Now my final review of this year is a special entry for Christmas, time for the Snowman.

Every year on British TV on Channel 4 specifically, the Snowman has always played, in fact since both this and the Channel were made in 1982 it has never failed to be played in all 32 years.
The story begins with an extract from the book by Raymond Briggs the short film is based on which reads.
"I remember that winter because it had brought the heaviest snows I had ever seen. Snow had fallen steadily all night long and in the morning I woke in a room filled with light and silence, the whole world seemed to be held in a dream-like stillness. It was a magical day... and it was on that day I made the Snowman"
A small note that this is the only dialogue you'll hear in the entire production along with the only scene of live action footage, this short was made using music only and hand drawn animation and although the opening has altered over the years with David Bowie being one of those who has started the story, the actual film has remained unchanged, even it's 30th anniversary sequel the Snowman and the Snowdog keeps most of the traditional techniques.
The story is about a boy named James who one night on Christmas Eve built a Snowman, on the stroke of midnight the Snowman comes to life and proceeds to explore James' house as it tries to understand how everything works including riding a Motorcycle, as the night continues, the Snowman then flies off with James to the North Pole set to the song "Walking in the Air" sung by choir boy Peter Auty and this is the high point of the film, it's a showcase of the most beautiful winter scenery hand drawn to perfection set to some moving yet haunting music, you can't help but get emotional during this scene.
Once the flight to the North Pole is complete, the Snowman along with James and many other Snowman have some fun and meet Santa Claus where James receives a scarf as a gift, upon arriving back home James goes to bed while the Snowman returns to the position he was built in. On Christmas morning, James awakes to find that the Snowman has melted, the film ends on James mourning the loss of the Snowman, if you were already crying at the music then you'll be in floods of tears by the end.
Whether you interpret the ending as a sad one or not is debatable, yes it's sad, but James takes away a magical memory as it's implied that the narrator at the start is the boy grown up and the sequel makes it clear when a new boy moves into the same house and finds an old picture of James and the Snowman.
So this is what the British have to offer in terms of Christmas Animated Specials and whether your favorite is Charlie Brown, The Grinch or one of the hundred others that are played every year, I take pride knowing that every Christmas this film reminds me that the year I went through was all worth it.
Happy Christmas everyone, see ya next year.