  Babes
In Toyland
An animated rendition of Victor Herbert's classic children's
Christmas fantasy. In the make-believe realm of Toyland, lovely
Mary Contrary must be saved from marrying the evil Barnaby
instead of her true love, Jack Be Nimble. Features the voices of
Christopher Plummer, James Belushi, and Bronson Pinchot. Peanuts
Holiday Collection (A Charlie Brown Christmas/A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving/It's
the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown) : Two of the all-time cartoon classics
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) and A Charlie Brown Christmas (a
Peabody and Emmy winner from 1965) highlight this three-disc, six-episode set.
It's a treasure of a gift (for others or yourself), all nicely packaged. --Doug
Thomas
Dr.
Seuss - How the Grinch Stole Christmas/Horton Hears a Who (1966) : To
heck with the kids--this is one of the best holiday presents you can give
yourself. Adapted from the children's book by Dr. Seuss, this charming story is
one to watch every holiday season. It is just edgy enough to help you forget the
more cloying aspects of Christmas, yet it is also sweet enough to remind you of
the reason for all that holiday cheer.
Santa
Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970) : The story of how Kris Kringle got his start
as the world's most famous gift giver by struggling to bring toys and happiness
to the children of Sombertown.
The
Little Drummer Boy (1968) : The model animation techniques in this 1968
Rankin and Bass TV chestnut are primitive by today's standards, and picky kids
may reject them out of hand. The story, however, which elaborates on the popular
Christmas song about a shepherd boy who plays his drum for the baby Jesus and
makes the animals dance, is a little more tough-minded than you might expect.
The kid begins the story as what we'd now call a neglected child, a surly urchin
who says he hates all people. He's pulled back from the brink, first by learning
to make music, and then by his encounter with the Christ child. The underlying
message alone--that everybody has something worth contributing--qualifies the
show for holiday-perennial status. The big-name voice performers, Jose Ferrer
and Greer Garson (who narrates), may be a little too ponderous for the occasion,
but the familiar cartoony tones of Paul Frees (aka Boris Badenov) and June Forey
(aka Rocket J. Squirrel) help liven up the proceedings. It's only 23 minutes
long, so it's worth a shot for younger children. --David Chute
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Frosty
the Snowman/Frosty Returns (1969) : Jimmy Durante narrates this
Christmas story that is based on the song of the same name. To make up for the
fact that her students are in school on Christmas Eve, the local schoolteacher
hires the magician Professor Hinkle to entertain the kids. Unfortunately, he's
not a very good magician. Frustrated in his attempt to pull a rabbit out of his
hat, he throws it away in anger. Outside, the kids build a snowman (what to call
it? Harold? Oatmeal? Frosty!), and when the hat blows onto it--Happy
Birthday!--it comes to life. Professor Hinkle decides he wants the hat back so
he can make money off of its newfound magical properties, but the kids want to
save Frosty. When the temperature starts to rise, a new problem threatens
Frosty's existence. Karen, the leader of the children, comes up with a plan to
save him: take him on a train to the North Pole, where it's always cold. With a
cameo by Santa Claus, and the promise of Frosty's return every year, this story
of life, death, and holiday cheer is glazed with the sweet frosting of hope and
happiness. A true holiday classic.
Rudolph
the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) : This classic 1964 television special
featuring Rudolph and his misfit buddies set the standard for stop-motion
animation for an entire generation before Tim Burton darkly reinvented it in the
early 1990s. Burl Ives narrates as Sam the Snowman, telling and singing the
story of a rejected reindeer who overcomes prejudice and saves Christmas one
particularly blustery year. Along the way, he meets an abundance of
unforgettable characters: his dentally obsessed elf pal Hermey; the affable
miner Yukon Cornelius and his motley crew of puppies; the scary/adorable
Abominable Snow Monster; a legion of abandoned, but still chatty, toys; and a
rather grouchy Santa. In addition to the title song that inspired it, this
53-minute show is crammed with catchy tunes such as "Silver and Gold" and "Holly
Jolly Christmas." Those who grew up looking forward to watching Rudolph every
Christmas season will undoubtedly be able to recite the quotable quotes ("I'm
cuuuute. She said I'm cuuuute." "Herbie doesn't like to make toys.") as well as
any Casablanca cult audience. --Kimberly Heinrichs
Mr.
Magoo's Christmas Carol
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