Contrary to popular belief, animated movies are not just for children. In fact, Christmas animated movies are made for people of different ages to ensure the family, as a whole, can enjoy the movie. Over recent years, there has been a budding popularity and demand for Christmas-themed animated movies. Perhaps, it is the tradition of watching them together over Christmastime, or perhaps, it is these films’ ability to teach valuable lessons. Either way, there is always a sense of magic with these animated movies.

Thus, we have compiled a list of animated Christmas movies that might be dominating the screens during December. In fact, these films went on to become super influential and play a prominent role in the audience’s holiday lives.

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9 Frozen (2013)

     Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

When Frozen was released, the song “Let it Go” became so popular that one cannot avoid it easily. Funnily enough, years later, it is still being played wherever you go. In addition to the brilliant soundtrack, there are so many reasons why Frozen became an instant hit. The film’s focus on sisterhood, and not romance, allowed it to be praised by many viewers, with a lot applauding it for the positive portrayal of strong female leads. Additionally, this movie is one that has an influential set of characters with Anna, Elsa, and Olaf winning everybody’s hearts. Frozen’s fame can be seen in the way in which this film converted into a franchise. Of course, the voice-cast including Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, and Josh Gad are simply bonus points. Though not technically a Christmas movie, we’re still counting it as a great watch for the holidays.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

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8 Disney’s A Christmas Carol (2009)

Yet another Christmas animation with a phenomenal voice cast, A Christmas Carol includes the voices of Jim Carrey as Scrooge, Gary Oldman, and Colin Firth, among other popular actors. While there have been many adaptations of Charles Dickens’ 1843 classic, this particular animated adaptation might be one of the best simply because not only is it loyal to Dickens’ story, but it also captures the dark undertones Dickens intended to portray in his novel. A Christmas Carol’s uncanny valley animation also allows it to capture the emotions of the characters, especially the grumpy and narcissistic nature of the protagonist. With its valuable messages and superb voice acting, this animated version of the classical Christmas story is a highly recommended watch.

7 A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

     CBS

This is one animated Christmas movie that delves into the complicated nature of Christmas today. It unpacks important topics like the commercialization of Christmas, which leads to the true spirit of Christmas being lost in the whole idea of “buying and selling”. A Charlie Brown Christmas shows how the beloved protagonist, Charlie Brown, of Peanuts finds himself depressed due to Christmas being overtaken by the profit-making mechanisms. With almost everyone around him obsessing over artificial Christmas trees, Charlie is eager to stick to the good-old Christmas traditions even if it means picking up a poorly grown but real Christmas tree. In the end, this animated movie sends out one powerful message to the modern-day audience, in turn, reminding them that Christmas is not about materialistic things but rather, coming together to celebrate the holiday.

6 The Polar Express (2004)

     Warner Bros. Pictures

The Polar Express is a reminder of Santa Claus’ existence. The story focuses on a boy, who is now old enough to question Santa’s existence. In order to prove his questioning wrong, he is taken on a journey to the North Pole alongside other children. Recently, there have been some theories on the internet about the dark nature of the film. Of course, the melancholic color palette as well as the uncanny valley animation adds to the subtle hints of darkness. Perhaps, the focus on how once our imagination withers away as we grow up, we end up being more or less like the bitter hobo might be the darkest feature of The Polar Express. Nonetheless, the film is a classic that reminds everyone to step away from reality, for a brief moment, during Christmastime.

5 Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer (2000)

     SFM Entertainment & Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution

As the title suggests, this animated movie is based on the infamous Christmas song of the same name by Elmo and Patsy. Interestingly, this film is about a Grandma that goes missing after being struck out by Santa’s sleigh. In addition to the focus on the debate of whether Santa is real or not, the film also focuses on the materialistic takeover of Christmas to make it a profit-inducing machine instead of a holiday that celebrates love and joy. For viewers that enjoy a chill Christmas cartoon with a simple plot and comedy, this Christmas special might be quite enjoyable.

4 The Grinch (2018)

     Universal Pictures

This is the third screen adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ holiday classic, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, and is one that must be watched by everyone who enjoys Christmas and Dr. Seuss’ work. The Grinch follows the same story but with better animation, a great soundtrack, and of course, a superb voice cast. With Benedict Cumberbatch taking over the protagonist’s voice, this animated film ended up becoming the highest-grossing Christmas film of all time. Even if the film does not add anything new in terms of the original storyline, it is still very entertaining.

3 DreamWorks’ Home: For the Holidays (2017)

     Netflix

Following the success of the 2015 film Home, DreamWorks Animation went on to release a 2D animated series titled Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh on Netflix. In 2017, the series released a 45-minute holiday special, Home: For the Holidays. The story follows Oh’s attempts at celebrating Christmas even though he ends up ruining it for the whole city. With comedy and a loving storyline, this Christmas special is a must-watch for anyone who has already enjoyed the original Home film.

2 Klaus (2019)

This Spanish-American film by Sergio Pablos is his directorial debut and takes place in 19th Century Norway. The film incorporates the traditional beliefs of Santa Claus and creates a heartwarming story. The story revolves around a lazy and spoiled Jesper Johansen, who is sent to a town in the form of a punishment, which is to post 6,000 letters in a year. The town, Smeerensburg, is filled with hatred due to an ongoing feud between its two familial clans. Jesper comes across a man named Klaus and their union creates the line of Christmas traditions; Santa giving gifts, making it to the nice list, and posting letters to Santa. This film not only teaches about the Christmas spirit but also emphasizes on important life lessons.

1 The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

     Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

Regardless of which side you choose, whether it is that The Nightmare Before Christmas is a Christmas movie or whether it is a Halloween movie, it is obvious that the Christmas spirit of the movie overpowers the other themes. That is why this Tim Burton film is regarded as the best Christmas animation film of all time. The Nightmare Before Christmas is a stop-motion animated film that focuses on bringing to the screen the true spirit of Christmas. Jack, who is fascinated by Christmas, attempts to take over the holiday but fails. Ultimately, with Santa’s help, Jack ends up correcting his errors and saving Christmas. From the beautiful visuals and the unique elements on-screen, this classic is definitely one film that wins the Holiday season.