Best movies like 'Twas the Night Before Christmas
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
When a town learns that Santa Claus has struck it off his delivery schedule due to an insulting letter, a way must be found to change his mind.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical
Country: USA
Duration: 25 min
Plot tags: feel good, humorous, semi serious, intellectual, christmas special, 2d animation
Best tv shows and movies like 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974):
Similar in 85%
The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus (2000)
Plot Summary:
Based on the popular book by L. Frank Baum, the beloved author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, comes the incredible story of The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus. Many centuries ago, long before toys had even been invented, a baby abandoned at the edge of an enchanted forest was adopted and raised by a beautiful wood nymph, thus beginning the life story of Santa Claus. From his first truly magical childhood through the discovery of his life's work of making children happy, discover the origin of every tradition surrounding Santa Claus, from toys, stockings and lighted trees to reindeer and sleigh. Journey back to a time of magic and wonder, and experience this heartwarming tale that will bring joy each holiday season.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 549
Genere: Animation, Family, Fantasy, Musical
Country: USA
Duration: 75 min
Plot tags: fairy tale, funny, light, humorous, captivating, entertaining, folk tale
Similar in 82%
Here Comes Peter Cottontail (1971)
Plot Summary:
Peter Cottontail wants to be the #1 chief Easter Bunny, and everyone in April Valley agrees...except for Evil Irontail. Peter must deliver more eggs than this archrival to earn the top spot...and save Easter for children everywhere!.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: touching, feel good, humorous, semi serious, crying, happy
Similar in 83%
Buster & Chauncey's Silent Night (1998)
Plot Summary:
Buster and Chauncey - the world's greatest Mouse-icians - have arrived in Oberndorf for their shot at the big time: performing for the queen at the annual Christmas Pageant! But on Christmas Eve, Burghermeister Huffenmeir finds all the preparations for the festivities destroyed and the treasure of Oberndorf missing. When he accuses Buster and Chauncey's friend Christina - an orphan in search of her long lost family - it seems certain that Christmas will be ruined. Now it's up to the Moustroes of Mistletoe to help Christina reveal the real culprits, return the treasure and show the town of Oberndorf the true meaning of Christmas.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 297
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Family, Musical
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 49 min
Plot tags: christmas special, sentimental, independent film, exciting, feel good, humorous, semi serious
Similar in 83%
Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse (2001)
Plot Summary:
When a huge snowstorm leaves everyone stranded, Mickey and all of his guests at the House of Mouse, including Pooh, Belle, Snow White, Cinderella, Ariel and many more of his old and new friends, break out the cookies and hot chocolate to help Donald mend his tattered Christmas spirit.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Music
Country: USA, Philippines
Duration: 65 min
Plot tags: feel good, humorous, semi serious, stylized, christmas special, slapstick comedy, slapstick, surprise ending, 2d animation
Similar in 78%
Santa and the Three Bears (1970)
Plot Summary:
Two bear cubs want to meet Santa despite their mother telling them that Santa does not exist. With the help of the park ranger, their wish might come true!.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 706
Genere: Animation, Family, Fantasy
Country: USA
Duration: 46 min
Plot tags: christmas special, anime, independent film, feel good, humorous, semi serious
Similar in 81%
Cricket on the Hearth (1967)
Plot Summary:
A delightful, animated musical version of Charles Dickens' classic tale. A Cricket on the Hearth, tells the story of a poor toymaker and his daughter whom a helpful Cricket named Crocket befriends on Christmas morning. When tragedy strikes the family, it's Crocket who comes to the rescue and restores peace and happiness.
