1968)
A stark, emotional Rankin/Bass classic with one of the best musical moments in their library.
8. The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)
When Santa loses faith in humanity, Mrs. Claus journeys through snowstorms, sunbursts, and the feuding Miser Brothers to jump-start the holiday spirit again.
7. The Muppet Family Christmas (1987)
The Muppets, Sesame Street, and the Fraggles pile into one snowed-in house, turning it into the greatest holiday crossover ever put on TV.
6. Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (1970)
An origin story stuffed with charm, nostalgia-tingling jingles, and the most cheerful stop-motion vibes ever.
5. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
Quiet, soulful, and timeless — despite being slow at times, this is a classic for a reason.
4. A Christmas Carol (1971)
Richard Williams’ haunting, masterful take on Dickens — dark, gorgeous, unforgettable.
3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
The perfect redemption arc, delivered with Boris Karloff narration and an all-timer ending.
2. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
The finest work of Rankin/Bass, Rudolph is a lovable adventure about misfits finding their place in the world.
1. Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas (1977)
Folksy, earnest, jammin’, rockin’, and full of handmade magic — a Jim Henson masterpiece.
