My Favorite Classic Animated Christmas Songs

Who doesn't love Charlie Brown. That lovable blockhead who always tries to do the right thing.

The image of that pathetic Christmas tree bending under the weight of a single Christmas ball, and the misery and shame Charlie Brown feels. But Linus is there to remind us that with a little love and friendship, we can bring out the best in each other (and little Christmas trees).

Although the Charlie Brown theme song 'Linus and Lucy' is the one that gets stuck in my head for days, it's Linus's monologue reminds us of the true meaning of Christmas, and starts my list at #10.

Peanuts Poster Available Here

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer was always a Christmas classic that I'd count down the days to watch.

We all know that Rudolph is rejected by the other reindeer, and Santa, simply for being different. He then finds others who are different in their own ways: Hermey - the elf who wants to be a dentist, and Yukon Cornelius who can't decide if he's looking for silver or gold (and in the end finds what he always wanted, a peppermint mine). Rudolph is ultimately not only accepted, but is needed, because he is different.

This classic show is a great lesson for kids, in that it shows them it's ok to be different.

Years later, when I was in college, this show turned into a wonderful source of trivia to stump our fraternity pledges (no one knew that the doe who likes Rudolph is named Clarice).

For the playful way that Rudolph and Hermey sing about their differences, these two nit-wits come in at #9 on my list.

As much as I prefer the name Oatmeal, for a snowman, Frosty rolls off the tongue a little easier when you sing it. Like, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, this animated special was based on the song of the same title.

My favorite scene is when Karen rides on Frosty's back as they escape from Professor Hinkle after leaving the freezer car of the train. After all, Frosty is the fastest belly flopper in the world. I always thought that would be so cool (literally also), to be able to go sleigh riding and not need a sled.

Anyway, if you find yourself up North, around Saskatchewan, Nome Alaska, and the Aurora Borealis Way, don't forget to sing a few bars of my #8 favorite animated Christmas song.

The title song of the animated special Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer was actually the inspiration for the show. The song itself (written by Johnney Marks) was taken from a poem of the same name written in 1939 by Marks' brother-in-law, Robert May.

Never the less, this upbeat, Christmas classic chimes in at #7.

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - Movie Masterprint Available Here

This may be somewhat of a surprise, because no words are sung in this version from A Charlie Brown Christmas.

The simple fact that Schroeder's toy piano is able to sound like a Grand Piano, a Hammond Organ, and finally a toy piano (all while hitting mostly the same keys), makes this scene a worthwhile. But it's Lucy's excessively vocal love of the 'chopsticks' version that sends Schroeder doing back-flips that makes it a classic.

Just goes to show how far ahead of his time Charles Schulz was, having Schroeder playing (quite possibly) the world's first toy synthesizer.

Chopsticks puts this instrumental at #6 on my list.

Schroeder Stand-Up Available Here

If you haven't guessed by now, I love the classic animated Christmas specials - and their songs. Turns out that a lot of other people do too. So many so that someone thought it would be a good idea to see if your favorite animated Christmas special had some correlation to your personality. Well the good folks at Newsweek compiled this information and now you can see if your preferred Christmas special indicates if you're pathologically insecure, a hopeless optimist, disdain suburbia, or are the ultimate Christmas Gestapo.

Want to know what your favorite animated Christmas special saya about you, or your friends/family, check out the complete Newsweek article and see if you agree.

Although 'Santa Claus is Coming to Town' has been covered by a wide variety of artists, including Bruce Springsteen, Bing Crosby, Alice Cooper, Lena Horne, The Partridge Family, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Judds and many others, no matter who is singing, whenever I hear this song, I think of this animated special.

Not only is this special full of wonderful songs, but when you have a grouchy old buffoon named Burgermeister Meisterburger, who's guards could just as easily been wooden soldiers for all their efficiency, you just can't go wrong. Throw in a lost penguin wearing a scarf (I never could figure out exactly why the penguin is in the story) and you've got an animated classic.

Fred Astaire singing the title song while attempting to drive a snowmobile in a straight line puts this classic at #5

Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Giclee Print Available Here

This should be the theme song for procrastinators at Christmas. In stead of worrying about how much shopping there is to do, what you're going to get everyone, all the decorations that need to be put up: the tree, the lights, the ornaments, the Christmas village, etc, just put one foot in front of the other and get started!

This is (obviously) one of my favorite animated Christmas special songs, that really doesn't have a lot to do with Christmas. It's about Kris Kringle teaching the Winter Warlock that anything is possible if you only try. Now matter what your goal is, the only way to accomplish it is to take it one step at a time (or if you're a penguin wearing a scarf, the occassional slide on your butt is ok too).

A terrific message for kids about not being afraid to try walks this little ditty up to #4 on my list

Sorry Frosty, but a snowman with a gotee, wearing a plaid vest, bowler hat, and carrying an umbrella is just too cool for Christmas. Of course it helps that he's got the voice of Burl Ives, singing one of my all-time favorite Christmas songs - Holly Jolly Christmas.

Aside from trying to remember the names of Santa's reindeer (only Donner - Rudolph's dad, and Comet - the Coach, are mentioned in the story), I most enjoyed singing along when this song came on (much to the annoyance of the rest of my family). The best part was, I didn't even need to know all the words. The simple refrain of 'Have a Holly Jolly Christmas' was just so catchy, you couldn't help but smile. I'd sing it for days.

Great memories makes this #3 on my list

Being the father of twins I can definitely relate to having children with polar opposite personalities. The Miser brothers, however, have sung and danced their way into the far corners of my brain.

Although I like Snow Miser better (he's more relaxed and upbeat), Heat Miser will always make me smile. With his unkempt hair, he bears an uncanny resemblance to my high school chemistry teacher, who was a very positive influence on me, and one of the main reasons I became a Chemical Engineer.

To this day I still get a kick out of their opposing views, and I greatly enjoy singing their songs to my kids (who always end up laughing - not sure if it's my voice or my dancing, but they like it).

The two Miser Brothers sing and dance their up to my #2 all time favorite.

As if there was ever any doubt. My absolute favorite Christmas song from a classic animated special is You're a Mean One, Mr Grinch.

Aside from the fact that Dr Seuss's rhyme-scheme makes The Grinch simply delightful just to listen to, the totally sinister Grinch and his hapless (yet adorable) dog Max, make it even more special to watch. Unlike the other specials that were based on books of the same name, Dr Seuss was (and still is) so popular, that getting a copy of How the Grinch Stole Christmas from the library was relatively simple.

Reguardless of how many times I read the book, as a child and now as a parent, whenever the special is on I stop and watch it. I bought the video when it first came out, the CD (includes complete narration and all songs) and now have the DVD, but if I see it on TV, I stop and watch.

The original Dr Seuss book was released in 1957, and the television special was created 9 years later. Since there are no songs in the book, Dr Seuss wrote them almost a decade later and magically captured both the spirit of the Who's, and the heartless, sour, wickedness of the Grinch.

Although quite the opposite of your cheerful, Christmas songs, You're a Mean One, Mr Grinch is my all-time favorite.

Image from Everett Collection

Some of the material in this lens is copyright protected, which is why the original music and/or video clips are not available. All videos were pre-existing on YouTube, so Thank You to the creativity of those who posted original versions.

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