phineas and ferb christmas special – Trekking with Dennis

Let’s Have A 21st Century Christmas!

Spoiler Warning: There are minor spoilers for several of the titles discussed below.

Have you ever noticed that *most* of the films and TV specials that we like to watch at this time of year are… kinda old? Even if you don’t go for a real old-school classic like It’s A Wonderful Life or Miracle on 34th Street, most of the festive entertainment that I see being talked about – at least among my peers and folks of a similar age to me – originated before the turn of the millennium.

Think about it: Die Hard came out in 1988. Home Alone is from 1990. A Christmas Story was 1983. The Santa Clause was released in 1994. The Nightmare Before Christmas? That was 1993. The Muppet Christmas Carol came out in 1992.

So where’s the 21st Century in our holiday traditions? That’s a wrong we’re going to right today!

Still frame from Miracle on 34th Street (1947) showing Santa Claus. — Many of our “Christmas classics” are from the 20th Century, like *Miracle on 34th Street*.

I have really fond memories of this time of year, including watching the likes of 1982’s The Snowman, Mickey’s Christmas Carol from 1983, and the 1996 so-bad-it’s-good classic Jingle All The Way! But there are some wonderful films and TV specials which premiered in the first quarter of the 21st Century that I think some of us can occasionally overlook. And look, I get it: some of these still feel brand-new, even if they’re approaching their 20th or even 25th anniversaries! But Christmas, while a time of tradition and returning to things we’ve enjoyed in the past, still has room for newer and more modern touches.

If you’re British (or if you remember an earlier edition of my annual festive playlist), you might associate the term “21st Century Christmas” with the song of the same name by Cliff Richard! That’s where I got the title of this piece from. And the song itself is well worth a listen, even if Cliff’s idea of “the 21st Century” seems dated already, with lyrics talking of DVDs and faxes! But I think we’ve drifted off-topic…

The cover of Cliff Richard's 2006 CD single "21st Century Christmas". — In the immortal words of Cliff Richard, let’s have a 21st Century Christmas!

What I’ve done today is put together a short list of five films and TV specials from the 21st Century that I think are well worth checking out at this time of year. If you missed them when they were new, or haven’t seen them since they premiered… maybe check them out in 2025. We’re almost a quarter of the way through the century, if you can believe that. And I’m still trying to adjust to writing dates where the year begins with a “2!”

My usual caveats apply: everything we’re going to talk about is the entirely subjective, not objective, opinion of one person only. If I highlight something you hate or miss out something you thought would be a shoo-in for a list like this… *that’s okay!* There are loads of fun Christmas specials and films, and I’ve only picked out a handful this time. They’re listed below in the order they were originally released, and I included any Christmassy or Christmas-adjacent film or TV special released after the 1st of January 2001 on my long list of titles under consideration!

With all of that out of the way… let’s have a 21st Century Christmas!

Number One:
The Polar Express
(2004)

Still frame from The Polar Express (2004) showing the titular train on an icy lake. — The titular Polar Express.

Can you believe that The Polar Express is more than 20 years old already? The film has – in my view – aged remarkably well, shaking off a somewhat controversial start to become a true festive classic. When The Polar Express was released, I can clearly remember a colleague of mine telling me that their young children were frightened of the film and its “creepy” CGI. But as we’ve gotten more used to computer animation in the two decades since, I think that particular criticism of The Polar Express has well and truly fallen away.

This is a fun twist on the classic “does Santa really exist” dilemma that many kids face. And it’s a bold choice for a Christmas film to tackle that question head-on, not simply hand-waving away the young boy’s doubts. Instead, The Polar Express leans into this idea of doubt to tell a really engaging and just plain *fun* narrative that I’m sure continues to resonate really strongly with kids today.

Still frame from The Polar Express (2004) showing the conductor, the kids, and a crowd of elves at the North Pole. — The conductor with some of the kids.

I love a good steam train, and The Polar Express brought a wonderful engine to life with its CGI. Trains are kind of related to Christmas – especially toy trains – so that’s on theme. And there’s a wonderful musical sequence as well as a great score. The theme from The Polar Express has become a classic Christmas track in its own right!