IMDB Rating: 5.5
IMDB Votes: 763
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical
Country: USA
Duration: 49 min
Plot tags: christmas special
Similar in 89%
Prep & Landing (2009)
Plot Summary:
Wayne gets a new rookie partner, Lanny, after his previous partner got the promotion he wanted. Lanny has to remind Wayne of the Spirit of Christmas and the importance of being an elf in Santa's Prep and Landing elite unit.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Animation, Short, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: feel good, humorous, not serious, exciting, christmas special, 3d animation, computer animated
Similar in 76%
Merry Madagascar (2009)
Plot Summary:
The Zoosters are back in an all-new holiday adventure. When Santa and his reindeer crash onto the island of Madagascar it's up to Alex, Marty, Gloria, Melman and those wacky penguins to save Christmas. Get ready for a sleigh full of laughs in this hilarious new holiday classic.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Country: USA
Duration: 28 min
Plot tags: christmas special, funny, entertaining, melancholic, light, feel good, humorous, stylized, not serious, computer animated
Similar in 78%
Santa Baby (2006)
Plot Summary:
Mary Class is a highly successful business executive - who just happens to be the daughter of Santa Claus. But when her father falls ill, Mary returns to the North Pole and the life she left behind to take over for her dad and implement her innovative ideas for running Christmas.
IMDB Rating: 5.5
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Fantasy
Country: USA, Canada, Germany
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: touching, feel good, humorous, semi serious
Similar in 89%
Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas (2014)
Plot Summary:
Santa narrates the story of Buddy's travels to New York City to meet the father he never knew he had. Along the way his unrelenting cheer transforms the lives of everyone he meets and opens his father's eyes to the magic of Christmas.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Animation, Short, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 43 min
Plot tags: humorous, semi serious, feel good, captivating, christmas special
Similar in 85%
Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas (2004)
Plot Summary:
Santa Claus, Mickey Mouse and all his Disney pals star in an original movie about the importance of opening your heart to the true spirit of Christmas. Stubborn old Donald tries in vain to resist the joys of the season, and Mickey and Pluto learn a great lesson about the power of friendship.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Country: USA, Australia
Duration: 68 min
Plot tags: light, anthology, 3d animation, computer animated, light hearted, feel good, humorous, not serious, christmas special
Similar in 80%
Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997)
Plot Summary:
Belle prepares the castle for Christmas against Beast's wishes, trying to bring him happiness for the season.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 12000
Genere: Animation, Family, Fantasy, Musical
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 72 min
Plot tags: christmas special, fairy tale, touching, feel good, humorous, semi serious, romantic, sexy, breathtaking, unusual plot structure
Similar in 75%
Yogi's First Christmas (1980)
Plot Summary:
Yogi, Boo Boo and Cindy are awakened from hibernation and join their friends' Christmas activities while interfering with 2 villians' efforts to ruin the holiday.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 98 min
Plot tags: christmas special, feel good, humorous, semi serious
Similar in 83%
Rudolph's Shiny New Year (1976)
Plot Summary:
Rudolph must find Happy, the baby new year, before the midnight of New Year's Eve.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical
Country: USA, Japan
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: christmas special, claymation, touching, feel good, humorous, semi serious, fairy tale, crying
Similar in 81%
Saving Santa (2013)
Plot Summary:
A lowly stable elf finds that he is the only one who can stop an invasion of the North Pole by using the secret of Santa's Sleigh, a TimeGlobe, to travel back in time to Save Santa - twice.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical
Country: UK, USA, India
Duration: 83 min
Plot tags: feel good, humorous, semi serious, fairy tale, exciting, offbeat, not serious, computer animated
Similar in 82%
Pinocchio's Christmas (1980)
Plot Summary:
Geppetto prepare for Christmas, Pinocchio joins a puppet show to earn money for a present. There he meets and elopes with the beautiful girl puppet Julietta, leaving Geppetto alone and worried.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 761
