With Christmas but days away, now is the time to load up on festive spirit and watch some seasonal movies – here are some of the best animated Christmas movies.
Christmas movies – full-length and shorts – have been a staple part of Christmas viewing for generations now. These can often be a time for the family to gather round and enjoy a film altogether.
There have been many animated Christmas movies over the years, and some have become institutions and are watched every year as part of families’ Christmas traditions.
Here is our list of the best animated Christmas movies to watch over the festive period.
A Charlie Brown Christmas
This beloved movie turns 60 this year but is still as popular as ever. There is a whole story behind the genesis of what was the first time Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang had been animated for TV – which you can read about here – but the simple story of what is really important at Christmas still resonates today with viewers young and old alike.
Smallfoot
This 2018 musical comedy has an all-star cast, including Channing Tatum, Danny DeVito, Zendaya and, erm, LeBron James, and neatly flips the Bigfoot legend. Here, a tribe of Yeti from the Himalayan mountains come across a human – a species they had thought was only a myth. What follows is a culture-clash between yeti and humans that is equally funny and charming. Though it might technically not be a Christmas film, its snowy setting does lend itself to this season.
Arthur Christmas
This 2011 movie from the UK has quickly become a classic. This quirky tale seeks to answer the perennial question of how Santa manages to visit so many homes so quickly on Christmas night. While most of us just assume it is through Santa magic, in Athur Christmas, it seems Santa has moved with the times and has an army of elves and high-tech gadgets to help. But, when a parcel gets left behind it is up to Santa’s son, Arthur, along with his Grandsanta, to deliver the package – but they go old-school with a sleigh and reindeer.
Dr Suess’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas
The story of the Grinch has been done a few times, with the memorable live-action version starring a suitably manic Jim Carrey now also a Christmas classic. There is also a more modern animated take on the Grinch, but the original 1966 version is the one that stays truest to Dr Suess’ original book, in content and style. It is also narrated by movie legend Boris Karloff, which gives it added gravitas.
Frosty the Snowman
Another 1960s classic. Everyone knows the Christmas tune about the snowman brought to life, but this TV special fleshes out the story nicely. In this version, Frosty is brought to life by magic, and quickly makes friends. Frosty and friends then embark on an adventure to get him to the North Pole to ensure he won’t melt – while avoiding the bad guys trying to steal the magic. Loved by children and adults alike, it’s a story to melt the iciest of hearts.
The Nightmare before Christmas
Is it a Halloween movie or is it a Christmas movie? Frankly, it plays well either way. Tim Burton’s 1993 Gothic stop-motion classic may look spooky but it is also fun for all ages. It tells the story of Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloweentown, who, having grown bored of organising Halloween celebrations every year, looks for a new challenge. It is then he discovrs Christmastown, and decides that Halloweentown should take over Christmas preparations this year. But, predictably, things go wrong quickly – can Jack be made to see the error of his ways and make everything right in time?
