Le Bonhomme de neige

Shown every year on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day on UK Channel 4 since the channel launched in 1982, this charming and touching Raymond Briggs cartoon is the perfect accompaniment to turkey, wine, and Christmas pud.

A cute little boy runs out to play in the snow in his back garden (this is an England where everyone has lots of land and detached houses) where he puts together a life-size snowman, complete with hat, fruit for his nose, and pieces of coal for his eyes. Come the night when he is in bed, he feels the urge to run down and see the snowman just to be sure he's real. But the Christmas magic means the snowman is alive and ready for fun.

Several scenes are full of humour - the snowman being shown around the house, including his perfect environment (a chest freezer), the race around the garden on a motorbike, and Father Christmas's party. The real icing on the cake comes with the flight through the cold night sky to the accompaniment of Peter Auty singing 'Walking in the Air'.

With beautiful, flickering animation, memorable cartoon characters, and a bit of true Christmas spirit, 'The Snowman' is as close to a perfect half-hour as you can get. Other animations from the work of Briggs haven't come quite as close - this one is special. Long may it continue to be shown and celebrated, and find a place in the heart of new generations.

It's Christmas Eve of 2018 as I write this and I've just finished watching 'The Snowman' for what feels like the hundredth time. It has become something of a Christmas tradition to watch this film some time over the festive period and it gets me in the mood for the big day like no other.

I love everything about 'The Snowman' - the story, the animation, the music. Everything is perfect and beautiful. There is just something about it that is special. I remember the first time I saw it as a young child, I was absolutely engrossed and as soon as it ended I wanted to watch it again, and then again. It is 20 minutes of pure joy and pure emotion.

No other Christmas film comes close for me. This is and always will be my favourite Christmas film.

'The Snowman' is one of those few things on television that appeal to everyone from the youngest of children to the grown adults. It's a silent cartoon that relies on the wonderful soundtrack and the gorgeous animantion to tell the story of a young boy's friendship to the snowman he builds one Christmas Eve. The snowman is magically brought to life at the stroke of midnight and takes the boy on a magical adventure to the North Pole where they meet Santa Claus.

In a brief twenty minutes, it portrays the sweetness of a child and the loyal friendships they are capable of as well as delving into loss. This British classic is on every Christmas on Channel Four, I remember being captivated by it as a small child and I'll still be tuning in this year at the ripe old age of twenty-four. I just hope that when I have kids, the tradition of airing 'The Snowman' will continue so I can share this with them.

I thought that 'The Snowman' was magical when I first saw it over 20 years ago and I still think that it is now.

It is a beautifully told story of the wonder of Christmas as seen through the eyes of a small boy.The animation is first rate and let's not forget the music which is a delight.

This is a story filled with laughter,wonder and sadness and is as much a part of Christmas as Santa.

This story is now shown every Christmas on television and if you haven't seen it before,you must grab the chance to watch it.It is one of the most loved tales of recent times and rightly deserves it's status as a true classic that is sure to enchant for many years to come.

I watch my PBS-recorded version of The Snowman every Christmas Eve along with a few other traditional holiday movies to clear my head of the excessive commercialism of the holiday and put myself in the mood for Christmas.

The Snowman is a wonderfully simple film about a small boy who's Snowman comes to life. It's a terrific idea, for if you're a kid, wouldn't it be cool to make friends with a Snowman and be able to visit Santa Clause? Plus, the animation and the accompanying music, and even David Bowie's sentimental introduction makes this a wonderful adaptation of the book.