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical
Country: USA, Japan
Duration: 49 min
Plot tags: christmas special, feel good, humorous, semi serious
Similar in 78%
Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962)
Plot Summary:
An animated, magical, musical version of Dickens' timeless classic "A Christmas Carol." The nearsighted Mr. Magoo doesn't have a ghost of a chance as Ebenezer Scrooge, unless he learns the true meaning of Christmas from the three spirits who haunt him one Christmas Eve.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Musical
Country: USA
Duration: 53 min
Plot tags: christmas horror, touching, feel good, humorous, semi serious, christmas special
Similar in 78%
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & the Island of Misfit Toys (2001)
Plot Summary:
When the mysterious Toy Taker grabs all of Santa's toys, it looks like the children will miss out on Christmas. But everyone's favorite reindeer, Rudolph, comes to the rescue with his lovable friends: Hermey the elf, Yukon Cornelius the grizzly prospector, the abominable snow monster Bumbles and Rudolph's very special friend Clarice. Together, they promise Santa they'll track down Toy Taker and rescue Santa's toy. Their incredible quest takes them on a wild adventure with Rudolph's red nose leading the way! This new family holiday favorite features the voices of Jamie Lee Curtis, Richard Dreyfuss and Rick Moranis. The soundtrack includes seven new holiday songs and features the classic original song performed by Tony Bennett. With amazing state-of-the-art animation and great new songs, kids of all ages will treasure this musical adventure forever.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical
Country: USA, Canada, Hong Kong
Duration: 74 min
Plot tags: christmas special, feel good, touching, humorous, stylized, semi serious, offbeat
Similar in 82%
Jack Frost (1979)
Plot Summary:
In this delightful animated tale, Pardon-me Pete (Buddy Hackett), the official groundhog of Groundhog Day, tells the story of Jack Frost, who falls in love with a beautiful young woman and begs Father Winter to make him human so that she can see him. His request is granted, but only on the condition that by the spring he has a house, a bag of gold, a horse and a wife--a tall order! But Jack finds that life as a human is more complicated then he thought. The girl he loves is kidnapped by the evil Cossack who is threatening to destroy the entire town. But the only way that he can save her and the town is to have his magic powers back. Jack Frost is a heartwarming tale that is sure to entertain the whole family!.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 48 min
Plot tags: christmas special, claymation, exciting, touching, feel good, humorous, stylized, semi serious
Similar in 83%
A Miser Brothers' Christmas (2008)
Plot Summary:
A Miser Brothers' Christmas is a sequel to the classic 1974 television special The Year Without a Santa Claus. The stop-motion animated special, produced by Warner Brothers Television Animation (owners of the post-1973 Rankin/Bass animated special library) and Toronto-based Cuppa Coffee Studios, premiered as part of ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas on December 13, 2008. Mickey Rooney reprised his role of Santa Claus, which originally debuted in the 1970 special Santa Claus is Comin' to Town, while George S. Irving reprised his role as the Heat Miser. Original music was written by William K. Anderson, with the exception of "Snow Miser/Heat Miser", which was written by Maury Laws and Jules Bass for the 1974 special. Eddie Guzelian (Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch) wrote the story and Dave Barton Thomas directed. The special was nominated for the 2008 Annie Award for Best Animated Television Production.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: humorous, light, entertaining, christmas special, feel good, captivating, exciting, stylized, semi serious
Similar in 76%
Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas (2011)
Plot Summary:
When Sid accidentally destroys Manny's heirloom Christmas rock and ends up on Santa's naughty list, he leads a hilarious quest to the North Pole to make things right and ends up making things much worse. Now it's up to Manny and his prehistoric posse to band together and save Christmas for the entire world!.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 26 min
Plot tags: feel good, humorous, not serious, 3d animation, light, christmas special, anime, computer animated, naughty
Similar in 88%
An All Dogs Christmas Carol (1998)
Plot Summary:
Charlie B. Barker and Itchy Ford are back with Sasha and the gang having a Dicken's of a time as they try to save Christmas from Carface and an evil spirit that wishes to use dogs all over the world to ruin Christmas forever.
