Top 5 Christmas Specials

     Christmastime is here once more. Break out out the lights, wear red and green, sing songs/carols, and buy the all-important fruitcake! Well, maybe not that last part...unless you're using it as part of a time capsule. Then again, if one is to make a time capsule, there are way better Christmas-themed items to include over fruitcake, like Christmas specials. Speaking of which...

     In the spirit of Christmas, here's my rank of the best cartoon specials about the holiday. Each ranking will consist of a brief synopsis/overview and my rationale for its ranking. Before going any further, I thought I'd explain my criteria/thought process. It's Christmas. Above all else, Jesus is the reason for the season. Let us not forget that. With that in mind, I'm not that big into specials that revolve around the "is Santa Claus real" question. Conversely, I am a fan of ones that capture "the spirit of Christmas"and have an overall message that the holiday truly is about something more than presents and stockings. And since there are so many specials out there, this is by no means a definitive ranking, just one of a twenty-something in Texas that likes flannel shirts. Here we go! 

Honorable Mention #1: "The Santa Experience" (Rugrats)

     While this isn't the only Rugrats holiday special, it is the first one that aired (and the one I had on those awesome orange VHS tapes growing up). This two-part episode revolves around the babies believing Santa is scary, the parents trying to make sure they have a good Christmas and experience with Santa, and even features a subplot straight from Gift of the Magi. Although I said earlier that I'm not into specials that revolve around the "is Santa real" plot, this special is pretty darn funny. It has some of the best lines/dialogue in the entire series. It also receives bonus points for Angelica, the bully of the show, getting a tiny piece of coal for Christmas. Santa keeps track of who's naughty and nice, kids! 

Honorable Mention #2: "Arthur's Perfect Christmas" (Arthur)

     Arthur has arguably been PBS Kids' most successful series this side of Sesame Street (a case can also be made for Mr. Rogers or Thomas the Tank Engine, but that's another story). The series has a nice holiday special to go with it. The special revolves around the different ways Arthur and his friends celebrate the holidays with their families In that sense, it truly is a "holiday special," as some of the characters celebrate Hanukkah and Kwanza. This special tackles the expectations vs reality that people often have when it comes to celebrating the "perfect" holiday. The overall message is that it it's not about having that "perfect" holiday and more about celebrating and spending time with family and loved ones. This one also gets bonus points for the song "Baxter Day".

#5. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

     Just about everyone has heard the song, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". Sam the Snowman, voiced by the great Burl Ives, narrates the story of that famous song, as well as providing a backstory for Rudolph and fills in the gaps between missing out on reindeer games to that foggy Christmas Eve. To be fair, it would have been hard for that song to include a verse about an elf aspiring to be a dentist, an island of Misfit Toys, a prospector with a pickax, and a monster yeti.This special is one that just about every kid watches growing up. It also may be weirder than one may remember. While there are some flaws in this special (such as Santa being a jerk), this special has withstood the test of time and become a holiday classic, which is more than enough to merit a spot.

#4. "Arnold's Christmas" (Hey Arnold!)

     Move it, football head! Full disclosure here: Hey Arnold! was a series that I didn't end up really watching until college. However, that worked out for the best, as there really are lot of mature themes/elements in there for a kid's show. This Christmas special takes a contrarian approach to most Nickelodeon Christmas specials. The overall theme of the episode goes against the commercialization of the Christmas season. Arnold and the residents in the boarding house he lives in do a Secret Santa. Arnold wants to give reunite his Secret Santa with his daughter as a gift (it is revealed that he gave her up during the Vietnam War). Arnold and his best friend Gerald go on a wild goose chase and do all sorts of deeds to make this gift possible. When it appears that this will be to no avail, Helga, the girl that secretly loves Arnold (but pretends to hate him), unknowingly helps out. In an emotional scene at the end, Arnold's Secret Santa is reunited with his daughter, all thanks to Helga.

     This special does a great job of showing two things: one, that it truly is better to give than receive. Two, love means putting others before yourself and making sacrifices. In Helga's case, she gave up the Christmas present she really wanted so that Arnold could give his. Well done, Helga.