I wrote up a longer piece on The Polar Express last year to mark the film’s twentieth anniversary, and you can find it by clicking or tapping here. I’d be really curious to know what kids who’ve grown up since 2004 – and thus remember The Polar Express as just another old Christmas film – make of it nowadays!

Number Two:
Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation
(2009)

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation showing Phineas and Ferb aboard a Christmassy steam train. — The boys on a train.

I’m a big fan of Phineas and Ferb, so I was pleased to see the series resurrected this year for a fifth season! The show’s big Christmas special, from back in 2009, is one of the absolute best episodes for me, and it puts a distinctively “Phineas and Ferb” spin on a classic holiday premise. When Christmas is endangered (by the nefarious Dr Doofenshmirtz, naturally), someone has to step up and save the day – and that task falls to Phineas, Ferb, Candace, and their friends.

Christmas Vacation also has an incredible soundtrack. Phineas and Ferb is well-known for its songs and musical numbers, but Christmas Vacation packed several great festive tracks into its runtime. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s song Christmas is Starting Now, which plays at the climax of the story, might be the pick of the pops, but really, all of the songs are just fantastic. Several of them are on my festive playlist!

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation showing Perry the Platypus and a magic, sentient snowman. — Perry and a magic snowman.

I’m an absolute sucker for the whole “Christmas is in danger, so someone has to fix it” story trope, and Phineas and Ferb executes it so well. We get some fantastic buildup, with the kids excitedly decorating the entire town as part of their “thank-you letter” to Santa Claus, Doofenshmirtz gets a cute conflicted backstory about his ambivalence towards the holidays, and it all culminates on Christmas Eve with the kids having to do what they do best… with a little help from the North Pole.

Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation is the only Christmas special or movie that I watch, without fail, at least once every festive season. I have done since I first saw it, I think, and it’s become a tradition that I plan to continue for as many Christmases as I’ve got left! Last year, to mark the special’s fifteenth anniversary, I wrote a longer piece about it, which you can find by clicking or tapping here.

Number Three:
Family Guy: Road to the North Pole
(2010)

Still frame from Family Guy: Road to the North Pole showing the Griffin family and their house. — The song at the beginning of the special.

Family Guy had a good thing going for a few years with its “Road To…” special episodes, and the format was perfect for this Christmas special. Stewie and Brian take off on a wild adventure to find Santa after a run-in with a fake Santa at the local shopping mall. This kicks off a ridiculous quest that takes several dark turns… but one that has a surprisingly poignant message about consumerism and overconsumption.

Road to the North Pole kicks off with one of Family Guy’s best-ever songs, too: All I Really Want For Christmas, which sees most of the show’s main and secondary characters sharing their silly Christmas wants and wishes. The musical number is fantastic, well-animated, and pretty darn funny, too. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that Family Guy – like The Simpsons before it – has declined in quality over the years, so maybe Road to the North Pole is one of the last truly good stories.

Still frame from Family Guy: Road to the North Pole showing Brian and Stewie piloting the sleigh. — Brian and Stewie on Santa’s sleigh.

Aside from the song – which is hilarious – I think what people remember the most about Road to the North Pole is its depiction of a weak Santa Claus, wasting away, beaten down by the incessant demands of consumerism. And that’s the core message of the special: that people are asking for (or demanding) too much at Christmas instead of being satisfied with smaller gifts, spending time with family, or just what they already have. Though presented in a weird, grotesque, and typically “Family Guy” way, that message is a good one – and a timeless one, too.

What I enjoy most, though, about Road to the North Pole is the road trip itself. Starting at their New England home, Brian and Stewie trek through the United States and Canada, under the Northern Lights, before making it to Santa’s workshop. Though not the biggest part of the special, there’s something about this kind of adventure that’s always captured my imagination.

Number Four:
Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor
(2013)

Still frame from Doctor Who showing the planet Trenzalore. — The village of Christmas.

Speaking as we were of a show’s “last hurrah” before descending into mediocrity… here’s Doctor Who! Joking aside, The Time of the Doctor, which came along just after the show’s wonderful fiftieth anniversary special earlier in 2013, is probably the final genuinely good episode of the revival. As much as I adore Peter Capaldi and his take on the ancient time-traveller, his tenure in the Tardis marked a decline in quality from which the show has simply not recovered.

