For the most perfect Christmas, you’ll need: your family and loved ones, a gleaming Christmas tree, a crackling fireplace, fresh, powdery snow covering the treetops behind your window, and… Christmas cartoons! Once the duck is eaten, the gifts unwrapped, and the most impressive snowman is built, it’s time to grab a collective cup of hot cocoa, put on hand-knitted woolen socks, and turn on the screen to watch some festive, magical cartoons. A heartwarming, beautifully-drawn story with kind and loveable characters is sure to unite the family - from the smallest ones to the wisest - even more so. And, to save you the trouble of browsing for the perfect Christmas animation, we’ve gathered the best ones into this list. This way, you can really invest your time building the most elaborate snowman instead of googling for cartoons!
And this list does have it all - from the very jazzy and mellow A Charlie Brown Christmas from 1965 to the positively spooky A Nightmare Before Christmas, you’ll find an animated movie that perfectly caters to your needs. Some are based on classical Christmas stories, interwoven with morals and valuable lessons (good ones, I might add!), while others are entirely modern and never-before-seen tales. Ones are suitable for toddlers - those are probably the most beautiful visually, while the rest of them are perfect for the whole family. Whichever you pick, it’ll add charm to your perfect Christmas day.
Now, scroll just a bit further and see our Christmas cartoons list for yourself. Gather a family meeting, pick the one (or the ones) to watch, relax and unwind. Be sure to share this magical list with your friends, and don’t forget to tell us which of these Christmas movies you liked the most!
#1 The Polar Express
The Polar Express is a 2004 animated movie co-written and directed by Robert Zemeckis of Forrest Gump fame. A record budget allowed the animators to use the latest computer animation technologies of the time, resulting in the first-ever all-digital capture film. Because of that, The Polar Express might be the most visually stunning entry on our list! Besides being glory to the eyes, its story is also not any less beautiful. It follows a group of kids journeying to the North Pole in hopes of visiting Santa, but, between the lines, it talks about the beauty of belief and innocence. A truly heartwarming and effective movie that has become a real Christmas staple.
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57points
#2 Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
Every season must have its misfit story, and Christmas is no exception. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer tells us that being different is good and having a beautiful heart is what's the most important. In this 1964 version of Rudolph's tale, we get to see his adventures in a stop-motion fashion - a timeless type of animation that easily transports you to fantasy land.
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54points
#3 How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
The Grinch, a surly antisocial heel, has been trying to steal Christmas since the very day his story was published in 1957. His debut on the screen, though, was in 1966 - an animated TV special that revived Mr. Grinch and showed his evil intentions to the world. This cartoon also gave us one of our favorite Christmas songs - You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch by Thurl Ravenscroft. And, if classy cartoons are your preference for the season, How The Grinch Stole Christmas will hit the bullseye.
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54points
#4 The Nightmare Before Christmas
Once you hear the name Tim Burton, you know what you're about to see. This director's iconic style includes, of course, stop-motion animation, gloomy settings, and thoroughly original (and a bit scary) characters. In The Nightmare Before Christmas, the story revolves around Jack Skellington, the king of Halloween Town, who stumbles upon Christmas Town and gets joyfully obsessed with celebrating this festivity. The movie proved to be very impactful, creating a legacy of table games, video games, books, figurines, and all kinds of collectibles throughout the decades.
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54points
#5 Klaus
Klaus is one of the very few hand-drawn animations on our list. But, if you'd ask us, it makes it all the more special! The movie tells us the story of Klaus becoming Santa, and although it strays from the usual story of origin, it's nonetheless beautiful. Here, a postman stationed on an island in the Far North befriends a hermit living in the woods. His name is Klaus, and he makes beautiful wooden toys. Watch the animation for yourself to see how the story develops, and we promise you, you won't be disappointed!
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53points
#6 A Charlie Brown Christmas
A Charlie Brown Christmas is a 1965 animated TV special. There's plenty to like about this cartoon - its unorthodox way of storytelling and slow pace, its astonishingly beautiful soundtrack (jazz compositions by Vince Guaraldi), and even Charlie's sadness about the commercialization of Christmas. Which, in the end, turns the tables around and makes the characters (and those watching) understand the true spirit of this festivity. Although producers and the network predicted disaster for A Charlie Brown Christmas, it proved to be anything but. A heartwarming and exceptionally beautiful film to mark the most important celebration of the year.
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51points
#7 A Christmas Carol (2009)
2009’s A Christmas Carol is Disney's third adaptation of this classic Christmas story by Charles Dickens. However, this time, it takes a slightly darker tone, making it into a gloomy fantasy. A Christmas Carol was made using motion capture technology, and the story's characters came to life thanks to such actors as Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, and Robin Wright Penn. Although this animated movie is beyond stunning visually, it still keeps the original story's morals and values.
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51points
#8 Arthur Christmas
Arthur Christmas is a thoroughly entertaining and heartwarming movie. It follows Arthur, the goofy yet well-meaning son of Santa, who discovers that his father did not deliver a present to this one girl. So, being as kind as he is, Arthur embarks on a journey to deliver the present with the help of his grandpa, an elf, and his trusty team of reindeers. The journey proves to be an adventurous one - all the more fun for us watching it!