#3. "A Pinky and the Brain Christmas" (Pinky and the Brain)

     Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering? "I think so Will, but how are we ever going to get a jackrabbit to play the tuba?" While that Pinky quote is made up, it's my take on a running gag in the show. For those not familiar, Pinky and Brain are two laboratory mice. Brain wants to take over the world but always falls short, and Pinky is a goofball. In this special, Brain has special Christmas plans to take over the world. Meanwhile, Pinky writes a letter to Santa that he really wants to give him. The two go to the North Pole and get a special toy manufactured, which Brain plans to use as a mind-control device. On Christmas morning, Pinky realizes that he never gave Santa that special letter and is quite upset about it. This causes Brain to snap at Pinky and take his letter. Just as Brain's plan is about to take place, he reads through Pinky's letter to Santa and is moved to tears. Pinky writes that he doesn't want anything for Christmas, just for Brain to have his dreams come true. Ironically, this letter causes a change of heart in Brain and results in him not taking over the world. However, Pinky does give him a keychain of the world for Christmas. 

     So why is this special ranked third? Well, for starters, this episode is absolutely hilarious. Pinky has some hilarious lines. There's even a reference to the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer special in here. More importantly, Pinky's letter to Santa cements this special's spot at #3. It is said that Rob Paulsen and Maurice LaMarche, the voices of Pinky and Brain, were in tears when recording the scene where Brain reads Pinky's letter. Watching the clip of it on YouTube makes it easy to see why. Like Helga, Pinky cared more about his friend's happiness than his own. Narf! 

#2. Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)

     You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch! There's a sizable gap between #3 and #2 on this list. To be clear, this ranking is based on the animated half-hour special, not the disappointing live action film with Jim Carrey. But I digress. In the fictional city of Whoville, everybody loves Christmas. Well, everybody except the Grinch, that is. As Christmas time rolls around, the Grinch comes up with a devious plan to ruin Christmas in Whoville: by dressing up as Santa Claus and stealing all the gifts, stockings, and decorations. When Christmas morning rolls around, the Grinch thinks he's succeeded because he stolen everything. However, he finds that the people of Whoville are still happy and celebrate Christmas by singing songs. It is then when the Grinch realizes that he didn't stop Christmas from coming because it means so much more than a bunch of gifts, stockings, and decorations. This, of course, is where he has a change of heart (err, a growth of heart) and returns everything he stole to Whoville and celebrates Christmas with them. 

     As far as Christmas specials go, this one has cemented itself as a timely classic. The overall message is great, too: It still is Christmas whether or not there's gifts underneath the tree, stockings hanging on the wall, or decorations all over the place. Those are all nice, but Christmas truly does mean so much more than any one of those things. And if that's not enough, it's got that great song "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" that's sung by Thurl Ravenscroft, the same guy that voiced Tony the Tiger! All in all, this is a great Christmas special, just not as good as...

#1. "A Charlie Brown Christmas" (Peanuts) 

     Good news, Charlie Brown -- you're the best at something! In this Peanuts special, it's Christmastime (cue the "Christmas Time is Here" song), yet Charlie Brown finds himself unhappy. While everyone else is excited, he finds himself disgusted by all the commercialism that comes with Christmas. To cheer him up, Lucy names him director of the Christmas play. While Charlie Brown goes into with high hopes, it becomes clear that the play's not the thing for him. When he and Linus are asked to fetch them a Christmas tree for the play, Charlie Brown picks a tiny, real, tree. Naturally, he gets mocked for this, to which he desperately asks what Christmas is really about. Linus then recites a passage from Luke and explains the meaning of Christmas. Charlie Brown walks off happily with this new revelation. In the end, everyone comes together, decorates the tiny tree, and everyone sings "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing". 

     Going into this, I had a good idea of what the top 2 would be. This special and The Grinch are both timely classics. They both first aired around the same time, too. So what gives Charlie Brown the top spot? Well, for starters, it has some beautiful music. It does a great job of shifting from what Christmas isn't about to what Christmas is about. Linus' talk at center stage is the ultimate mic drop. Ending the special with a great carol is a nice touch, too. And come on! It's Charlie Brown. Was it really ever going to be anything else? He may not be able to kick that football, but he has a kick-butt Christmas special. 

     So there you have it. As mentioned earlier, this is just one dude's opinion and ranking of holiday specials.You may disagree on some or believe there are notable omissions. There's plenty of good ones out there (and plenty that I haven't seen, either). Either way, enjoy this most wonderful time of the year!