Underappreciated Holiday Specials & Films

     It is amazing how many different movies and TV specials worm their way into our hearts and become annual holiday staples, in our homes, during the Christmas season. Collected here are some of our favorite ‘underappreciated’ Holiday films and TV specials, picks Bailey and I can’t live without during the month of December. That being said, these selections aren’t for everyone, as they might not even make your list of the top 50 must-watch items in holiday viewing, but they are those weird and memory-filled traditions that we can’t help but love. We hope that you will enjoy our selections, but if not, that’s okay too! Happy Viewing!

Modern Animated Holiday Specials

A Chipmunk Christmas (dir. Phil Monroe, 1981)

While this special was a staple for me growing up, it is certainly one that you either love or hate. The plot of this holiday special is rather weird, as it opens with a young boy, Tommy, who we learn is sick and unlikely to recover before Christmas. Meanwhile, the Chipmunks, Alvin, Simon, and Theodore, are preparing for an upcoming performance, and recording new music with Dave, but Alvin wants a new golden harmonica for Christmas. In a selfish yet altruistic plot twist, Alvin ends up giving away his own harmonica (which came from Dave) to Tommy, to help him get better, with the plan of eventually buying the new harmonica anyway… What ensues is a series of weird events, nightmares, and a little Christmas magic, which tidily ties up loose ends, so the Chipmunks can perform at a concert at Carnegie Hall. The standout here is the soundtrack, which features many classic hits like: “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late),” “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” Love the Chipmunks, or hate the Chipmunks, this special is a modern classic. – Sarah 🎤🎶🎅

A Garfield Christmas (1987, dir. Phil Roman)

This Christmas special aired on television for several consecutive years in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, but I don’t recall having seen it on anything but one of my VHS recordings of television specials. It’s a shame, because it’s a clever, funny look at Christmas in adulthood. Our favorite cantankerous cartoon cat travels with John and Odie to his family’s farm to celebrate Christmas. He spends the holiday with John’s family: his doting mother, cranky father, younger brother, and, best of all, his body-building, hot sauce-loving grandmother. I love this special because it so closely mirrors my Christmas experience as an adult. There are no children to be seen, but John and his brother revert to childhood, nagging their parents about when they can open gifts and having their favorite story read to them on Christmas Eve (in the proper voice, of course). It’s the perfect reminder that holiday traditions, silly as they may seem for a group of grown adults to perform, can live on well beyond childhood… – Bailey 😾🤡

For Christmases both Strange & Bizarre...

The Flying Nun “Wailing in a Winter Wonderland” (Season 1, Episode 17, dir. Jerry Bernstein, 1967)

This is such a strange episode, but also kind of endearing as well. The Flying Nun, starring Sally Field as Sister Bertrille, is one of the strangest, saccharine TV shows ever, and this Christmas episode is no different. This time young nun, Sister Bertrille, pulls the name of a visiting elderly nun, Sister Olaf of Scandinavia, in a Christmas present exchange drawing, but Sister Olaf’s only wish is for snow, which is unheard of in San Juan, Puerto Rico… That does not stop the intrepid Sister Bertrille, who concocts a ridiculous plan to deposit dry ice pellets in the clouds over San Juan to make it snow. The results are, inevitably, disastrous, and Sister Bertrille must come up with another cockamamie scheme to fix her mistakes. Whether you’ve seen the show before or never heard of it, The Flying Nun is one of those shows that makes you question: ‘who thought this was a good idea?’ If for no other reason than pure curiosity, and a good laugh at the campiness and ridiculousness of the show’s premise, take some time to watch this Christmas special, it is surprisingly entertaining. – Sarah ❄❅❆

A Claymation Christmas Celebration (1987, dir. Will Vinton)

This fun, bizarre Christmas special used to air right after Garfield’s special for years, but again, I have never actually seen it aired on television. Nevertheless, to this day they both live hand-in-hand in my heart. Inexplicably hosted by a pair of dinosaurs, this special features a host of clay characters, including the famed California Raisins, presenting new takes on classic Christmas carols. This special contains some of my favorite iterations of beloved Christmas songs like “We Three Kings,” “Joy to the World,” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” all creativity clay-animated. This special is weird and hilarious while also at times beautiful and solemn. It wouldn’t be Christmas without it.  – Bailey 🧇🐧

Films We Feel are Underappreciated at the Holidays

Jingle All the Way (dir. Brian Levant, 1996)

Jingle All the Way has to be one of the most outrageous and fun Christmas movies out there, but is underappreciated and often dismissed as a non-essential family flick. What I like about this movie is the overall concept of that frantic rush to find the sold out ‘it’ toy of the holiday season, essentially any parent’s worst nightmare on Christmas Eve. The film has layers of meaning, as you can watch it at face value as a family friendly romp, or you can view it from a much darker perspective as a commentary on consumerism gone wrong. I like to think about it as the perfect mix of both, with some of the film’s most memorable scenes standing out, namely: the mall scene where Howard (Arnold Schwarzenegger) chases a child around an indoor playground for a toy ball, and the over-the-top warehouse fight scene where counterfeit toy makers, dressed as Santas and Elves, are raided by the police. Jingle All the Way is certainly not like more traditional holiday films that are out there, rather this movie distinguishes itself with its cynicism and satirical humor, which allows it to stand up to repeat viewings and has become an annual holiday favorite of mine. So, what are you waiting for? Grab some popcorn, because: “It’s Turbo Time!” – Sarah 👪🎄⏰

Prancer (1989, dir. John D. Hancock)

This is one Christmas film that does not get enough credit for its quality and spirit.  A little girl (Rebecca Harrell) comes across an injured reindeer that she believes to be Prancer of Santa’s sleigh team. Amid a tense relationship with her widower father (Sam Elliott), her holiday spirit and intense caring for the injured animal charm the residents of her small town. This movie stands out among all of the other family-centered Christmas films out there for several reasons.  The plot is relatively unique, at least in the holiday genre, the acting is impeccable (particularly on the part of Harrell and Elliott), and it takes time to fit in quiet, emotional moments. Magical and heartwarming, this is a Christmas favorite every year. – Bailey 🦌

What underappreciated holiday films and specials do you love the most? Which strange seasonal favorites tickle your funny bone? Share your thoughts, opinions, and favorite holiday traditions in the comments below!

Copyright © 2019 Sarah Crane & Bailey Lizotte