But that’s not what we’re here to talk about!

The Time of the Doctor sees Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor battling alone, for decades, against the Daleks and a variety of other enemies, all in defence of a town named Christmas. There’s some snow, some cute Christmas imagery, and a pretty fun and emotional story as this incarnation of the Doctor reaches the end of his life.

Still frame from Doctor Who showing the 11th Doctor in the snow. — Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor.

Doctor Who has done a number of Christmas specials since its revival – and not all of them feel as “Christmassy” as The Time of the Doctor. While it’s still very much the culmination of a multi-story arc, and some of that context *does* add a lot to the final act in particular, I still think it’s something that can be watched and enjoyed on its own merit. I haven’t seen Season 7 of the revived Doctor Who since it was on the air back in 2012/13, but The Time of the Doctor is still fun to return to.

I’ve always found stories about doomed last stands to be intense and emotional, and I think that’s a big part of what makes The Time of the Doctor work so well. It’s a tale of a man caught between two impossible extremes – and his only friend trying to reach him. The stakes are high… but also very personal. It’s a great special – and maybe, in hindsight, it should’ve brought the revived series to an end.

Number Five:
That Christmas
(2024)

Still frame from That Christmas showing the Beccles' house. — Waking up to a snowy Christmas.

Richard Curtis, who also penned the festive favourite Love Actually, wrote this charming and distinctly British animated Christmas flick for Netflix just last year. And you know what? It’s fantastic. There are definitely echoes of Love Actually, with the film’s cast of characters spread out into different groups, whose stories are all connected in some way. And there’s plenty of the awe and wonder that Christmas time inspires thanks to Santa Claus, a blizzard, and the magic of Christmas Eve.

When you’ve got so many characters, it can be difficult to find enough time to give all of them personalities and motivations, but That Christmas never feels like it has that issue. With the caveat that a few of the adults seem particularly incompetent, everyone involved feels well-rounded and real, and given that the film’s only got a nintey-minute runtime, that’s pretty special.

Still frame from That Christmas (2024) showing the lighthouse. — The town’s lighthouse on Christmas Eve.

The main song from That Christmas – Ed Sheeran’s Under The Tree – wasn’t my favourite at first, but the slow, almost haunting track has grown on me a lot since I first heard it, and it’s now a mainstay on my festive playlist. It’s the perfect melancholic track for one part of the film – but don’t worry, there’s bound to be a happy ending! After all, it’s Christmas.

That Christmas hadn’t been on my radar last year, but I’m really glad I checked it out. If you liked Love Actually, I think there’s a lot to love here, as the same kind of style is on show. Maybe it’s a bit early to hail That Christmas as a “classic,” but having seen it just last year, it’s already on my “watch again” list. If you missed it in 2024, definitely check it out. And if you want to read my full review, which I wrote last December, you can find it by clicking or tapping here.

So that’s it… for now!

A stock photo of a London street with Christmas lights, a Routemaster bus, and a black cab. — London’s Christmas lights.

I’ve already thought of *at least* five more 21st Century Christmas films and TV specials, so maybe this is an idea I’ll revisit next December. I don’t wanna play all of my cards at once, after all! But I hope this has been a bit of fun, and maybe I’ve highlighted a modern Christmas film or special that you missed or haven’t seen since it was new. If I’ve helped even one person find one thing to watch this festive season, I reckon I’ve done a good job!

A few days ago, I updated my annual festive playlist with twelve Christmassy songs – click or tap here to check that out, if you haven’t already! And between now and the big day, I have a few other pieces in my writing pile that I hope to get to. And coming up at the end of the month will be my End-of-Year Awards, so I hope you’ll join me as I hand out some imaginary trophies and statuettes to some of my favourite productions of 2025.

Until then… I hope you’re having a fantastic December!

All titles discussed above are the copyright of their respective studio, publisher, broadcaster, distributor, etc. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.

Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation – Fifteen Years Later

Sun 08.12.24Dennis

A spoiler warning graphic (with Doofenshmirtz!)

Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Phineas and Ferb.

