Christmas Special

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Primarily an American phenomenon, these are special television programs, often one-shots, created with a Christmas or (northern hemisphere) winter theme for broadcast during the month of December. While some of them depict what the holiday originally commerorates — the birth of Jesus Christ — or make it key to the plot in some way (for instance, A Charlie Brown Christmas involves the staging of a Nativity play), most are secular in nature, to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. Many of them prominently feature Santa Claus and his associated mythology. Some try to educate the viewers about the True Meaning of Christmas. Plots frequently involve the characters Saving Christmas.

The best-known Christmas Specials are probably the animated ones (including the stop-motion animations produced primarily by Rankin/Bass) made in the 1960s, '70s, and '80s and rerun annually. Far more numerous, though, are the various celebrity specials, which usually take the form of a low-key holiday-themed Variety Show. Usually the latter are rather forgettable by virtue of their one-off nature, but every so often they can generate pop-culture moments that survive for decades. A case in point would be the now-iconic duet of "Peace on Earth/The Little Drummer Boy" sung by Bing Crosby and David Bowie, which has taken on an entire life of its own far above and beyond the 1977 Crosby special from which it sprang.

Compare Christmas Episode (which is generally known as a "Christmas Special" in the UK), Easter Special, and Halloween Special. If the special depicts a holiday which resembles Christmas but has been renamed to match the setting, then it's a You Mean "Xmas" Special. See also Julekalender, a type of Christmas-themed TV series in Scandinavia.

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Examples:

• Disney put out From All of Us to All of You on its weekly show Walt Disney Presents in 1958. It featured new cartoon footage of Jiminy Cricket linking winter and celebration-themed excerpts from the Disney Animated Canon and Classic Disney Shorts. This special has received periodic updates and retitlings over the decades. While its last exposure in the U.S. was in The '80s (as 1983's A Disney Channel Christmas, retitled Jiminy Cricket's Christmas for a video release in '86), it continues to be a very big draw in the UK and Scandinavia.
  • Sweden in particular loves this special. Kalle Anka och hans vänner önskar God Jul^note Donald Duck and His Friends Wish You a Merry Christmas appears on Swedish television every December 24 without fail, and it's not an exaggeration to say fully half of the nation watches it. This Slate article details the tradition, from the perspective of an American observing his Swede in-laws watching it during a visit.

• Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962) was the first animated one of these to be produced expressly for television.
• Rankin/Bass were the undisputed kings of seasonal Christmas specials from the 1960s through the 1980s, producing 19 in total with their last one appearing in 2001. Rights holders of their film library after their demise would produce additional sequels without them, making their characters ubiquitous on Christmas television. While their stop-motion specials are the best known and most targeted for parody, they also produced several 2D animated specials as well.
  • Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) and its sequels
    • Rudolph's Shiny New Year (1976)
    • Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July (1979)
    • Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys (2001, non-Rankin/Bass sequel)
  • Frosty the Snowman (1969) and its sequels
    • Frosty's Winter Wonderland (1976)
    • Frosty Returns (1992 non-Rankin/Bass sequel)
    • The Legend of Frosty the Snowman (2005 feature-length sequel set in the continuity of the 1969 special)
  • The Santa Claus series:
    • Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970)
    • The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974, animated; 2006, live action, non-Rankin Bass)
    • The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus (1985)
    • A Miser Brothers Christmas (2006, non-Rankin Bass)
  • Cricket on the Hearth (1967)
  • The Little Drummer Boy (1968; one of the rare specials which focused on the Nativity, it received a sequel, The Little Drummer Boy, Book II in 1976)
  • 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974)
  • The First Christmas Snow (1975)
  • Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey (1977)
  • The Stingiest Man in Town (1978)
  • Rankin Bass' Jack Frost (1979) (a spin-off from the Rudolph and Frosty series)
  • Pinocchio's Christmas (1980)
  • The Leprechauns' Christmas Gold (1981)
  • Santa, Baby! (2001) (produced after the liquidation of Rankin Bass's animation department)
• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie (1998) is a 2D animated film by Goodtimes Entertainment that is completely unrelated to other adaptations of the character.
• Dinner for One (1963, usually associated with New Year's Eve)
• A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965; directly references the religious basis of Christmas when Linus, in a spotlight no less, quotes the Christmas story from one of the gospels)
  • There are three more Peanuts Christmas specials, made from The '90s onward, all of which the original easily overshadows: It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown (1992), Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales (2002), and I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown (2003). Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales was created specifically to pad out an hour timeslot for A Charlie Brown Christmas so that it wouldn't have to be Edited for Syndication.
• The Dangerous Christmas of Red Riding Hood (1965; this one only had a few token references to Christmas)
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
• The Night the Animals Talked (1970; another rare Nativity-themed show)
• The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas (1973)
• The Tiny Tree (1975)
• Sagan om Karl-Bertil Jonssons Julafton (1975)
• A Cosmic Christmas (1977) (Canadian-produced and featuring aliens searching for the meaning of Christmas)
• The Fat Albert Christmas Special (1977)
• Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (1977)
• The Flintstones had multiple Christmas specials:
  • A Flintstone Christmas (1977)
  • A Flintstone Family Christmas (1993)
  • A Flintstones Christmas Carol (1994)
• The Great Santa Claus Caper (1978)
• Star Wars of all series has had two:
  • The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978) (possibly the most oh-so-infamous/amazing of these, nominally about "Life Day" rather than any holiday celebrated on Earth, but released around Thanksgiving)
  • The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special (2020) (A brand-new official animated special done in the style of the LEGO Star Wars animations, featuring the cast of the Sequel Trilogy, with a much more coherent plot involving Rey time-traveling throughout the events of the movies.)
• Several Sesame Street examples:
  • Christmas Eve on Sesame Street (1978)
  • A Special Sesame Street Christmas (1978)
  • Elmo Saves Christmas (1996)
  • A Sesame Street Christmas Carol (2006)
  • Elmo's Christmas Countdown (2007)
  • Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas (2016)
• A Pink Christmas featuring The Pink Panther (1978)
• Bugs Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales (1979)
• Casper's First Christmas (1979)
• John Denver and The Muppets: A Christmas Together (1979)^note Probably better known for the album that inspired it than for the special at this point, but it still counts
• Mr. Krueger's Christmas (1980) Featuring Jimmy Stewart and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
• The Raccoons originally started as a Christmas special titled The Christmas Raccoons (1980)
• A Snow White Christmas (1980)
• Yogi's First Christmas (1980)
• A Chipmunk Christmas (1981)
• The Snowman (1982) (one of the first British examples, and the most famous)
• In France, Le Père Noël est une ordure (1982) is broadcast virtually every single year on one of the six main channels around Christmas. It's actually a very dark comedy; one of the characters, the one actually called an "ordure" works as a Mall Santa. It was remade in the United States as Mixed Nuts.
• "The Smurfs Christmas Special" (1982)
  • "'Tis the Season to Be Smurfy" (1987).
  • The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol (2011) is this for The Smurfs film series.
• The Glo Friends Save Christmas (1985)
• He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special. Features some hilarious scenes in which Skeletor becomes infused with the Christmas spirit, much to his befuddlement. (1985)
• The Christmas Toy (Jim Henson) (1986)
• A Muppet Family Christmas (1987)
• Claymation Christmas Celebration (1987)
• A Garfield Christmas (1987)
• Santa Bear's High Flying Adventure (1987)
• Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988)
• The Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special (1988)
• Care Bears Nutcracker Suite (1988)
• Christmas In Tattertown (1988)
• Bluetoes The Christmas Elf (1988)
• The Kid Who Loved Christmas (1990)
• The Barney franchise has four Christmas specials:
  • Waiting for Santa (1990)
  • Barney's Night Before Christmas (1999)
  • Barney's Christmas Star (2002)
  • A Very Merry Christmas (2011)
• Aliens First Christmas (1991)
• Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas (1991)
• Father Christmas (1991)
• A Wish for Wings that Work (1991)
• Timmy's Gift: A Precious Moments Christmas (1991)
• The Christmas Tree (1991)
• Noel (1992)
• The Moo Family Holiday Hoedown (1992)
