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I grew up watching ALL of the Rankin/Bass Christmas specials, from Thanksgiving Day through January 1st. Not just Santa Claus Is Coming to Town or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer; I got into them all—even Rudolph’s Shiny New Year (seriously).
That said, it can spark a little debate in my family as to which shows are the very, very best each holiday season. Here’s my take, though I welcome any friendly debate on the matter. And if you haven’t seen the No. 1 pick, add it to your queue stat!
Rankin’ Rankin/Bass’s Christmas Specials, from “Skip” to “Must-Watch”
12. Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July
Rudolph has to save Frosty’s family from melting while they work the carnival circuit. This is the Rankin/Bass equivalent of Fonzie jumping that shark.
11. Rudolph’s Shiny New Year
Given that this special aired 12 years before what may be Rankin/Bass’s most famous movie, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, we have to cut them some slack. They had to be running out of storylines. This story of Rudolph going out to find Happy, the new year’s baby, so the world isn’t doomed to live in Dec. 31 forever, is sweet, but also incredibly cheesy. To the point of being hard to sit through.
10. The Leprechaun’s Christmas Gold
This 25-minute short could make kids everywhere terrified that banshees might be buried under trees. But hey, that “Christmas in Killarney” jingle is pretty catchy.
9. The First Christmas: The Story of the First Christmas Snow
A young boy named Lucas who’s been blinded by lightning yearns to see snow one day. The plot line is a little heavy, though it lacks the poignancy and depth that some of Rankin/Bass’s other specials have to make it truly moving.
8. Frosty the Snowman
C’mon, it’s a classic. And it’s oh so sing-a-long-able.
7. The Year Without A Santa Claus
Santa gets a cold and a crotchety, old doctor convinces him that people don’t care about Kris Kringle anymore. So two mostly competent elves, Jingle and Jangle, set out to find proof of the contrary. In their travels, they meet the evil Heat Miser and Cold Miser, and one great soundtrack ensues.
6. Jack Frost
Jack Frost turns the world ice cold, but all he really wants is to experience the warm-blooded world (and get the girl, naturally). The bittersweet love story is pretty adorable.
5. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
This movie is just so quotable. I’ve been known to awkwardly shout “Eat Papa, eat!” and “Bumbles bounce!” and countless other phrases while watching this movie. I still can’t decide whether Hermey, the elf-slash-aspiring-dentist, or Bumble the abominable snowman is my favorite character.
4. The Little Drummer Boy
Rankin/Bass specials go one of two ways: lighthearted takes on classic Christmas songs, or heavy, emotionally draining takes on classic Christmas songs. This is the latter. It’s much more intense than any of the other specials, but it is fantastic, in a gripping, be-kinder-to-people-after-watching-this way.
3. Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town
This is one of two tales of how Kris Kringle became Santa Claus; consider it the lighter take. There’s a love story (ooh, that chic-but-uppity schoolteacher, Jessica!), drama (the Burgermeister Meisterburger!) and kids who need toys. What more could you ask for?
Oh, wait. Bonus: The whole thing’s narrated by Fred Astaire.
2. Nestor the Long-Eared Donkey
This is the first movie that made me cry as a kid; I actually found it so moving that I designed a small wooden wall hanging for my mom for Christmas in second grade that read, “Merry Chistmas, Mommy! Don’t forget about Nestor!” (Typo included.) The film tells the story of a little donkey who’s mother gave her life to save his, and that little donkey goes on to carry Mary to Bethlehem to give birth to Jesus.
Heavy? Yes. But Nestor’s character is beautifully complex, and the story itself provides a whole new take on the story of the nativity; something few attempt to do.
1. The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus
Okay, I’ll be honest: I’ll be shocked if anyone agrees with me that this mystic take on the genesis of Santa Claus is the best Rankin/Bass holiday special. Very few people even know it exists, let alone have seen it, but the storyline, based on a 1902 novel — nymphs caring for an abandoned baby, who becomes a toymaker who cares for children worldwide and is vying for immortality before the Angel of Death can take his soul — is so compelling you won’t be able to stop watching.
Editor’s Note: This article was originally posted on Dec. 16, 2015. It’s been updated to meet 2020’s SEO standards, though the rankings themselves haven’t changed.