There aren’t many Christmas TV specials that I watch, without fail, every single festive season. In fact, the only one I can think of in that category is Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation, which premiered fifteen years ago. 2025 looks set to be the year that a revived Phineas and Ferb will be on our screens, so I thought it could be a bit of fun to look back at the special and talk about why I find it to be so… well, special.

For some context, Phineas and Ferb is a series I first encountered in adulthood. I saw a commercial for it on the Disney Channel back when I used to have a satellite TV package, and even though a cartoon aimed at kids should’ve held absolutely no appeal to me… something convinced me that this was a show I needed to take a look at. And I’m so glad that I did! In the years since I watched those first episodes, Phineas and Ferb has become one of my “comfort shows;” a piece of media that I drift back to on days when I’m feeling low, my mental health isn’t great, or I just need to switch off for a few minutes. It’s with that background that we arrive at the Christmas special.

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation showing Phineas, Ferb, and Isabella by a house at night. — One of the clips from the opening titles.

If you’re unfamiliar with Phineas and Ferb, practically every episode in the show takes place in one seemingly endless summer. Christmas Vacation was the first episode to be set outside of that summer break, and that makes it feel pretty special. The warm sunny days of the rest of the show are replaced with cold and snow, and the city of Danville is transformed into a winter wonderland for the kids’ activities to play out in.

I adore Christmas and the winter – and although it can be a pain to navigate, I love the way snow looks. The animators did a great job, in my opinion, at bringing the wintery world of Danville to life. The snow looks fantastic, and there’s one sequence in particular near the end where the town’s Christmas lights break through the clouds that just looks absolutely stunning. Many kids’ cartoons have moved to fully 3D computer animation, but there’s something special about this older 2D style that I think adds to the sense of magic and wonder that Christmas time brings. We’re not quite at the level of the brilliant pastel-drawn Father Christmas (that I talked about last Christmas; click or tap here if you’re interested to read more) but the animation here is fantastic.

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation showing the town of Danville. — There’s some fantastic animation in *Christmas Vacation*.

Phineas and Ferb is a very musical series. Almost every episode has its own custom song, and there are jingles and other musical interludes as well. The soundtrack to Christmas Vacation is honestly one of the best parts; there are just so many fantastic songs that it’s hard to know where to start! I’ve talked about two of them already on previous editions of my festive playlist (I put together a list of Christmassy songs every December, in case you’ve missed it), and the fact that so many of the songs from Christmas Vacation are worth listening to in their own rights should tell you all you need to know!

I really don’t know if I could pick a favourite song. Christmas Is Starting Now, which plays at the climax of the story, should be on everyone’s festive playlist, because it’s an absolute cracker. Thank You Santa, from the end credits, is gentle and cute, and even Doofenshmirtz’s I Really Don’t Hate Christmas is a ton of fun. Each song has its own style and fits in with what’s going on for the characters on screen. For a thirty-five-minute special to cram in so many songs basically makes it a musical! And what’s great is how enjoyable all of the tracks are. I bought the CD soundtrack (which came with a few other Phineas and Ferb Christmas songs, too) and I love it.

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation showing Doofenshmirtz and some backing dancers. — There are some great songs in *Christmas Vacation*… no, really!

There’s not really anything particularly ground-breaking about Christmas Vacation’s plot. You’ve seen the whole “Christmas is in danger and someone needs to step up and save it” story outline before in other productions, but the way in which the special uses Phineas and Ferb characters really makes it stand out. Of course Dr Doofenshmirtz – the self-proclaimed “evil” scientist – would be the one to threaten Christmas with another of his outlandish inventions! And of course it would fall to Phineas, Ferb, and their friends to invent something capable of saving Christmas for everyone! But how the special uses the characters and gets to those moments is what makes the story so fantastic.

Doofenshmirtz is – I would argue – Phineas and Ferb’s real breakout character. And his arc in the Christmas special is a microcosm of why people find this character so fun and even relatable. For all of his proclamations about being “evil” and wanting to rule the Tri-State Area with an iron fist, Doofenshmirtz is actually a complex individual – something we see this time through his relationship with Christmas. He feels he has to hate the holiday, as many of his colleagues do, but without any reason to do so, he struggles. The inner conflict between wanting to be “evil” and his generally alright nature (no, I can’t call him “good!”) comes to the fore, and makes this side of the story far more nuanced and interesting than if he was just a moustache-twirling villain.

