1. A Charlie Brown Christmas
This is it: the special that epitomizes the Christmas season. A classic that children and adults alike still look forward to watching every year. Charlie Brown doesn’t understand why everyone is happy at Christmas except for him; he likes getting presents and everything, but he just can’t put his finger on what the whole thing is all about and why he should be so damn jolly like everyone else. Linus comes to the rescue by doing something you aren’t likely to find in most Christmas movies or specials: he recites a verse or two from, *gasp*, The Bible! (What were they thinking? How dare you remind anyone that this is a religious holiday???)

But then Charlie Brown gets it for the first time. It isn’t about lights displays or Christmas plays. It isn’t about ice skating or catching snowflakes on your tongue (even if they’re not quite ripe enough yet). It’s about a simple message of love, peace, and hope.

The immortal soundtrack of Vince Guaraldi added a new song or two to the seasonal canon, particularly with “Christmas Time Is Here.” And this is still the best Christmas special ever made.

Honorable Mentions
There are plenty of quality films and specials that didn’t make my top 10, and I’d like to reassure them that they haven’t been lumped in the same category as “Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey.” Because that’s a special that makes me want coal in my stocking. And by that I mean hot coals in stockings that are actually on my feet.

Elf (Because smiling’s my favorite, too)
A Garfield Christmas (There are some amazingly cheesy moments, but it’s good)
South Park (Any X-mas episode is good. Mr. Hanky is the perfect mix of holiday cheer and shit)
The Muppet Christmas Carol
The Santa Clause
Bad Santa (Thurman Merman fills my heart with cheer)
Christmas Vacation
Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas
Mickey’s Christmas Carol
Die Hard (It counts. It’s also the best action movie ever)
Beavis and Butthead Do Christmas (Seriously, it’s actually pretty funny)