• The Real Story of O Christmas Tree (1992)
• The Teddy Bears' Christmas (1992)
• The Wish That Changed Christmas (1992): Based on the book "The Story of Holly and Ivy"
• Up On The Housetop (1992)
• Nick & Noel (1993)
• The Town Santa Forgot (1993)
• The Twelve Days Of Christmas (1993): Promoted as "the true story of the Twelve Days of Christmas". Featured the voices of Larry Kenney and Phil Hartman.
• Power Rangers has quite a few!
  • Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers had "Alpha's Magical Christmas", a non-canon direct-to-video special, and "I'm Dreaming of a White Ranger", which is canon.
  • Power Rangers Zeo had "A Season To Remember"; it aired as the season finale, but takes place and was produced in the middle of the season.
  • Power Rangers Samurai, which was split into two seasons, had two clip show Christmas specials — one for each season.
• The Bears Who Saved Christmas (1994)
• Deck the Halls (1994)
• A Hollywood Hounds Christmas (1994)
• The Night Before Christmas (1994) was one of several made by Golden Films.
• The Reduced Shakespeare Company Christmas (radio, 1995)
• Jingle Bell Rock, DiC (1995)
• Magic Gift of the Snowman (1995)
• Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree (1995)
• Red Boots For Christmas (1995)
• Santa's Christmas Crash (1995)
• Spot's Magical Christmas (1995)
• The Christmas Elves (1995)
• The Christmas Light/Brigade (1995; 1996)
• An Angel for Christmas (1996)
• The Oz Kids: Christmas in Oz (1996)
• The Oz Kids: Who Stole Santa (1996)
• Santa Claus and the Magic Drum (1996)
• Sonic Christmas Blast (1996)
• The Story of Santa Claus (1996)
• Rudolph's Lessons for Life (1996)
• Annabelle's Wish (1997)
• The Online Adventures of Ozzie the Elf (1997)
• The Puzzle Club Christmas Mystery (1997)
• Spunky's First Christmas (1997)
• The Noddy Shop: Anything Can Happen At Christmas (1998)
• Bear in the Big Blue House: A Berry Bear Christmas (1999)
• Jingle Bells (1999)
• The Nuttiest Nutcracker (1999)
• O Christmas Tree (1999)
• Olive, the Other Reindeer (1999)
• Robbie the Reindeer in Hooves of Fire (1999)
• Santa's Special Delivery (1999)
• We Wish You A Merry Christmas (1999)
• Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer (2000)
• Arthur's Perfect Christmas (2000)
• Casper's Haunted Christmas (2000)
• Christmas Who? from SpongeBob SquarePants (2000)
  • Its A Sponge Bob Christmas (2012)
• "Ceirw Coll Siôn Corn" from Llan-ar-goll-en, which is an Extra-Long Episode (2014)
• Jojo: The Violet Mystery (2000): A Belgian-French Christmas special
• Franklin: Franklin's Magic Christmas (2001)
• Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse (2001)
• Bob the Builder: A Christmas To Remember (2001)
• The True Meaning of Christmas Specials (2002) with Dave Foley of The Kids in the Hall (and NewsRadio) fame.
• It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002)
• Rapsittie Street Kids: Believe in Santa (2002): An infamous CG musical that was lost media until it was recovered in 2015.
• Santa vs. the Snowman (2002)
• Caillou's Holiday Movie (2003)
• The Night B4 Christmas (2003)
• The Powerpuff Girls (1998): 'Twas The Fight Before Christmas (2003)
• Nine Dog Christmas (2004)
• 'Twas the Night (2004)
• Little Angels: The Brightest Christmas (2004)
• The newest incarnation of Doctor Who has a Christmas special every year, starting with the second season. The Ninth Doctor story "The Unquiet Dead" is a Christmas special within the regular series, This was averted 2019 onwards, as they are now broadcast on new years day instead.
• Davey and Goliath's Snowbound Christmas (2005)
• A Lost Claus from Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends (2005)
• The Madagascar Penguins in a Christmas Caper (2005)
• Moral Orel's first season finale (aired as the first episode) was one with a Downer Ending. Its series finale, which had some parallels was a lot more positive.
• The TV adaptation of Hogfather by Terry Pratchett (2006)
• Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen (2006)
• I'll Be Home for Christmas (2006) was actually the first animated adventure of Toot & Puddle, released directly to DVD and also aired seasonally on Nick Jr. back when it was known as Noggin. It was based on the book by the same name and featured Toot traveling to Scotland to visit his grandmother for her 100th birthday, while Puddle stayed home with Opal and the two decorated in the hope that Toot would be back in time for Christmas.
• Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas (2006)
• Doctor Steel's Dr. Steel Christmas Special (2007)
  • A Dr. Steel Christmas (2009).
• Leap Frog's A Tad Of Christmas Cheer (2007)
• Christmas is Here Again (2007)
• Shrek the Halls (2007)
• Preschool Musical On A Stick (2008 and 2009)
• A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift Of All. Contains both actual religious issues, and killer bears. (2008)
• A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa (2008)
• The Flight Before Christmas (2008)
• Phineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation! (2009)
• Prep & Landing (2009)
• Red vs. Blue often does holiday specials; in 2009, they made a 3-part special for Christmas.
• Strawberry Shortcake has several: Berry Merry Christmas (2003 continuity), The Glimmerberry Ball Movie (2009 continuity), and Strawberry Shortcake’s Perfect Holiday (2021 continuity).
• Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special (2010). Given the setting is ancient China, the producers use the Winter Festival instead for the occasion, which also makes the special applicable from American Thanksgiving to New Years in the future.
• Hoops & Yoyo Ruin Christmas (2011)
• An Elf's Story (2011), adapted from the "Elf on the Shelf" book and doll (2011)
• Bitchin'Kitchen (2011)
• Jingle All the Way (2011)
  • Jingle And Bell's Christmas Star (2012)
• Scooby-Doo! Haunted Holidays (2012)
• Winx Club has "A Magix Christmas", where Bloom teaches the other characters, who aren't from Earth, about Christmas.
• Abominable Christmas (2012)
• Toy Story That Time Forgot (2014) Pixar's first true Christmas special. At a post-Christmas playdate, Bonnie's toys (and one tree ornament) find themselves lost in the deluxe play set of the BattleSaurs, a 1980s-esque line of humanoid dinosaur warriors...who are as of yet unaware that they're actually for play, not war.
• How Murray Saved Christmas (2014)
• Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas (2014) An Animated Adaptation of the stage musical adaptation of Elf.
• We Wish You A Merry Walrus (2014) is the first entry of a Club Penguin TV special series. It's about a group of penguins who must save Christmas.
• Olaf's Frozen Adventure (2017) is a Frozen short that is about Olaf trying to find the perfect holiday tradition for Anna and Elsa to celebrate since they don't have one due to being separated for years.
• Angela's Christmas (2017)
  • Angela's Christmas Wish (2020)
• Robin Robin (2021)
• Reindeer in Here (2022)
• The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday (2023)

