hellraiser7 To me what makes Christmas the most enjoyable is to spend it with your family, the people that are closest to you and love; to me that sums up what it's true meaning (or one of them) for me is about togetherness. This is another film based on the Christmas holiday that I enjoy, one of my personal favorites for Christmas and another relic from my childhood that to this day as an adult I still enjoy.Not a whole lot I can say, this animation is great at least by the standards of the comic strip it's based on but I wouldn't have it any other way. The music is good and fun, it's not quite as memorable in my book not a lot of songs stick out to me, except for the song "Christmas is here" which I thought was touching.But as usual with Garfield what drives it are the characters and their all great in their own way. Garfield, Odie, and Jon are still well them. Jons family whom were new characters never in the strip except till after this special didn't disappoint they all were fun characters in their own way and have a good line or two. However the one supporting character that really stands out and steels the show is Grandma, she is just hilarious and awesome. Her character has so much energy, crackling sarcasm, feistyness, but also some genuine emotion.The humor is great as usual there are a lot of great moments. I like both the verbal and visual humor with Garfield and even Grandma. Two of my favorite moments with Garfield was that dream sequence with the Santa machine which I think is really cool and I wanted one because whatever you want all you have to do is think it up and it will give it to you without pay; if I want an "X-Box One" it will give it to me by just mere thought. Yeah I know this machine would not be possible (except may'be in the Star Trek franchise with it's replicator technology)but it's still a fun thought.And of course there was the infamous death defying climb to put the star on top of the tree. I know it was a small moment, but it's funny because we kinda can emphasize with this. Even though the star is the best part of the tree, putting it up can be a real pain(that is if you don't have a step ladder) letting alone trying to get the darn thing to balance on that top.And there were two moment with Grandma that stuck out, one where she showed irritation toward Doc Boy and hits him with a punch spoon, it's a small moment it's just I really liked that look because that's the kind of look I have when I lose my patience and on a side note I hate being patient.To me the best moment with her and the film, was a really touching and sad scene when she tells the story of Grandpa to Garfield. I'll admit that scene always put tears in my eyes and kinda now hits a little to close to home since my grandparents passed on.The film though has a good message which Garfield basically sums up, "It's not the getting, it's not the giving, it's the loving." Those words ring true to this day.Rating: 4 stars

Writer_Commentary As a fan of Garfield and a fan of Christmas specials I think that this is a great one that everyone should watch and enjoy sometime. Garfield points out that greatest part of Christmas (and it isn't the giving or the getting) and I think that anyone would enjoy it. The style is very simplistic and parts of it are quirky, but that adds to the overall charm of the special. I don't see why anyone wouldn't enjoy this as it has great aspects not typically seen of television Christmas specials anymore. I wish that one of the major networks would buy the rights to it so we could see it over and over again every time this year. But until then, I hope that you find some way of enjoy this special which should be a bigger hit and more memorable classic.

SnakesOnAnAfricanPlain Before the advent of atrocious CGI, there were 2D animated Garfield cartoons. And they were awesome. Garfield's pessimistic and tired tone is somehow perfect for the Christmas season. It was great that they tried something that captures your average family Christmas, rather than trying to force characters into another adaptation of A Christmas Carol (as much as I do love that). Jon returns to his family farm for some simply sweet offerings of tradition. The mom cooks, and in one particularly humorous scene the dad is forced to read a children's Christmas story to his now grown sons. We also see Odie trying his hardest to make a gift for Garfield, and grandmother reminiscing about her deceased husband, in a heartfelt scene which never becomes schmaltzy. It does a lot in its 23 minutes, and is everything Christmas should be.

Scott LeBrun Sweet, enjoyable seasonal special in which the cranky orange tabby finds himself rudely awakened from a much too pleasurable dream, by owner Jon who informs him that it's time to go to the family homestead for the holidays. Garfield, of course, is having none of this at first, remaining true to his usual personality, but soon comes around to seeing things in a different light.An excellent voice cast is great fun, with Lorenzo Music in fine form as Garfield. Pat Harrington Jr. is priceless as Dad, as is David L. Lander as Doc Boy. But the true standout is Pat Carroll as Grandma. Grandma ends up stealing the whole show, in some of the comedic moments and most of the dramatic ones. When she mourns the loss of her husband, and when Garfield comes across the perfect present to give to her, it's touching. Grandma's funny moments have her whacking Doc Boy with a spoon when he goes overboard saying Grace at the dinner table, pounding away at the piano like she's Jerry Lee Lewis, and surreptitiously adding chili powder to Mom's sausage gravy. When ever lovable Odie presents Garfield with a useful present, the cat is visibly moved, and he agrees that Christmas should never focus so much on the gift getting / receiving process but the loving.Other hilarious aspects include seeing Dad with the ridiculous over sized hat on his head, or when he's roped into yet another reading of "Binky, the Clown Who Saved Christmas" and Jon and Doc Boy insist he recite a line the way Binky would say it, or when the two of them wake him at 1:30 in the morning, insisting that any time after midnight is technically Christmas morning. Catchy songs, as usual, help a good deal.As an almost life long fan of the strip and the specials, this viewer can tell you that it's always a treat to see these characters brought to life and visit them any time, not just during the various holidays.Eight out of 10.