If you grew up watching holiday TV, there’s a good chance Rankin/Bass helped define what “Christmas season” feels like.
Founded in New York by Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass, the company produced a long run of seasonal specials that became comfort viewing for generations. The kind of shows you’d catch decorating the Christmas tree or watching in the glow of the lights. For a lot of families, these weren’t just “specials” so much as annual traditions, resurfacing every December and instantly setting the mood. From their signature stop-motion “Animagic” classics to their hand-drawn animated stories, Rankin/Bass helped shape the holiday TV landscape for decades and the nostalgia still hits the second the opening music starts.
What is “Animagic” (and why Rankin/Bass looks the way it does)
Rankin/Bass is most famous for “Animagic,” their signature stop-motion style; with the puppet like characters, glittery snow and cozy miniature sets. While Rankin/Bass was an American company, a lot of the hands-on work that brought these specials to life happened overseas. Much of the production for both Animagic stop-motion and many of their 2D animated specials was done in Japan, with different studios handling different projects over the years. That international collaboration is a big reason the Rankin/Bass catalog has such a distinct look and feel across different eras and titles.
Where to watch now
All of these premiered on television in some form (network specials, made-for-TV movie, or a rare episode within an anthology series). But they didn’t all become annual traditions. A few were broadcast year after year and basically became the season (THINK RUDOLPH), while the deeper cuts aired far less and can be harder to catch today. If you’re watching on TV now, you’ll mostly find Rankin/Bass popping up through seasonal holiday blocks (like AMC’s and Freeform’s holiday programming), and the exact lineup can change year to year. Some are available for streaming, and as always, PHYSICAL MEDIA still exists!
ALL DESCRIPTIONS BELOW INCLUDE A WATCH LINK
THIS IS NOT A RANKING😄
It’s a listing of all the specials that you can rank on your own time LOL.
That said . . . let’s be real: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, and Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town usually get the spotlight every year, like they’re the only ones that exist. Meanwhile, there are a bunch of other Rankin/Bass holiday titles that range from genuinely underrated classics to harder-to-find specials that barely pop up anymore. If you’ve ever felt like you’ve “seen them all,” this list is proof you probably haven’t and it’s a perfect excuse to add a few new weird little holiday traditions to your rotation.
Rankin/Bass Specials In Chronological Order
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
- The Cricket on the Hearth (1967) – Animated
- The Little Drummer Boy (1968)
- Frosty the Snowman (1969) – Animated
- Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (1970)
- A Christmas Tree (1972) (Festival of Family Classics episode) – Animated
- ’Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974) – Animated
- The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)
- The First Christmas: The Story of the First Christmas Snow (1975)
- Frosty’s Winter Wonderland (1976) – Animated
- The Little Drummer Boy, Book II (1976)
- Rudolph’s Shiny New Year (1976)
- Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey (1977)
- The Stingiest Man in Town (1978) – Animated
- Jack Frost (1979)
- Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July (1979) (Movie)
- Pinocchio’s Christmas (1980)
- The Leprechauns’ Christmas Gold (1981)
- The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus (1985)
- Santa, Baby! (2001) – Animated
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
Style: Animagic (stop-motion)
The one that started it all with Rudolph, Hermey, Yukon Cornelius, and the Island of Misfit Toys. This special basically built the blueprint for Rankin/Bass holiday comfort. Watch Here
Vibe: Cozy, iconic, endlessly rewatchable.
The Cricket on the Hearth (1967)
Style: 2D animated
A quieter, storybook Christmas that feels older, softer, and more “cozy-by-the-fire” than flashy holiday TV. Watch Here
Vibe: Gentle, nostalgic, classic storybook warmth.
The Little Drummer Boy (1968)
Style: Animagic (stop-motion)
More solemn and emotional than most of the lineup, this is the “quiet classic” you put on when you want the season to slow down. Watch Here
Vibe: Mature, moving, “quiet Christmas night” energy.
Frosty the Snowman (1969)
Style: 2D animated
Pure snow-day comfort. A magic hat, a talking snowman, and that classic “we have limited time before Frosty melts” urgency. Watch Here
Vibe: Short, cheerful, instantly nostalgic.
Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (1970)
Style: Animagic (stop-motion)
The Santa origin story that feels like a full-on holiday myth—with big characters, big songs, and big “this is December” energy. Watch Here
Vibe: Cozy, musical, endlessly rewatchable.
A Christmas Tree (1972)
Style: 2D animated (anthology episode)
This is one of the easiest Rankin/Bass Christmas titles to miss because it originally aired as part of an anthology series (Festival of Family Classics), not as a widely replayed annual network special. Watch Here
Vibe: RARE.
’Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974)
Style: 2D animated
A whole town’s Christmas hangs on a poem, a letter, and a small misunderstanding—sounds odd until you’re completely invested. Watch Here
Vibe: Storybook, quirky, surprisingly heartfelt . . . ANNOYING thanks to Albert.
The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)
Style: Animagic (stop-motion)
Santa’s feeling burnt out (relatable), and the world has to prove Christmas still matters. The Miser brothers absolutely steal the show. Watch Here
Vibe: Iconic songs + big personalities.
The First Christmas: The Story of the First Christmas Snow (1975)
Style: Animagic (stop-motion)
A gentler, more sentimental watch that leans into wonder and warmth rather than jokes. Watch Here
Vibe: Soft nostalgia in snow-globe form.
Frosty’s Winter Wonderland (1976)
Style: 2D animated
More Frosty, more winter magic, and the vibe is basically “keep the snow party going.” Watch Here
Vibe: Light and wintry.
The Little Drummer Boy, Book II (1976)
Style: Animagic (stop-motion)
A follow-up that keeps the story-driven, more serious tone. Watch Here
Vibe: Quiet and reflective.
Rudolph’s Shiny New Year (1976)
Style: Animagic (stop-motion)
Rudolph goes on a mission to find Happy the Baby New Year, and yes, it’s wonderfully strange in that classic Rankin/Bass way. Watch Here
Vibe: Perfect for the “after Christmas but still cozy” week, yet you still watch it before Christmas.
Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey (1977)
Style: Animagic (stop-motion)
A tender, emotional story that has a way of sneaking up on people. Watch Here
Vibe: Sweet, sincere, bring tissues.
The Stingiest Man in Town (1978)
Style: 2D animated
Rankin/Bass tackles A Christmas Carol with musical-theater energy and a slightly spooky holiday edge. Watch Here
Vibe: It’s the same BAH HUMBUG but just animated and with a whole lot of songs.
Jack Frost (1979)
Style: Animagic (stop-motion)
Winter folklore with a whimsical, fairytale vibe—this one has fans who go hard for it. Watch Here
Vibe: Snowy fairytale where the guy does not get his girl!
Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July (1979) (Movie)
Style: Animagic (stop-motion)
A feature-length crossover that feels like the holiday “cinematic universe” moment, Rudolph and Frosty together in one long cozy watch. Watch Here
Vibe: Great “put it on while you decorate/cook” movie.
Pinocchio’s Christmas (1980)
Style: Animagic (stop-motion)
It’s literally Pinocchio (non Disney version) experiencing his first Christmas done in a Rankin Bass way. Watch Here
Vibe: Offbeat, but still seasonal.
The Leprechauns’ Christmas Gold (1981)
Style: Animagic (stop-motion)
Christmas plus folklore plus leprechauns; this is one of those “interesting” Rankin/Bass swings that makes the list fun. Watch Here
Vibe: Left-field, weird-charming. And it has a Banshee.
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus (1985)
Style: Animagic (stop-motion) THEIR LAST HOLIDAY STOP-MOTION
A bigger, more mythic Santa origin story with higher fantasy stakes than you’d expect. Doesn’t quite come off as a 1985 “children’s” Christmas special. The “Awgwas” don’t exactly scream “holly and jolly”. Watch Here
Vibe: Epic lore + holiday heart.
Santa, Baby! (2001)
Style: 2D animated
The late-era Rankin/Bass Christmas special that many people missed because it never became a yearly broadcast staple and it was released over 15 years after their last “holiday special”. Watch Here
Vibe: Modern-ish (for Rankin/Bass), definitely a “completionist” watch.
Special Note: A Miser Brothers’ Christmas (2008)
You might see A Miser Brothers’ Christmas (2008) pop up in Rankin/Bass conversations because it brings back the Heat Miser / Snow Miser characters and the whole “Miser universe” vibe. But just to keep this guide accurate: it is not a Rankin/Bass production. It’s a later, separate special that exists as its own thing (even if it’s clearly tipping its hat to The Year Without a Santa Claus and the Rankin/Bass stop motion style).
If you’ve made it this far, congratulations!
You’re officially prepared to be that person who says, “Actually, there are way more Rankin/Bass specials than just Rudolph, Frosty and The Misers.”
Whether you stick to the annual staples or start hunting down the harder-to-find titles, the fun of this collection is how wildly it swings: cozy classics, sentimental sleepers, musical chaos and a few truly “interesting” choices that somehow still feel like Christmas.
Now go do the only reasonable thing: pick one you’ve never seen, put it on in the background while you wrap gifts and scroll through reels!