IMDB Rating: 4.9
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical
Country: USA
Duration: 73 min
Plot tags: christmas special, exciting, touching, feel good, humorous, stylized, semi serious
Similar in 83%
Frosty the Snowman (1969)
Plot Summary:
A discarded silk top-hat becomes the focus of a struggle between a washed-up stage magician and a group of schoolchildren, after it magically brings a snowman to life. Realizing that newly-living Frosty will melt in spring unless he takes refuge in a colder climate, Frosty and Karen, a young girl who he befriends, stow away on a freight train headed for the north pole. Little do they know that the magician is following them, and he wants his hat back!.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 21000
Genere: Animation, Short, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical
Country: USA
Duration: 25 min
Plot tags: sweet, christmas special, anime, crying, feel good, humorous, semi serious, fairy tale, sentimental, light
Similar in 88%
Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas (1999)
Plot Summary:
Mickey, Minnie, and their famous friends Goofy, Donald, Daisy and Pluto gather together to reminisce about the love, magic and surprises in three wonder-filled stories of Christmas past.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Country: USA, South Korea
Duration: 66 min
Plot tags: anthology, light, light hearted, christmas special, feel good, humorous, semi serious, crying, 2d animation, nostalgic
Similar in 88%
The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)
Plot Summary:
Feeling forgotten by the children of the world, old St. Nick decides to skip his gift-giving journey and take a vacation. Mrs. Claus and two spunky little elves, Jingle and Jangle, set out to see to where all the season's cheer has disappeared. Aided by a magical snowfall, they reawaken the spirit of Christmas in children's hearts and put Santa back in action.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical
Country: USA, Japan
Duration: 51 min
Plot tags: claymation, feel good, humorous, semi serious, christmas special, nostalgic
Similar in 89%
Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year (2002)
Plot Summary:
It's Christmastime in the Hundred Acre Wood and all of the gang is getting ready with presents and decorations. The gang makes a list of what they want for Christmas and send it to Santa Claus - except that Pooh forgot to ask for something. So he heads out to retrieve the letter and get it to Santa by Christmas...which happens to be tomorrow!.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Musical
Country: USA, France, Taiwan, South Korea
Duration: 65 min
Plot tags: feel good, humorous, semi serious, christmas special, captivating, anthology, children's story, 2d animation
Similar in 76%
Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970)
Plot Summary:
A postman, S.D. Kluger, decides to answer some of the most common questions about Santa Claus, and tells us about a small baby named Kris who is raised by a family of elf toymakers named Kringle. When Kris grew up, he wanted to deliver toys to the children of Sombertown. But its Mayor is too mean to let that happen. And to make things worse, the Winter Warlock who lives between the Kringles and Sombertown, but Kris manages to melt the Warlock's heart and deliver his toys.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 17000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical
Country: USA, Japan
Duration: 48 min
Plot tags: feel good, touching, humorous, semi serious, sweet, christmas special, banned
Similar in 77%
Olive, the Other Reindeer (1999)
Plot Summary:
After mis-hearing a radio broadcast about Santa canceling his Christmas trip due to an injured reindeer, Olive the dog decides to travel to the North Pole and volunteer to be a replacement. Unfortunately, Olive must deal with an evil postman who's tired of handling all the extra Christmas mail. Will Martini the penguin be able to help Olive realize her dream?.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical
Country: USA
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: feel good, humorous, semi serious, christmas special, computer animated
Similar in 75%
The Polar Express (2004)
Plot Summary:
When a doubting young boy takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 232000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical
Country: USA, Australia
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: feel good, computer animated, fairy tale, 3d animation, motion capture, sentimental, stylized, christmas special, light, inspirational
Similar in 85%
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
Plot Summary:
Bitter and hateful, the Grinch is irritated at the thought of the nearby village having a happy time celebrating Christmas. So disguised as Santa Claus, with his dog made to look like a reindeer, he raids the village to steal all the Christmas things. The village is sure to have a sad Christmas this year.
IMDB Rating: 8.3
IMDB Votes: 57000
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical
Country: USA
Duration: 26 min
Plot tags: christmas special, colorful, atmospheric, feel good, semi serious, sweet, cult classic, humorous, fairy tale, sentimental