Best Christmas Specials: Top 10 Christmas Cartoons of the 80's

The Christmas cartoons of the 80's are some of the most awesome Christmas specials ever made, and definitely some of the most creative. From classic cartoons like Mickey and the gang and Garfield to bizarre new Christmas cartoons featuring the likes of the California Raisins and even everyone's favorite little blue guys, these 80's Christmas specials will leave you longing for the days of 80's stocking stuffers that included Rubik's cubes, Swatch Watches, and leg warmers in every color of the rainbow:

A Claymation Christmas Celebration (1987) - As a child, this was always my favorite of the many Christmas cartoons I enjoyed every year, and it's one of the Christmas specials I miss seeing the most. It's definitely one of the most bizarre 80's Christmas cartoons, featuring dinosaur hosts, some cool crooning camels, and everyone's favorite claymation singing sensations, the California Raisins. To this day I still consider this song-filled 80's Christmas special one of my favorite Christmas cartoons, and you've got to love it for daring to be different (way different).

The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus (1985) - This is another of my favorite unique 80's Christmas specials and one of the more bearable Rankin/Bass Christmas cartoons to watch. I love it because it takes the classic tale of the origin of Santa Claus and completely twists it into a bizarre fairytale full of 'Where the Wild Things Are'-esque beasts, talking animals, fairies, and other mythical creatures. It's based on a book by L. Frank Baum, who wrote 'The Wizard of Oz', and it will definitely make you say "we're not in traditional Christmas territory anymore". It's one of the most imaginative Christmas cartoons you'll ever watch, and I absolutely love all of the whimsical new Christmas characters.

Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983) - This is one of the few 80's Christmas cartoons on this list that scared me as a child (when Scrooge is visited by the final spirit), but it was one of my favorite Christmas specials anyway because of the way things turned out in the end for Mickey's Tiny Tim. Even today it's fun to see some of our favorite Disney characters put their own spin on Dickens' classic tale of learning the true meaning of Christmas, and this is definitely one of the 80's Christmas cartoons and specials on this list that has withstood the test of time.

The Real Ghostbusters: X-Mas Marks the Spot (1986) - This awesome 80's cartoon series may seem to be more suited for Halloween, but it even had a pretty fun Christmas special of its own. To save Christmas, the Ghostbusters have to fill in for the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, with hilarious (and spooky!) results. It's not one of the most well-known of the 80's Christmas cartoons and specials here, but it'll remind you of when you dreamed of finding the complete set of Ghostbusters action figures and the Ecto-1 under the tree on Christmas Day.

Ziggy's Gift (1982) - This is one of the Christmas cartoons on this list that probably deserves to be shown around the holidays year after year like so many other Christmas specials are, but, sadly. America's love affair with squishy-looking, rotund Ziggy has come to an end. Still, this Emmy-winning cartoon definitely deserves a spot on this list. Out of all of the cartoons on this list, this one really does the best job of capturing the Christmas spirit, with a man who continuously does good despite all of the difficulties he's faced with. Ziggy volunteers to spend his holiday time helping others, even while others aren't so kindhearted towards him. Among the other things that make this one of the best Christmas cartoons ever is the fact that Ziggy doesn't talk, giving the cartoon a silent movie feel, a la Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. He also really loves animals, and there are many simplistic moments in this Christmas special that manage to have quite an impact on the viewer. It's a shame that this touching 80's cartoon isn't shown alongside the other Christmas specials year after year, and if I had to choose just one of the 80's cartoons here to recommend that you watch for Christmas, it's definitely this one.

Garfield & Friends: A Garfield Christmas (1987) - And here's one of the 80's Christmas specials on this list that is played year after year, and another of the Christmas cartoons on this list based on a comic strip character popular in the 80's. I've honestly never liked Garfield more than I have in this Christmas special, perhaps in part because of the touching connection he has with lonely Grandma, and the sweet Christmas gesture he makes toward her. I also love Odie's inventive gift, and despite seeing this every year since I can remember, I still can't help but watch it, making it another of the Christmas cartoons here that can be enjoyed year after year.

The Smurfs' Christmas Special (1982) - I'll admit that, now that I'm older, the Smurfs can be quite annoying, but as a child, I loved these magical 80's cartoons about the adorable mushroom dwellers. When some children and their grandfather become stranded when their sleigh is attacked by a wolf and a mysterious stranger, they go to the wrong guy for help: Gargamel. Eventually they get help from Papa Smurf (who they think is Santa Claus) and his singing smurf pals, but a lot of incredibly heavy stuff when it comes to Christmas specials has to happen before everyone can live happily ever after. This is really one of the darkest Christmas cartoons you'll ever see, and you'll want to try to catch the Biblical analogy.

The Jetsons: A Jetson Christmas Carol (1985) - And here's another of the many 80's Christmas cartoons and Christmas specials that take a page or two from Dickens' story. George Jetson's boss won't let him quit his strenuous job of pushing buttons to make those indispensable items of the future, sprockets, on Christmas day, and his family starts to worry when he doesn't come home. But Mr. Spacely has a change of heart when he's visited by three futuristic spirits (including the original cybernetic ghost of Christmas past from the future), and decides it's better to let George enjoy the holiday rather than end up losing millions when he gets sued by him. George was lucky he didn't know about the fortune he missed out on, and you've got to love this for being one of the more realistic cartoons that takes on Dickens' tale, because we all know that Mr. Spacely goes back to being his obnoxious, greedy little self after the Christmas special is over.

Pac Man: Christmas Comes to Pac-Land (1982) - This is definitely one of the most 80's of the 80's Christmas cartoons on this list. When Santa lands in Pac-Land, he teaches Pac-Man and his pals about the holiday, and Pac-Man sets out to help him save the holiday by feeding Santa's reindeer some of his precious power pellets. It's not one of the best of the 80's Christmas cartoons and specials on this list, but you've got to respect the writers for turning the videogame idea of a yellow head that munches on fruit into a 22-minute Christmas special.

Yogi's First Christmas (1980) - This is one of everyone's favorite classic cartoons, and it's fun to see Yogi celebrate Christmas with his friends, which include Boo Boo, Huckleberry Hound, and Snagglepuss. Yogi enjoys getting to learn about Christmas when he's awoken from his hibernation way too early, but spends his first holiday trying to save the day when he learns that Jellystone Lodge may close down. It's one of the 80's Christmas cartoons on this list that at least has a somewhat original storyline, and it's nice to see Yogi honestly earn a pic-a-nic basket for once.

And for a bonus 80's Christmas cartoon track, I'll throw in 'The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries: The Nutcracker Scoob' from 1984 (I didn't include it in the 10 because I just can't stand Scrappy, and there are already too many cartoons on this list based on 'A Christmas Carol').

So from bizzare 80's cartoons that were truly one-of-a-kind to Christmas specials based on some of our favorite 80's cartoons, I hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane back to the time when you found Popples, Glo Worms, and Wuzzles under your Christmas tree.

SOURCES: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Christmas_television_specials