With Christmas right around the corner, it’s time to untangle the Christmas lights, crank up those holiday tunes and watch all of the classic Christmas movies. There are some great live action films, such “A Christmas Story,” “Miracle on 34th Street,” “The Santa Clause,” and “Die Hard,” but some of the best holiday movies are the old stop-motion animated features. That’s right, the classic Rankin/Bass Production films from the mid-1960s to the 80s like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “The Year Without a Santa Claus,” and “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town.” They are a holiday staple that have been shown to generation after generation since their debut and have withstood the test of time. So what is it  that makes these movies so special?

Taking a closer look, there seem to be three main qualities that make Christmas “claymations” into classics.

The Music: Who could forget the musical numbers like “Silver and Gold” or “A Holly Jolly Christmas” from “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”  Part of why audiences love the Christmas classics are because of the songs. Remembering a song creates a sense of nostalgia that connects the viewer to the movie on a more interactive level.

We all love the songs, but what really makes the claymation style of animation a favorite is how “real” it seems. Frequently used today in modern cinema are computer generated images (CGI) which has a quality that creates a sort of disconnect from reality.  Using clay or plasticine to create characters has a more realistic quality which many audiences love.  Claymation’s cartoony and toy-like form is enjoyable to watch and may remind audiences of a time when they were young, playing with toys. It’s the heart warming effect. Seeing a clay Santa run around on screen laughing, “Ho Ho Ho,” can bring a smile to almost any face. That’s what these films are all about, making people smile and feel good inside.

Write some easy sing alongs, mold a cute character and what are you missing? The real meaning of Christmas. It sounds cliché, but it’s true. Christmas isn’t about getting presents, last minute shopping, getting the best deals or spending money. Films like “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” emphasize the fact that Christmas is about being happy with family and friends. From generation to generation, the true meaning of Christmas and the holiday spirit have been reflected in the Rankin/Bass films, not by advertisements and commercial commodities. These movies slip effortlessly into the homes of families and bring an old fashioned sense of joy amidst the holiday bustle.

Thanksgiving is over, Jack Frost is out, Rudolph is on the radio and in a few days Santa Claus is coming to town. The holidays will come and the holidays will go, but throughout the years, and no matter how old, families will always have the joy of bonding over those little clay reindeer and that singing clay snowman, and it’s all thanks to Rankin/Bass.

Stephen E. Fancy can be contacted at [email protected]