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation showing Dr Doofenshmirtz. — Doofenshmirtz is conflicted about Christmas.

I am a total sucker for the whole “Christmas is in danger, someone has to save it!” story trope – and I’ll confess that up front! These kinds of stories are (almost) always a blast for me, and seeing people come together or work hard to ensure that everyone gets to have a merry Christmas is a narrative cliché at this time of year, but it’s one I’ll honestly never get tired of. Throwing some peril or jeopardy into a Christmas story gives characters a reason to work together – and Phineas and Ferb executes it brilliantly.

In Christmas Vacation, we have the double rug-pull of Phineas believing that Christmas being cancelled and Santa deeming the whole town to be “naughty” could be his fault, and that gives him added motivation for stepping up to bring Christmas back to everyone. This misunderstanding would be resolved at the end for Phineas – and of course, we knew all along that he didn’t have anything to do with it – but it’s a surprisingly clever moment of characterisation that adds to the stakes for Phineas in particular.

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation showing Phineas holding a letter. — Phineas comes to believe it’s *his* fault that Christmas has been cancelled.

Phineas and Ferb has always been a series with engineering and technology at its centre. There are plenty of fantastical elements to go along with it (I mean, two kids building a rollercoaster in an afternoon isn’t exactly “realistic”) but within the world of the show itself, these things are depicted as feats of design, engineering, and construction rather than anything magical. And Christmas Vacation continues that trend, even extending it to this version of Santa Claus and his elves. The way the North Pole receives “naughty or nice” information is by satellite, not by some kind of magic process, and while the elves are still, I suppose, magical creatures, the way they’re depicted with handheld scanners and computer equipment is much more down-to-earth than in many comparable productions.

Though Perry the Platypus gets less to do in Christmas Vacation than he does in some other stories, there are some fun moments with him. I particularly liked the OWCA Christmas party at the beginning of the episode, as it’s cute to see Major Monogram, Carl, and some of the other animal agents in a different setting. We very rarely get to see Monogram or really anyone else from the OWCA outside of work, so seeing them let their hair (and fur) down for Christmas was really sweet.

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation showing Major Monogram and Perry at the OWCA party. — Monogram, Perry, and several animal agents at the OWCA Christmas party.

The relationship between Doofenshmirtz and Perry can feel a little one-sided (only one of them can talk, after all), but the end of the episode shows them exchanging Christmas gifts. Perry bought Doofenshmirtz his favourite candy, showing that he knows him quite well and does have some affection for him, even if he can be difficult and stopping some of his schemes can be an annoyance! As an epilogue to their side of the story, the gift-giving scene was particularly cute.

Candace’s storyline intersects with the boys’ after a while, but it starts out with her obsessing over whether she got Jeremy the right present. All of this is in character for her, and when I reviewed Candace Against The Universe a few years ago I talked a bit more about how Candace’s mental health came into focus. While I would never say I dislike this side of the episode, for me it’s perhaps the weakest individual storyline – especially at first. By the time Candace rejoins her brothers on the mission to save Christmas, things definitely improve for her. Sometimes Candace can just feel a little… stuck? Not sure if that’s exactly the right word. But Christmas Vacation does give her a bit of an expanded role, one less focused on “busting,” which is always nice to see.

Candace on the robo-sleigh with Santa’s elves.

Santa Claus himself, though only present right at the end of the story, is revealed to have known about everything all along – and I think that was a great way to handle it! In order to grant everyone their Christmas wish, Santa orchestrated the entire plot of the episode – from Doofenshmirtz’s Naughty-Inator to Phineas getting a chance to be just like him for one Christmas. Tying everything together through the omniscient Santa Claus was a creative way to link up the different storylines in the special, and it worked really well.

I love the sequence of the townspeople all coming together to decorate for Christmas and to say a big “thank you” to Santa Claus. The song that accompanies it is fantastic, too, and the whole thing just has a really special Christmassy vibe. Again, the idea of people coming together to do something nice for others at this time of year just gives me the warm, cozy feels!

