With Christmas dominating the thoughts of many this week, it’s never been a better time to stream some classic holiday movies. The iconic offerings from Rankin/Bass jump to the forefront as many celebrate with the likes of Frosty the Snowman or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer on any given year.
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Unfortunately for those hoping for a single service where the entire Rankin/Bass catalog resides, no such thing exists. Because of various rights and licensing deals, the entire portfolio from the animation company has been spread out between streamers, both major of the smaller fare.
Keep scrolling to see where you can watch all of the Rankin/Bass classics!
Peacock
Believe it or not, there’s just one major streaming service with access to the Rankin/Bass Christmas classics. That platform is Peacock, which has The Little Drummer Boy (1968) available to stream on its service.
fuboTV
When it comes to Rankin/Bass movies or specials, you might be delight to know fuboTV comes in strong with its offerings. In total, five different specials are available with a subscription to the paid television service. Those include:
- Rudolph’s Shiny New Year (1976)
- The Little Drummer Boy, Book II (1976)
- Nestor, The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey (1977)
- Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July (1979)
- Pinocchio’s Christmas (1980)
AMC+
Surprisingly enough, AMC+ has managed to get its hands on three of Rankin/Bass specials. While lesser-known properties, completionists can streamย The First Christmas (1975)),ย The Leprechauns’ Christmas Gold (1981)ย and The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus (1985) on AMC+.
Philo
Though Philo isn’t necessarily a household name when it comes to streaming services, the paid TV provider has one Rankin/Bass special on its roster: 1974’s ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.
Tubi
Tubi, a free service for anyone to use, has another single Rankin/Bass offering, arguably one of the biggest available on a subscription streaming service: Jack Frost (1979)
Purchase or Rent
Most of the classics fall into this category where they aren’t included on a subscription-based platform. That means if you want to watch them and have no access to them on home media, they’re available at most digital VOD providers from iTunes to Amazon and Vudu.
The Rankin/Bass movies you’ll have to purchase or rent digitally include Frosty the Snowman, Frosty’s Winter Wonderland, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town, and The Year Without a Santa Claus.
Only Physical Home Media
While most of the Rankin/Bass classics aren’t available on traditional streaming platforms, two specials aren’t available in any digital format whatsoever. The Cricket on the Heart (1967) and The Stingiest Man in Town are not available to stream or purchase from any digital platforms.
They are, however, included on a few of the Rankin/Bass compilation DVDs and Blu-rays, should you still be available to find a copy at your local big box store.
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