Old Christmas Cartoons and Classic Holiday Films (and Where to Watch)
Stop-motion reindeer, a sad little tree and a Grinch with a heart two sizes too small: the classic Christmas specials still return every December. Here are the essentials, plus old holiday films you can watch free.
Every December, the same handful of old Christmas cartoons comes back. Most were made for television in the 1960s and have been shown every year since, which is how they became part of the season for several generations. Here are the classics, a few older theatrical shorts, and the holiday films you can watch legally for free.
The classic TV specials
| Special | Year | Why it lasts |
|---|---|---|
| Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer | 1964 | Stop-motion by Rankin/Bass; the Island of Misfit Toys |
| A Charlie Brown Christmas | 1965 | A jazz score, real children's voices and a quiet message |
| How the Grinch Stole Christmas! | 1966 | Chuck Jones animating Dr. Seuss, narrated by Boris Karloff |
| Frosty the Snowman | 1969 | A Rankin/Bass favorite in traditional animation |
| Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town | 1970 | Stop-motion origin story of Santa |
| The Year Without a Santa Claus | 1974 | Remembered for the Heat Miser and Snow Miser |
| Mickey's Christmas Carol | 1983 | Disney's characters retell Dickens |
These specials were made for broadcast and are still owned by their studios, so check the current year's TV schedule or the rights holder's streaming service.
Older theatrical Christmas cartoons
Before TV specials, Christmas cartoons played in theaters before the feature. Studios such as Fleischer, Disney, Warner Bros. and MGM all made holiday shorts in the 1930s and 1940s: toys coming to life, Santa's workshop, animals sheltering from winter. Some of the earliest are now in the public domain and can be found on archive sites. See our guide to old cartoons for the bigger picture.
Public domain Christmas movies
A few holiday films are in the US public domain and widely available free. Two famous cases:
- It's a Wonderful Life (1946). Its copyright was not properly renewed in 1974, so it fell into the public domain and TV stations could show it for free, which is how it became a Christmas classic. In 1993 the rights holder used its ownership of the underlying story and music to regain control of most showings, so the situation is more complicated than it looks.
- Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964). A low-budget oddity in the public domain, and a favorite of fans of so-bad-it's-good films.
Always check the specific version: restorations, colorized editions and music can carry their own rights. Our guide to public domain movies explains how.
Cult Christmas favorites
Alongside the wholesome classics there is a tradition of odd holiday viewing: cheap science fiction like Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, horror and action films set at Christmas, and forgotten TV specials passed around by fans. If that is your kind of December, see our cult classic movies.
Where to watch old Christmas cartoons and movies
- Broadcast TV in December: several of the 1960s specials still air on network television each year.
- Studio streaming services carry the specials they own.
- Free ad-supported streaming often runs holiday channels with older films.
- Public domain archives for early cartoons and public domain films.
- Your library for DVD collections of the specials.
Questions
What is the oldest Christmas TV special still shown?
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) is the longest-running of the classic animated specials and still airs every year.
Is It's a Wonderful Life in the public domain?
The film itself fell into the public domain in 1974, but the rights holder controls the underlying story and music, which limits free showings.
Where can I watch old Christmas cartoons for free?
Some air free on broadcast TV in December; early public domain shorts are on archive sites; libraries lend the specials on DVD.
Are Rankin/Bass specials stop-motion?
Rudolph and Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town are stop-motion; Frosty the Snowman is traditionally animated.