Still frame from Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation showing the Christmas lights at night. — The lights on Christmas Eve.

So I guess that’s all I have to say for now. Phineas and Ferb’s co-creators, Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, said at the time of its release that they want people to come to see Christmas Vacation as a holiday classic – and I think, fifteen years on, we can see that process happening already. The special aired partway through the show’s excellent second season, becoming its most-viewed episode at the time of its original broadcast, and with interest in Phineas and Ferb growing as the 2010s dawned, its Christmas special definitely picked up even more attention.

Speaking for myself, there’s a lot to enjoy in Christmas Vacation. It’s a great special that puts a uniquely Phineas and Ferb spin on a fairly typical “save Christmas” story outline, and it does it in a really fun and musical way. There are some incredible songs that I enjoy listening to at this time of year, and the entire special is just a ton of fun. If you haven’t seen it yet, fire up Disney+ and give it a whirl. I really don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

The fifteenth anniversary of Christmas Vacation was really just an excuse for me to talk about one of my favourite shows and favourite TV holiday specials. With a fifth season of Phineas and Ferb in the offing for 2025, it seems like an especially good time to revisit the show! Who knows, maybe another Christmas-themed episode is on the cards? Until then, I’ll be content to revisit Christmas Vacation… as I do every year.

Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation is available to stream now on Disney+ and may also be available on DVD. Phineas and Ferb is the copyright of The Walt Disney Company and/or Disney Television Animation. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.

Five films (and TV specials) to watch this Holiday Season!

Wed 08.12.21Wed 08.12.21Dennis

Christmas is edging closer by the day! The main event itself is now only a couple of weeks away, so we’re well and truly in the wintery grip of the Holiday Season. This time I thought it could be fun to take a look at five films and television specials that make for great festive viewing.

Although I’m not a religious person by any stretch, Christmas has always been an event I look forward to… beginning as early as September! Though not every Christmas was perfect when I was a kid, I have some pretty happy memories of this time of year, and there’s something about the juxtaposition of the cold, dark winter going on outside with the warmth and the twinkling lights of a Christmas tree inside that really makes this time of year feel special, almost magical!

Between the lights, decorations, and festive pop hits, I think it’s fair to say I’m all about the secular, commercial side of Christmas; Santa Claus, not Jesus, stands out to me as the season’s main character! So that’s my mindset as we go into this list.

Please keep in mind, as always, that this list is wholly subjective. If you don’t like any of these Christmas films and television specials, that’s perfectly fine. I’m not trying to pretend that these are the “all-time best ever” Christmas specials, or anything of the sort!

With that caveat out of the way, let’s dive into the list!

Number 1:
The Polar Express (2004)

When it was released in 2004, The Polar Express received criticism for its “creepy” CGI – but I think it’s safe to say that its semi-realistic animated style has aged pretty well. Tom Hanks stars in this modern animated classic, and takes on several different voice roles across the film. Not providing names for main characters is a risk (not to mention something you’d get a failing grade for in most creative writing classes!) but that doesn’t actually hamper The Polar Express. The nameless protagonists are arguably more relatable as a result, allowing the audience to project themselves onto the characters with ease.

There may have been a couple of Christmases when I was very young where I did, in fact, believe in Santa Claus (or Father Christmas, as we call him here in the UK). But my parents didn’t do the whole “all of your gifts come from Santa” thing, and among my earliest Christmas memories I can remember writing thank-you notes to family members for the gifts they’d given me. These things vary from family to family, though, and while I wouldn’t like to speak outside of my own experience, I think a lot of you probably have some recollection of believing in Santa Claus and subsequently losing that belief. It’s a theme that many different Christmas films have tackled – but The Polar Express gets it right. The protagonist learns, over the course of his adventures, to keep believing – a metaphor, perhaps, for valuing one’s childhood and remaining youthful.

I’ve always liked trains, and The Polar Express shows us a beautiful CGI rendition of an old-fashioned steam locomotive. Trains – model trains in particular – have somewhat of an association with Christmas, but this method of transporting kids to the North Pole was certainly unique! It gives The Polar Express a sense of adventure that road trip films and other films about long journeys often capture so well, with scenes like running around on the train roof and the train skidding across the ice all playing into that.