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50points
#9 Frozen
Although Frozen isn't based on some classic Christmas story, but rather Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale The Snow Queen, its wintertime setting, snowman, and reindeers make it a perfect movie for the season. To say that this Disney movie was a tremendous success would be to put it lightly, as it has started a full-on craze among younger audiences. There probably isn't a kid who doesn't know who the sisters Anna and Elsa are! But, if you still haven't seen Frozen, try it - it's an absolutely masterfully made story.
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47points
#10 Frosty The Snowman (1969)
Frosty The Snowman is an animated Christmas TV special that first aired in 1969. The story follows a group of kids who build a snowman and place a special magician's hat on his head. A magic spell makes Frosty come to life, but due to quickly rising temperatures, the children fear that Frosty would melt. Thus, they set out on a trip to The North Pole, where Frosty would never melt. It's a truly beautiful hand-drawn animated story that finds fans in every generation.
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47points
#11 A Garfield Christmas
We are so used to seeing Garfield stuffing his face with lasagna, getting annoyed at everything and everyone (especially Odie), and planning some secret schemes. However, in A Garfield Christmas, a 1987 animated TV special, we get a rare glimpse of Garfield's other, softer side. Here, we get to follow him on his trip to spend Christmas with Jon's relatives at their farm. And although Garfield isn't too excited initially, he grows to love the place and finds the true meaning of Christmas, which is, of course, love!
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44points
#12 The Year Without A Santa Claus
The Year Without A Santa Claus is a stop-motion animated film created in 1974 and based on Phyllis McGinley's book of the same name. Here, our beloved Santa wakes up one morning feeling blue and forgotten, and with a recommendation from his doctor, decides to take a holiday instead of delivering gifts. News spreads quickly, and the world's children send their own gifts to Santa to make him feel better, which definitely helps. Touched by the kid's generosity and with new strength, Santa sets sail to deliver the presents just in time for Christmas. Decades later, this beautiful story got a live-action remake, but to us, it's the nostalgic stop-motion animation that will always be the best.
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42points
#13 Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch (2018)
Though it's the second time that you have seen Mr. Grinch on our list, this Grinch movie itself is the third screen adaptation of this green grouch's story. Once again, we get to see Mr.Grinch trying to sabotage Whoville's Christmas by stealing all the town's decorations and gifts. His loyal pet dog Max is always at its owner's heel, helping in any way he can in his master's evil plan. Unexpectedly so, the original song for this movie - I Am Mister Grinch - was created by the rapper Tyler, The Creator.
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39points
#14 The Snowy Day (2016)
The Snowy Day is based on a children's book of the same name written and illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats. The story shows us the wonder of first snow through a kid's eyes, and its beautiful story and fantastical illustrations translate perfectly onto the screen. Though The Snowy Day is aimed at preschool kids, anyone will find this story to be a wonderful and uplifting one.
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38points
#15 Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas
Curious George is an animated monkey that most of us have loved throughout all our childhood years. Though this character came from a series of books, his animated version is as curious as only Curious George could be. The adorable monkey has starred in many TV specials, and Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas is one of them. It first aired in 2009, and like in the series, we get to meet the loveable monkey and all the other characters once again. A Christmassy setting definitely makes his adventures even more special!
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37points
#16 Olaf’s Frozen Adventure
Olaf's Frozen Adventure is a short animated featurette produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. It features the same characters that we've grown to love in the original Frozen movie - Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Sven, Kristoff, and all the good people of Arendelle. It's about Christmas traditions and how to make them if you don't have some of your own as of yet. A short but sweet and heartwarming animation for some quick Christmas magic!
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36points
#17 All I Want For Christmas Is You
All I Want For Christmas Is You is an animated movie based on Mariah Carey's song of the same name and a book written by her and Colleen Madden. The movie follows little Mariah (voiced by Mariah Carey) and her wish for a puppy for Christmas coming true. The movie also features an original soundtrack created and also performed by the singer. So, if the iconic song just isn't enough for you, try and supplement it with this beautiful Christmas story.
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35points
#18 Santa’s Apprentice
Santa's Apprentice (L'Apprenti Pere Noel) is a French animated movie released in 2010. The story centers around Nicholas, an orphan boy, and his friends trying to find Christmas magic. Because of his pure heart, Nicholas is chosen to be Santa's little apprentice in the North Pole; after his training, he's supposed to become the next Santa Claus. His apprenticeship isn't all smooth sailing; however, despite the trials, he also tries his best to help his friends who are still in the orphanage. Santa's Apprentice is a beautiful and heartwarming story whose morals will never get outdated.
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34points
#19 If You Give A Mouse A Christmas Cookie
If You Give A Mouse A Christmas Cookie follows the beloved characters from Laura Numeroff's book - Mouse and his human friend Oliver as they prepare for Christmas. Mouse, as per usual, is his aloof self, always having a hard time concentrating on the task at hand. This causes some trouble for his friends and for their festive preparations, but, of course, they all manage it on time and have themselves a merry little Christmas. This is one of the very few festive animations that are perfectly suitable for even the smallest kids - it's beautiful, it teaches valuable lessons, and the festive mood is practically tangible.
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34points
#20 Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmas
Mickey's Once Upon A Christmas is a 1999 animated Christmas anthology featuring all the beloved Disney characters. The film is made out of three installments - Donald Duck: Stuck On Christmas, A Very Goofy Christmas, and Mickey and Minnie's Gift To The Magi. So, as you can see, the main characters all get a Christmas plotline of their own but also star in each other's stories. If you love classic Disney, you will definitely love this festive anthology!
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34points