Your favourite Christmas specials...

[AGXStarseed]

Now I understand this thread may be too early for some. However, the preparations for this year's Christmas and people getting in the festive mood early hasn't escaped my attention.
The Christmas lights have been turned on in my town, the usual advertisements have gone up in shops and pubs/bars all around, I've heard some Christmas music been played, seen some of my family preparing the presents they're going to give and even earlier today I saw a kid walking around wearing a Santa hat.

For me generally, I do my Christmas shopping in November to get it out of the way and start on the songs and trying to get into the festive spirit when December arrives.
This year, however, I'm going to go with the flow and start early. My question is what Christmas specials - whether it be movies, tv shows or shorts - do you like the best?

Here's some examples from the Nostalgia Critic - including his favorites and others (some of which are overlooked) that are worth a mention.

12. Merry Christmas, Mr Bean
11. South Park: A Woodland Critter's Christmas
10. Disney's The Little Match Girl
9. Home Alone
8. Miracle on 34th Street (Original Version)
7. The Small One
6. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
5. It's a Wonderful Life
4. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
3. A Charlie Brown Christmas
2. A Christmas Carol (Any Version)
1. A Christmas Story

11. Elf
10. A Garfield Christmas Special
9. The Polar Express (in 3D)
8. Blackadder's Christmas Carol
7. Gremlins
6. The Nativity Story
5. A Pinky and the Brain Christmas
4. All in the Family (Episode: The Draft Dodger)
3. Joyeux Noël
2. The Snowman
1. Die Hard

• Rifftrax Christmas Special 2009
  
• Aqua Teen Hunger Force - Christmas Special
  
• Bad Santa
  
• Pee Wee Herman's Christmas Special
  
• Futurama Christmas Special
  
• Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
  
• Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas Special
  
• A Very Merry Cricket
  
• Tokyo Godfathers
  
• Mickey's Christmas Carol
  
• Arthur Christmas

I'll put in my own favorites later.

 

[Rocco]

National Lampoons Christmas Vacation

Elf

Badder Santa (no kids around)

Christmas Story

Grinch

Polar Express

Star Trek TNG (because I get all my 1990s Hallmark light up Trek ornaments out for the tree decorations)

Various TV show Christmas specials such as; Simpsons, Futurama,

Music;
Long December, by Counting Crow

The obvious classics played on American radio stations

 

[Flinty]

To add to these here, the Fox-aired Olive, the Other Reindeer.

Also, this bit of insanity starring Bryan Adams (?) and Pee-Wee Herman (?!)

 

[Mia]

My favorites of all time are:

It's a Wonderful Life
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (1964 version)
White Christmas
Holiday Inn
Elf

 

[Vinca]

Downton, christmas edition

The Preachers Wife

Toy Story

 

[Cinnamon115]

A Charlie Brown Christmas. It's my absolute favorite!

 

[AGXStarseed]

Here's a list of the films/specials I like to watch at Christmas time - even if some of them aren't necessarily Christmassy.

---

A Christmas Carol: There's three versions of this I like to watch each year: Mickey's Christmas Carol, The Muppet Christmas Carol and the 1999 version of A Christmas Carol (with Patrick Stewart as Scrooge).

The Polar Express: I remember not wanting to watch this originally. Glad I relented and did though, as I think it's a great little film.

Santa Claus (1985): It's cliched and corny, but I loved this cult classic movie as a kid and still like it now - even if the special effects haven't aged well and there's many flaws throughout.

The Ice Age Movies: All four of the main movies plus the Christmas special. Really gets me in the mood for winter.

The Snowman: The animated adaption of Raymond Brigg's book is a classic and definitely one I watch every Christmas - if not on the television then on DVD. It's almost impossible to think of it and not hear "Walking in the Air" playing in your head.

Father Christmas (Animated): Another two of Raymond Brigg's books get animated as well as providing a sequel to The Snowman, with Santa going on holiday to several places before getting ready for Christmas again.

The Snowman and the Snowdog: I personally like this sequel a fair bit, even if it is generally similar to the first movie. Funnily enough, one of the biggest complaints is that the 'Walking in the Air' song wasn't used during the flying scene.

Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Another two that are guaranteed to be watched by me at Christmas. I love both of them, even if the people who made the sequel admitted it was just a cash in. I did enjoy Home Alone 3 when I was a kid, but have since gone off it (and don't get me started on the abysmal Home Alone 4).

Blackadder's Christmas Special: Seeing the 'Scrooge in reverse' story was a funny twist - especially how everyone takes advantage of Blackadder when he's a nice guy and their reactions when his attitude changes.

Disney's 101 Dalmations (Live-Action Version): Another must for Christmas time. Glenn Close as Cruella De Vil makes this movie - hearing and seeing her laugh like a maniac just cracks me up.

Dragons: Gift of the Night Fury: An animated short from Dreamworks that I particularly enjoy. Toothless is as cute as ever and it's a nice little story for its short running time.

Balto: Not really Christmassy and only 'loosely' based on a true story, but one that I like to watch regardless as the story talks about a group of animal friends - led by Balto the wolf-dog - going on a journey to bring medicine back to the town of Nome, Alaska after a diphtheria outbreak and severe snowstorm threatens the lives of numerous children.

Doctor Who Christmas Specials: Sadly you have to have watched the episodes previous or at least have a solid understanding of the show for these. Personally, I prefer the specials with David Tennant as the Doctor, as the Time Lord spends his Christmases stopping invasions, fighting monsters, saving people and running a lot.

Simpsons Christmas Specials: There's a good number of these I like. One of my favorites is where Lisa converts to Buddhism, leading Homer and Marge - who are concerned with her change of faith - to try and use Christmas (and a particular present) as a way to get her to change her mind.

Disney Christmas Animated Shorts: Literally too many to list all of them. Whether they feature Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh or any other characters, Disney sure knows how to bring the festive spirit in.

Chicken Run: Another classic me and my family watch if we get chance. Made by Aardman studios (who make the Wallace and Gromit films), it shows the story of a group of chickens trying to escape their farm before they can be turned into pies.

Wallace and Gromit's Cracking Contraptions: A series of shorts that came out several years ago. Each episode showed a new invention that Wallace had made, as well as poking fun out of their shortcomings.

Creature Comforts Christmas Specials: This is an odd one but for some reason, I really enjoy both of these. The show - made again by Aardman - had the voices of the British public (brought to life through animated animals) talking about Christmas.

 

[wyverary]

I'm unsure whether The Nightmare Before Christmas is a Halloween or a Christmas movie. I suppose it's probably both! I also am quite partial to A Christmas Story and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I also have a love/hate relationship with It's a Wonderful Life...It's kind of a tradition in my family, and I really like Jimmy Stewart, and it's a classic, so, how can you go wrong, I suppose?

 

[Flinty]

Also would like to add A Colbert Christmas, which is not political at all but rather a parody of past celebrity Christmas specials.

 

[OrSomething]

I like Elf, Frosty the Snowman, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and A Christmas Story.

 

[umbrellabeach]

The Polar Express
A Charlie Brown Christmas
A Christmas Carol
Mickey's Christmas Carol and his two full-length Christmas movies
And this is random but in or after 2017 I'm hoping to see a DuckTales Christmas episode or something. The original series doesn't have one. It has a book though.

 

[AGXStarseed]

Thinking about it, the Porridge and On the Buses Christmas specials are something I also enjoy watching.
One that I used to watch when I was a kid was An All Dog's Christmas Carol, although I haven't seen it in years.