The Polar Express is a film with heart, but it’s also something a little different from the typical “let’s go and meet Santa Claus” fare of many other shows and films aimed at children. There’s a sense of scale in the journey we see the protagonists undertake, and because it’s told from a child’s perspective, there’s still some of that mystery and wonder; the sense that the kids don’t really know how everything works on the train. That magic is part of what makes the holidays so special.

Number 2:
The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special (2020)

Promo image for *The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special*.

I’ve had a review of this one in the pipeline since last year, but for various reasons it got buried under too many other writing projects in the days before Christmas! Stay tuned, though, because I daresay I’ll get around to a full write-up eventually! For now, let’s hit the key points. The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special is hilarious, and I found it to be a great palate-cleanser after The Rise of Skywalker had been such a disappointment.

Unlike this year’s Lego Star Wars Terrifying Tales, which focused solely on Poe Dameron, The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special brings back all of the main characters from the sequel trilogy – then takes a wild ride through all three of Star Wars’ main eras thanks to some well-timed space magic! Star Wars fans should appreciate many, many callbacks to past iterations of the franchise – not least the notorious Holiday Special, which was released in 1978 to critical derision!

The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special is full to the brim with gentle jokes and parodies that poke fun at the Star Wars franchise without ever coming across as mean-spirited or laughing at fans. Some humourless fans, or those who want to lose themselves in that world, might find that offputting, but I reckon that a majority will be able to enjoy The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special for what it is: non-canon fun.

I was pleased to see that Disney+ is intent on doing more with the Star Wars brand than just serious projects like The Mandalorian, and in some respects I think we can argue that The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special – and other Lego Star Wars titles too – fill a niche similar to Star Trek: Lower Decks over in another wonderful sci-fi franchise. No Star Trek holiday special yet, though… but maybe one day!

Number 3:
I Won’t Be Home For Christmas
The Simpsons Season 26 (2014)

The Simpsons’ house all decorated for the season.

The Simpsons has undeniably lost its edge in recent seasons, and it’s increasingly rare to pluck out a genuinely good episode from the ever-growing pile – something I found out when I put together a list of a few of my favourite episodes earlier this year. But every now and then The Simpsons can still produce an episode somewhat akin to those from its more successful past. I Won’t Be Home For Christmas is, in my view anyway, among them.

Perhaps it’s the holiday theme that elevates what might otherwise be a less-enjoyable episode, but I find that there’s something very relatable about I Won’t Be Home For Christmas. A few years ago, when I was suffering with undiagnosed mental health issues and in the midst of a divorce, I found myself wandering the dark, empty streets on Christmas Eve – trying to clear my head. The sequences in which Homer does something similar in this episode really hit home for me because I’ve been in a similar position myself.

I found this presentation of Homer to be very relatable.

When you’re watching what feels like the whole rest of the world closing their doors and enjoying the holidays without you, life can feel incredibly lonely. Homer meets a number of characters on his own journey, but that sense of loneliness and missing out on what’s supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year is still a prevalent theme that runs through the entire story.

On a more positive note, I Won’t Be Home For Christmas features a couple of genuinely good jokes and laugh-out-loud moments. It also kicks off with a Christmas-themed reworking of the show’s famous opening sequence, so if you’re watching on Disney+ don’t hit the “skip intro” button! You’ll miss something fun if you do. In a lot of ways I feel echoes of Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire in I Won’t Be Home For Christmas – and not just because of its holiday setting. The episode feels like a throwback to earlier seasons, when The Simpsons as a whole was doing far better at producing stories like this one.

Number 4:
Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too (1991)

My younger sister received a VHS copy of Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too as a Christmas present (I would guess in 1992) and watched it endlessly! As a result, it’s probably one of the Christmas specials that I’ve seen most often – it was a mainstay in our house in the run-up to Christmas for several years in a row! What’s more, the original Winnie the Pooh books by A. A. Milne were permanent fixtures on my childhood bookshelf, and I’m sure those books were read to me when I was very small. So the entire Winnie the Pooh series is something I have a great fondness for!

