Let's admit that there are an absolute megaton of Christmas Specials and movies to enjoy during the holidays... but here, I'd like to talk about a few of my favorite underrated and little known specials. Don't get me wrong, I love A Christmas Story, Scrooged and A Muppet Family Christmas to death but these following specials absolutely deserve some spotlight and I will try to point you in the right direction to enjoy them. A quick note: I’ll post as many of the videos I find on YouTube here but they’re never guaranteed to last here. These videos usually disappear pretty quickly. Another note: none of these videos were uploaded by me.

THE SMURFS CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

Ah yes, the Smurfs. I don't hear much about Smurfs now days unless someone eats something that changes their mouths blue and then you get that one guy who makes the joke and... yeah, you get it. Believe it or not, in 1982 the Smurfs had dawned their first and best Christmas Special of all time!

So, the Smurfs are decking the halls of their mushroomy Smurf village and stumble upon a couple of lost kids in the forest trying to find their family after their grandfather crashes the sleigh they were all in moments ago. The kids are being hunted by both Gargamel and an even worse evil magician who has offered Gargamel a spell for the demise of the Smurfs in exchange for these children who's family he seeks revenge on. The magician never really states why he has a bone to pick with the family but it must've been serious... the spell he gives Gargamel turns the Smurfs houses into solid wood and he surrounds the children with a ring of fire. It's probably more brutal than a Smurfs cartoon should've gotten but that's what makes it so good!

My favorite part is the ending which is of course a happy one and I won't ruin it here. This special is available on Amazon Prime, Vudu, Google Play Movies & TV and YouTube each at the price of $1.99! Although, if you’re like me, you can find this one fairly easy on youtube for free with a quick search.

CHRISTMAS COMES TO PACLAND

Fun fact, if you put your finger in your ear and wiggle it back and forth, it sounds like Pacman.... and you will also look really dumb in public. Anyways, even Pacman was in on the Christmas spirit back in the 80s! Most people I know don't even know there was a Pacman cartoon let alone a special.

Like the Smurfs, Christmas Comes to Pacland hit in 1982 from Hanna Barbera. Santas reindeer become scared after a confrontation between the Pac family and the ghosts which causes Santa's sleigh to crash. Now it's up to Pacman and friends to find Santa's sack of toys, fix his sleigh and get his reindeer in sleigh pulling condition to save Christmas.

The power pellets play a huge roll in this show. I don't know why but the idea of anything food giving you immediate strength has always intrigued me. As far as power pellets go, think Popeye and spinach. At one point they make power pellet cocoa and from that point on in my childhood, marshmallows would make me act like a complete asshole.

It is available on the Boomerang channel of Amazon Video (which is an extra $4.99 for the channel) Fortunately, this is another one that can easily be found on YouTube with a quick search.

THE ELF AND THE MAGIC KEY

This one I feel is probably the most obscure in the list; the sequel to The Elf Who Saved Christmas. Christmas eve arrives and wouldn't you know it.. Santa has been kidnapped by two grown men who want all of the toys Santa has to deliver for Christmas. An Elf named Toby played by a young Wendy J. Cooke (976-EVIL, Cocoon) sets out to find Santa. Toby asks the local witch, Mrs. Buzzard, if she can help and she gives her a magic key. She explains to Toby that she is locked in her den by the wizard of Zandar and that this key is her escape but she doesn't know how to use it. So, now it's up to Toby to find out how to use the key to find Santa and set Mrs. Buzzard free.

It's a cheesy one; a bunch of grown adults in elf gear, the two men who want the toys look like they drive yee yee trucks and hang out the windows as they drive... but it's a good one. Yet again, this can easily be found on YouTube. I honestly cannot find it anywhere else.

THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

Another I seem to hear no one talking about, the GoodTimes Entertainment version of the 12 Days of Christmas! Sir Carolboomer is trying to win over the princesses heart. He has Hollyberry, his servant, steal the princesses Christmas list to buy everything on it in hopes of winning her over. Hollyberry accidentally steals the answers to the kings crossword puzzle which happens to be each of the gifts from the 12 days of Christmas.

This movie is a real trip. The princess is allergic to birds and half the gifts happen to be birds. There are also a lot of references to music icons including Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra and Bob Dylan. Throughout the movie, we see Hollyberry struggle to get these gifts; for example.. 5 golden rings from each of a giants 5 fingers while he sleeps. You can assume what happens next.

Anyways, this is, yet again, another movie that has managed to stay in youtube for a while now. So, here it is!

A FLINTSTONE CHRISTMAS

This one comes from way back in 1977 from, again, Hanna Barbera! Santa Claus accidently slips and falls from the Flintstones roof causing him to sprains his ankle and also catch a cold which prevents him from completing his trip delivering presents. Barney gets the idea of having Fred step in for Santa. Santa agrees that it's a good idea and uses his magic to grant Fred his powers and also turns Barney into an elf. Together, Fred and Barney race against time and weather to finish delivering presents and make it back before the big Christmas party.

My favorite part is when Wilma tells Pebbles that hope is like a Christmas tree and they bust out in song while showcasing the Flintstones opening their gifts and being genuinely Christmassy. We see Dino pulling Pebbles around on a sleigh and we also get this great shot of the tree as it fades into a star at night where we see Santa and the reindeer pass by. It's a real heart warmer.

This one you will not find on YouTube in it’s entirety. It does look like it’s available on Apple TV for $2.99.

THE TOWN SANTA FORGOT

Ok, I had absolutely no clue that basically all of this list would be made up of Hanna Barbera cartoons. I didn't plan this. What can I say? Hanna Barbera has a way with cartoons and Christmas specials?

A spoiled kid named Jeremy Creek gets angry after his parents refuse to buy him anymore new toys so he writes Santa a half a mile list for Christmas. It turns out, Santa confuses Jeremy's name with the name of a place which hasn't been on Santa's radar for years so he delivers the presents there instead.

I absolutely LOVE the part where Jeremy goes through all of his toys, he's got it all! 55 cans of the gooiest goo for molding weird shapes like the people he knew! 9 plastic planets. 12 rockets, space rocks, 66 Dracula kids! I remember wanting Jeremy's room as a kid.... hell, I still do!

This one is indeed on YouTube but unfortunately, I can’t share it here as it is restricted. You can look if up and watch it for yourself on YouTube or head to the Boomerang Amazon channel and watch there! And of course there is the ol' faithful DVD or VHS on eBay.

I hope that you all enjoy at least one of these if not all during this holiday season! Grab some eggnog, cozy up and hit up YouTube or wherever else you need to enjoy these classics! Thanks for reading!