Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey

[nvmbrsdoom5]

I loved this one as a kid, but it also made me cry. Definitely not the cheeriest of holiday specials! But it is a really good story. I too have met many people (my wife included) who'd never seen nor heard of this special.

[Earth 2 Chris]

I remember watching this with my family many times as a really young child, and my Mother would cry every time.

Really, all the Rankin-Bass specials seemed to disappear for a good chunk of the 80s and 90s, with a few exceptions. Rudolph, Frosty, and oddly enough "Twas The Night Before Christmas" (with the mice and the Christmas clock) were the only ones that still aired on network TV at this time. A few years back, ABC began to air them all, including a few I had never seen (like the one about the nuns and Pinochio's Christmas). My kid has watched all of these at least once. Lucky dog.

Chris

[Flynne]

Yeah, it is probably the most depressing of the Christmas stories as it contains the worst elements of Rudolph and Bambi. But to paint a beautiful picture you need the darkness to contrast the light to show its beauty. Besides I've always loved the message of how "different" is often misjudged as "inferior" when it should be classified as "extraordinary".

Sure: it's a blatant ripoff of the Rudolph story. I just like this one better.

Now I have to go buy the DVD...

[z3zep]

I have never seen or heard of it before this...

[kingdom warrior]

Many people never saw this cause they were given on NBC before prime time and they were only a Half hour. ABC family does show it. It's really good.

[David Lee]

Many people never saw this cause they were given on NBC before prime time and they were only a Half hour. ABC family does show it. It's really good.

We TIVO'd it and sat down as a fam to watch it last night. My Daughter loves alll the Rankin Bass stuff. Jennifer and I kinda remembered it, but hadn't seen it in years. Towards the end my 5 year old asked "Daddy is it almost over..." I said, " why don't you like it?" she replied " yea but... it's making me emotional"


-Dave

[Adam West]

This movie reminds me of a really good Christmas book called "The Crippled Lamb". I'm not sure if it was ever adapted into a movie but it builds on the same theme of everyone's uniqueness and using what the world perceives as a handicap as an asset.

[Adam West]

Our family went away for the weekend and I packed a couple of DVD's to watch in the evenings.

I didn't realize on The Year Without A Santa Claus DVD was none other than Nester the long earred donkey. The kids have never watched it before but they really enjoyed it.