10 Best Cartoon Network Christmas Specials, According To Reddit

With the Christmas season rolling around and the future of Cartoon Network uncertain, now might be the last time to revisit the esteemed animation channel during the Christmas holiday season. No doubt, specials for shows like Craig of the Creek and Teen Titans Go! will be shown along the likes of Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer.

While Cartoon Network might be coming to a close in 2023, the programming it put out will live on through streaming and DVD releases. The best of the holiday programming according to Redditors might not ever grace broadcast television again, but these are the specials that will, regardless, live on for years to come.

Chowder: “Hey, Hey It’s Knishmas!” (Season 2, Episode 7)

Redditor Hopeful_Canary1286 writes that “Hey hey it’s Kanishmas from chowder!” is their favorite Cartoon Network Christmas special. Like many of the show’s episodes, the special is centered around food, with Chowder stressing about not getting an Electric Broccoli Trimmer with Detachable Non-Electric Cauliflower Trimmer for Knishmas, while Mung fails to make a schmingerbread house.

Related: 15 Best Christmas Episodes From Great TV Shows Ranked

While Chowder was never the most popular series on Cartoon Network, the Christmas special is one of its strongest outings thanks to its zany humor and heartwarming sincerity. The characters are all motivated in their efforts to please each other, leading to the hilarious ending where Chowder battles Knish Krinkle in order to ensure Mung’s pride isn’t destroyed.

Ben 10: “Merry Christmas” (Season 3, Episode 4)

Ben 10 is one of the best Cartoon Network shows from the mid-2000s, and its popularity has led some – such as Redditor mrmonster459 – to conclude that “Merry Christmas (Ben 10)” is one of Cartoon Network’s most iconic holiday specials. The episode centers on the Tennyson family’s adventures in an abandoned holiday theme park after the Rust Bucket breaks down in the desert.

Though “Merry Christmas” doesn’t differ too much from a typical episode of Ben 10, it still offers up some delightful action and a unique foe for Ben to face. The use of elves as villains is an inspired choice and lends the episode an even more comedic bent than usual for the show given their whimsical aesthetic and diminutive stature.

Johnny Bravo: “Twas The Night” (Season 1, Episode 5)

The first of several Johnny Bravo holiday-themed episodes, “Twas the Night” sees the titular character delivering presents on Christmas Eve after knocking Santa off the roof. It’s a silly premise that is perfectly in line with the show’s brand of humor, hence the reason AC_the_Panther_007 singled “Twas the Night” out as a wonderful short to rewatch around the holiday season.

Perhaps the funniest part of the episode is the blend of action with sight gags against the Christmas backdrop. Johnny taking Santa out with a kick is funny, but it pales in comparison to the sight of Rudolph beating the snot out of the Grinch and Scooby-Doo receiving speech therapy.

Batman: The Brave And The Bold: “Invasion Of The Secret Santas!” (Season 1, Episode 4)

“I remember “Invasion of the Secret Santas! from Batman: the Brave and the Bold to be pretty good” writes Cshelton002. The delightful comic book romp finds one of the best versions of Batman teaming up with Red Tornado to battle the clown-inspired villain, Fun Haus, who attempts to steal Christmas from everyone with his army of toys.

Related: Every Batman TV Show Ranked According To IMDb

“Invasion of the Secret Santas!” is an unabashedly childish episode of television, yet the giddiness of seeing Batman and Red Tornado beat up robotic Santas can’t be denied. Perhaps more endearing than the action and Batman’s cold snark, however, is Red Tornado’s attempt to discover what Christmas means, ultimately leading Batman to warm up a bit to the android.

Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends: “A Lost Claus” (Season 3, Episode 10)

Produced during the midpoint of Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends, “A Lost Claus” focuses on Bloo’s attempts to prove to Mac that Santa is real following their encounter with a multitude of imaginary ones. Mac’s spirit is seemingly broken until Christmas Day comes when the chaos that went down at the home has been cleaned up.

