'Twas the Night Before Christmas

This is one of my favorite Holiday cartoons. The music is catchy, the characters are involving, and the animation is fun. I find it a shame that this one isn't played much anymore as it tells a great story and is sure to be treasured by generations. I hope that this movie is brought back to holiday specials television, "cause even a miracle needs a hand."

Cynical mouse Albert writes an insulting letter to Santa, which ticks Santa off. Afraid Santa will pass them up this year, the town of Junctionville enlists clockmaker Joshua Trundle to build a clock that will play a special song for Santa on Christmas Eve. But Albert, curious about how the clock works, breaks it. Now there will be no Christmas for Junctionville unless Albert can somehow fix the mess he created.

Charming Rankin-Bass Christmas special. This one has more traditional animation, like Frosty, instead of the stop-motion animation we all know & love from other specials. But it's still very good animation with wonderfully expressive faces on the humans and the mice. It's full of beautiful sentiment, lovely music, and great voicework. Joel Grey and Tammy Grimes were especially memorable. I remember as a little kid being fascinated with the way Albert the mouse spoke. This was one of the constants from my childhood Christmases and holds a special place in my heart.

I agree that this is a classic. I was born shortly before this cartoon was made, so it was a big part of my Christmas ritual growing up. The morale is great ("even a miracle needs a hand") and the songs are GOOD. They crept in my head at an early age and stayed there 'til this day. I see a lot of my adolescent, atheist, Ivy League self in the defiant Albert, who derides Santa as a myth, but also in Mr. Trundle, who works devotedly for something he believes in. I'm not talking literals here, people, but there's something nice about believing in something greater than yourself, or your known quantities.

Actually, Joel Grey was the Father in the human family here, the clockmaker-it was George Gobel who played father Mouse. This one makes some good points about not being blinded by science and cynicsm, and keeping the faith when it, and only it, can work.

This also has Tammy Grimes and John McIver doing voice work, and adding to this show's quality.

It isn't shown on TV much now, but should be-a fine companion piece to 'Grinch' or 'Frosty.

I have always loved this cute little cartoon. So this isn't the best drawn cartoon, but it has a nice story and wonderful songs. Christmas is my favourite time of year. Full of giving, laughing, and seeing people acting kind to one another, even if it is just once a year. Rudolph and Frosty already had songs about them that really help build stories around their cartoons. This one was fresh and inventive. BELIEVING, even when common sense tells you not to. Closely tied to another classic at this time, Miracle On 34th Street. So pour a cup of nog, cuddle up under your blanket, and turn on the telly. Now all together...."Christmas bells are ringing Santa, Santa..Every heart repeating Santa, Santa...."