For some families, animated Christmas movies are an unmissable holiday tradition, and the best ones will be watched year after year. Their childlike charm is a reliable source of nostalgia, and although their stories vary, they almost always focus on the importance of kindness and togetherness. Classic animated Christmas movies often feature Santa Claus and the North Pole. Their sweet and innocent approach urges the audience to believe in magic, and to come together in the shared spirit of the holiday season.
Animated Christmas movies often have a simplistic but visually appealing style. Many of them use stop-motion or hand-drawn 2D animation, both of which tap into feelings of play, either by showing magical moving toys or colorful picture books which have come to life. Although some animated Christmas movies are relatively short, because they were originally made as TV specials, they can leave a lasting impact. Animation is a great medium for the intangible fantasy of Christmas, and a good animated Christmas movie can be a lifelong companion.
15 Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (1970)
How Kris Kringle became Santa Claus
Fred Astaire narrates Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, which gives Santa Claus an origin story. Santa’s love of making toys and bringing joy to children clashes with Burgermeister Meisterburger, a mean anti-Christmas villain in the style of Ebenezer Scrooge or the Grinch. Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town. It doesn’t just show how Santa becomes the gift-giving saint he is today. It also details why he grew his beard, how his reindeer learned to fly, and why he enters houses through the chimney.
14 The Year Without A Santa Claus (1974)
A heartwarming tale about belief
The charming stop-motion animation of The Year Without a Santa Claus looks like the toys in Santa’s workshop have come to life. The movie is primarily concerned with its musical elements, but it still has some great comedy as the mythical beings from the North Pole come face-to-face with the inhabitants of a small American town. Vixen is sent to the dog pound, and Mrs. Claus has her hands full with the bickering Miser brothers as she tries to make it snow on Christmas day.
13 Frosty The Snowman (1969)
A sing-along classic
With a corn cob pipe and eyes made out of coal, Frosty is an affable Christmas character, and his journey to the North Pole to keep from melting is a delightful adventure. Frosty’s design is simple yet elegant, and his New York accent, courtesy of comedian Jackie Vernon, completes the picture. But Frosty the Snowman also benefits from its dastardly antagonist, the inept magician Professor Hinkle. It’s a simple story, but it deserves its place in the annual rotation on the merit of its sing-along potential.
12 The Polar Express (2004)
An imaginative fable with a warm heart
Tom Hanks takes on several roles in The Polar Express, a story about a boy who boards a magical train to visit Santa Claus as he prepares for Christmas. The motion capture animation can be a little difficult to watch at times, but The Polar Express has an admirable honesty to its sentimental storytelling. The Polar Express has quotes that could slot into many a Christmas classic. Its focus on magic and belief are common festive themes, and with more modern, refined animation techniques it would probably have a greater reputation.
11 Shaun The Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas (2021)
Old-school charm in a modern package
Aardman Studios are masters of whimsical clay-mation, and Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas is another showcase of their physical comedy and creative storytelling. The Flight Before Christmas harks back to the heyday of animated Christmas specials in the 1960s, not just in its content but also with its infectious festive cheer. As with most Shaun the Sheep content, The Flight Before Christmas is packed with bizarre action sequences that use the medium of animation to its full potential. It’s not the most well known Aardman creation, but its every bit as charming.
10 Rise Of The Guardians (2012)
A very different Santa Claus
Santa teams up with the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and the Sandman in Rise of the Guardians. Santa takes on a radical new style, covered in tattoos and looking much less merry than usual. Alec Baldwin is the perfect casting choice for Santa’s gruff, authoritative attitude, but the entire cast of Rise of the Guardians is brilliant without exception. Rise of the Guardians is a fun adventure laced with magic, and it has a brisk pace which gives the action sequences an entertaining spirit.
9 Arthur Christmas (2011)
A family adventure with a superb cast
Arthur Christmas presents a unique spin on the familiar narratives of Santa Claus and his elves. Santa’s son, Arthur Claus, must team up with his grandfather, the 136-year-old Grandsanta, to get a gift to a young girl who never got her delivery from Santa. Arthur Christmas features a stellar cast of British talent, including James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, and Bill Nighy. All the characters in Arthur Christmas contribute to a modern retelling of the classic Santa Claus myth, making it a relatable family story that humanizes Santa unlike most Christmas movies.
