Back when I was new to being a kid, I remember getting disproportionately excited on those two nights in late November/early December when I was allowed to stay awake and watch Christmas Specials! As the youngest of 4 (later to be displaced by my darling bouncing baby brother), it was always a big deal to get to stay up late with the big kids. Nowadays, all that old magic has been guillotined by the DVR and The Reign of Comcast, but I still love Christmas Specials!

Since I have had the latest beastly cold/virus/fever/misery that is going around, I decided to check out what Netflix has to offer in the way of Christmas Specials. Based on the way-too-much-quality-time I spent perusing Christmas Films (Classic and Novice alike), here are my top new recommendations*:

*Please note that these do not take the place of A Charlie Brown Christmas, The claymation Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, or the two animated Frosty The Snowman specials!

#1)VeggieTales: St. Nicholas: A Story of Joyful Giving

Kudos to teaching kids about the actual origins of Santa Claus, VeggieTales. . . I was delightfully surprised by this one . . . plus, I really liked the not-so-subtle integration of Hoe Hoe Hoe!

#2) Christmas Classics: Volume 1

This is a collection of “Classics” I had never seen before. . . quite the line-up, if I do say so myself. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen old-school Rudolph’s “BRB” letter to his parents.

And what about Professor Inventor-Claus and how he saved Christmas-at-the-Orphanage with nothing but his noggin, a bottomless-box of cotton puffs, and his uncanny ability to spit nails? Or Jack Frost’s ability to save errant bear cubs by transforming ice into candy using special paint? And the otter-chorus singing about winter? And what about the doll that inhales a balloon and becomes a rotund night-club singer? Cala lilies that dispense chocolate syrup? There’s really no end to the fascinating things you can see in this compilation set-up, friends. I didn’t even get into the ridiculous racial and cultural stereotyping that happens – downright educational.

#3) Yes, Virginia

This is the story of a highly skilled young découpage artist who grows up with the misguided-yet-timeless, ever-perpetuated belief in the infallibility of the print media. . . okay, just kidding. . . sort of. It’s also about Santa Claus being real, particularly because he represents an idea that individuals can make real. It’s all very well-made and lovely.

Those are my top Netflix three! Hope you enjoy as much as I did, Friends!

Happy Merry Day-in-Waiting to you all!