Christmas is a time for nostalgic steps back like this, forgetting the modern world and all of its troubles for a while. Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too is an incredibly sweet Christmas tale set in the Hundred Acre Wood, perfect for a few minutes wrapped up in Christmas-themed cuteness and escapism. Or is that just the nostalgia talking?

Because Winnie the Pooh has always been pitched at very young children, the story here is rather basic. There’s a kerfuffle surrounding Christopher Robin’s letter to Santa, and Pooh tries to save the day. Despite those limitations, though, the story is incredibly cute, really sweet, and full to the brim with Christmas fun.

Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too isn’t something I go back to year upon year; doing so would probably ruin the magic. But every once in a while I treat myself to this blast of very personal ’90s nostalgia and enjoy my memories of Christmases past. As 2021 looks set to be the second Christmas in a row where we may not be able to do everything we’d want, I think finding moments like that might be very important for a lot of folks.

Number 5:
Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation (2009)

As a childless adult, Phineas and Ferb is a series that shouldn’t have had much appeal for me! But as I’ve said many times before, the best kids’ shows have something to offer adults as well, and when I sat down to watch Phineas and Ferb for the first time back when I had the Disney Channel, I found a truly engaging and fun little cartoon.

That extends to the Christmas special too, which is one of the high points of the entire series – in my subjective opinion, naturally! I’m a total sap for the “Christmas is in danger, someone needs to save it!” plot cliché, and Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation puts the series’ trademark spin on that familiar premise. It’s a lot of fun!

I never miss an opportunity to talk about Phineas and Ferb. The show finished its run in 2015, but last year returned for a one-off Disney+ original film, which was absolutely fantastic too. Unlike some of the other entries on this list, which I’ll happily rewatch on occasion, I return to Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation every year without fail – something I’ve done for a decade now!

Phineas and Ferb: Christmas Vacation keeps the series’ trademark twin storylines – the boys and the other kids on one side, Perry the Platypus and Dr Doofenshmirtz on the other. Both stories come together in one connected narrative, but the show sticks to its two angles throughout – and what results is a story with moments of excitement, high drama, and emotion as the boys race to save Christmas.

Bonus:
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Nintendo Switch (2020)

Promo for *New Horizons’* Christmas event.

If you’re an Animal Crossing player, Christmas Eve is where it’s at! But throughout December it’s possible to buy special seasonal items, to see your island all decorated for the holidays, and to take note of what some of your island friends might want by way of gifts! The Christmas event is known as Toy Day in the world of Animal Crossing, and while it’s possible to ignore it and get on with your regular island life, it’s a bit of fun to play through these one-off events.

As December dawns on your island – at least if you’re playing on a Northern Hemisphere island – snow will start to fall. You’ll be able to build a snowman every day – and building the perfect one unlocks special ice-themed items. There are snowflakes to catch, which are used as DIY ingredients to craft new seasonal items too.

Later in December, Isabelle will announce that she’s decorated some of the island’s trees – but only the pine trees. When I played last year not every pine was decorated, but those that were looked adorable with their little festive lights! Shaking these trees also provided yet another crafting material which could be used to create holiday-themed items.

I’ve been critical of New Horizons for its longevity in particular, but there are few games that offer this style of gameplay. Last year I played through the Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year events on my island, and I have to say I had a lot of fun with all of them. The Toy Day event on Christmas Eve (not Christmas Day!) is the kind of sweet Christmassy fun you’d expect from a game in the Animal Crossing series, and if you missed it last year it’s well worth playing through at least once.

So that’s it!

I’ve got a few more holiday-themed ideas for the website between now and Christmas – which is getting closer and closer by the day. I hope you like the festive banner and the little Santa hat on the website’s logo, too! I had fun messing around and putting those together.

There are lots of great festive films and holiday specials that I didn’t include on this list, so have a browse through the television listings or your streaming platform of choice. I’ll probably be checking out a mix of old favourites and new entries – there are always plenty of new holiday films every year. I’ve heard good things about 8-Bit Christmas this year, for example! I hope this list has been a bit of festive fun as we continue to get into a holiday groove!

All titles mentioned above are the copyright of their respective studio, distributor, broadcaster, streaming platform, etc. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.