• There are two specials based on the "Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus" letter. The first one dates to around 1975, and was directed by Bill Melendez of Peanuts fame (the special has a Charlie Brown-esque look to it). The second, more recent one, was made in 2009, and featured Alfred Molina as the editor of The New York Sun.
• The Amazon Studios If You Give a Mouse a Cookie was followed up by the special If You Give a Mouse a Christmas Cookie.
• Trolls Holiday, based on the film of the same name, follows a pretty similar premise to the Frozen short mentioned above.
• RWBY Chibi gives us two — "A Slip Through Time and Space Pt. 2", which is just one long Product Placement ad for the Rooster Teeth Store, and "Nondescript Holiday Spectacular", which is a parody of How the Grinch Stole Christmas!.
• Yet Another Partridge In A Pear Tree, written by Brian Sibley and performed by Penelope Keith.
• Buster & Chauncey's Silent Night involves the creation of the song "Silent Night".
• Holly Hobbie and Friends: Christmas Wishes: A rather more unusually traditional one for today's time, in a series that otherwise isn't overtly Christian. While it doesn't overtly pedal Christian religious themes, it does include a fully traditional Christian pageant, with an original song called "There's No Room at the Inn," and both Christian and non-Christian Christmas songs, such as "Jingle Bells" and "O Holy Night."
• Charlie and Lola had an episode with the siblings visiting the elves and saving Christmas.
• The Venture Bros. Christmas episode "A Very Venture Christmas" introduced the Krampus to much of America.
• The Adventures of The League of S.T.E.A.M. had "The Fright Before Christmas".
• Ice Age gave us "A Mammoth Christmas"... with no explanation on how talking animals can celebrate a holiday honoring someone who wouldn't be born until long after the animals are dead.
• The Great Christmas Light Fight has run on ABC every year since 2013.
• The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is a Christmas Special set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
• Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too (1991)
• Thugaboo has A Miracle On D-Roc Street.
• Eloise At Christmastime (TV movie aired as a special on the Disney Channel)
• The Soulmates in "The Gift of Light" (aka The Christmas Gift of Light): A failed CBC cartoon pilot.
• The Christmas That Almost Wasn't: A cancelled Chuck E. Cheese Christmas special.
• Christmas With The Tabernacle Choir: Since the year 2000, the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square (formerly Mormon Tabernacle Choir) has done a Christmas concert with a variety of guests. Most of these (2000 was the only exception) were recorded and released on home video and broadcast on PBS.

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