Like many of the best Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends episodes, “A Lost Claus” succeeds thanks to its visual gags and timeless pop culture references. Bloo famously recreates Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” by dressing up as the ghost of Bob Marley, and Redditor AC_the_Panther_007 found it “funny that Bloo got a lot of lump of coal” as a result of his actions.

Adventure Time: “Holly Jolly Secrets” (Season 3, Episodes 18 & 19)

Beyond being a highly-rated Christmas episode on IMDb, “Holly Jolly Secrets [from] Adventure Time” is one imbatmawn’s favorite Cartoon Network holiday specials. The episode finds Finn and Jake stumble upon the Ice King’s video diary, and they watch it in an effort to uncover his secrets.

While the episode is littered with winter imagery, “Holly Jolly Secrets” never feels the need to indulge in the cheesiness of the season, instead offering up its own original tale of drama as viewers watch the Ice King’s slow descent into madness following the discovery of the crown. It’s a somewhat somber tale, though the scene at the end where everyone comes together is heartwarming without undermining the seriousness of the piece.

Powerpuff Girls: “Twas The Fight Before Christmas” (Season 5)

Redditor Xelltrix considers “Twas the Fight Before Christmas” as probably the funniest holiday special Cartoon Network ever produced. The episode follows Bubbles, Blossom, and Buttercup as they make their way toward the North Pole to stop Princess from ruining Christmas with her new superpowers.

Related: 10 Most Nostalgic 90s Cartoon Network Shows Ranked

What makes “Twas the Fight Before Christmas” such a fun classic is the banter between the Powerpuff Girls and Princess. In one of the series’ most iconic exchanges, the trio berates the spoiled brat for constantly threatening their lives and legalizing crime in the city, to which Princess fails to take a hint.

Justice League: “Comfort And Joy” (Season 2, Episode 23)

The only stand-alone episode of Justice League, “Comfort and Joy” focuses on the individual team members’ efforts to prepare for Christmas following a successful mission on an alien planet. Such low-key character development has led to MulciberTenebras calling it “an excellent Christmas episode.”

Across all three of the episode’s segments, the cast and crew of Justice League perfectly sum up why the Justice League are such brilliant subjects for Christmas-themed episodes. Their brand of altruism fits the generosity of the season perfectly, and moments such as the Flash teaming up with Ultra-Humanite to give toys to an orphanage prove why Justice League is the best DC animated series.

Regular Show: “The Christmas Special” (Season 4, Episode 9)

Regular Show is regularly cited as one of the best Cartoon Network shows from the 2010s, and “The Christmas Special” is a great encapsulation of why the show was popular. It focuses on the park groundskeepers’ attempts to keep a magical present out of the hands of the evil elf Quillgin and is brimming with the series’ signature rip-roaring action.

Beyond the excitement of seeing Mordecai and Rigby go up against evil elves, “The Christmas Special” resonates because it makes viewers and one Reddit user, in particular, “feel like a kid again just thinking about it.” It’s a piece of media that’s brimming with imagination and excitement, two things that more Christmas specials are in need of.

Ed, Edd N Eddy: “Ed, Edd N Eddy’s Jingle Jingle Jangle” (Season 4)

Listed as the greatest Cartoon Network Christmas special by StarFan96 and many others, “Ed Edd n Eddy’s Jingle Jingle Jangle” finds Ed and Double D attempting to teach Eddy the true meaning of Christmas after the youngster attempts to hijack another family’s Christmas. Amidst all this, the Kanker Sisters follow a beam of light in the sky in an effort to determine where it originates.

Rife with irreverent humor and physical slapstick, “Ed, Edd n Eddy’s Jingle Jingle Jangle” works as a perfect midway point between the series’ usual stylings and the moralism of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” It attempts to offer the usual lesson of what Christmas means, although in a very modern twist, the target of the lesson fails to learn it (and is punished, as a result).

Next: 10 Cartoon Network Shows That Deserve A Second Chance