8 A Christmas Carol (1971)
The best adaptation yet
Charles Dickens’ classic Christmas story has been adapted countless times, often with popular characters stepping into the role of Ebenezer Scrooge, the Christmas-hating industrialist. Although it was made in the 1970s, A Christmas Carol adopts the imagery of Victorian era engravings, which would have accompanied Dickens’ text upon its publication. In this way, it’s the most faithful adaptation of all the many contenders. A Christmas Carol is also notable for its beautifully stylized depictions of each of the ghosts who come to visit Scrooge.
7 Tokyo Godfathers (2003)
Mature and unusual Christmas cheer
Plenty of animated Christmas movies stick to the same familiar stories of Santa Claus, elves, and reindeer, but Tokyo Godfathers is boldly abnormal in this regard. The story follows a group of three homeless people who find an abandoned baby in the garbage on Christmas Eve. It’s not a typical Christmas tale, and it isn’t geared toward children, but Tokyo Godfathers is a funny and tender dramedy about found families, and trying to do the right things in an oppressive society.
6 The Snowman (1982)
Hauntingly beautiful in sight and sound
Based on the beloved children’s book by Raymond Briggs, The Snowman transposes his warm imagery onto the screen for a spell-binding tale of a boy whose snowman comes to life. Briggs’ book has no words, and the adaptation of The Snowman tells its story entirely in images, buoyed by a sumptuous orchestral soundtrack and the unforgettable song “Walking in the Air.” The Snowman is a fable about the unrestrained beauty of childhood imagination, and it can transport anyone back to a simpler time.
5 Klaus (2019)
Visually distinct and deeply emotive
Blessed with a wonderfully idiosyncratic visual style, Klaus looks like the beautiful old classic movies that studios don’t seem interested in making anymore. The plot follows a postal worker called Jesper, who stumbles upon an old toy maker in the woods called Klaus. Like its animation, the movie is a quirky blend of old and new. The character of Santa undergoes a bold reinvention, but the spirit of Klaus is genuine and heartwarming, with more than a few laughs thrown in for good measure.
4 Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
Timeless and infectious
Rudolph’s big, round eyes and cute, button nose make an irresistibly cute character, aided by the toy-box quality of the animation. The outstanding Rankin-Bass Christmas special helped Rudolph become one of the most recognizable Christmas characters of all. But the special has more going for it than just Rudolph, as it also features the lovable elf Hermey, a wise old snowman, and the Abominable Snow Monster. Its charms are evergreen, but Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is also funny, sometimes inadvertently.
3 A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
How Christmas specials should be
A Charlie Brown Christmas is the gold standard of Christmas specials with pre-existing characters. Scores of characters have been unceremoniously dumped into a Christmas story, including Scooby-Doo, Casper the friendly ghost, and even Chewbacca, but none of them fit in as seamlessly as Charlie Brown and his friends. A Charlie Brown Christmas sees Charlie directing a Christmas play to get himself into the festive spirit, and there are lots of great jokes which would work just as well in any of Charles Schulz’s comic strips.
2 How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
A great book made even better
Although plenty of popular books get terrible movie adaptations, Dr. Seuss’ Christmas classic is one that actually improves with its translation from book to screen. Many of the great quotes from How the Grinch Stole Christmas come straight from the book, but the movie adds a convincing dynamism to Seuss’ iconic visual style. Live-action adaptations of Seuss often lack the surreal charm of his illustrations, but How the Grinch Stole Christmas simply enhances them. The Grammy-winning song is the cherry on top.
1 The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Proudly atypical but typically magical
Tim Burton’s gorgeous blend of dark and charming helps The Nightmare Before Christmas straddle the line between Halloween movie and Christmas movie. On both counts, it’s a classic. Jack Skellington has become an immediately recognizable figure, but there are plenty of other characters in The Nightmare Before Christmas who are just as entertaining. Jack’s story is compelling from start to finish, and the memorable songs are a huge bonus. There have been persistent calls for a sequel, but The Nightmare Before Christmas offers enough depth on its own to be enjoyable every year.
