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A Garfield Christmas is a classic holiday TV special. The 1980s holiday cartoon featured the famous comic strip cat dealing with the chaos of Christmas. Read on to find out how to watch the beloved show.

'Garfield' creator Jim Davis posing with a large doll of the cat in a black and white photo.
Garfield creator Jim Davis I B. Gomer/Express/Getty Images

How to watch ‘A Garfield Christma’ this holiday season

In 1987, America’s favorite orange cat debuted in his won holiday special. A Garfield Christmas premiered on the CBS network on Dec. 21, 1987. The show became popular and was a main staple of the network’s annual holiday lineup. According to Fandom.com, after 13 years, the holiday special aired for the last time on CBS in Dec. 2000.

While it’s no longer shown on cable, there are other ways for fans to watch the beloved classic. The special is available on streaming platforms Peacock, Amazon Prime, and YouTube. Aside from streaming services, it’s also available on DVD.

The premise of ‘A Garfield Christmas’

A Garfield Christmas follows the adventures of Garfield (Lorenzo Music), Odie (Gregg Berger), and Jon Arbuckle (Thom Huge) as they set out for a holiday vacation. The trio head to the Arbuckle farm to spend Christmas with Jon’s family. While Jon helps his parents (Pat Harrington and Julie Payne) and his brother Doc Boy (David Lander) spread holiday cheer, Garfield bonds with Grandma Arbuckle (Pat Carroll).

Grandma Arbuckle regales Garfield with stories about her late husband, whom she misses. Feeling that Grandma Arbuckle is sad, Garfield seeks to cheer her up. One night while spying on Odie in the barn, Garfield finds a stack of love letters from Grandma Arbuckle’s late husband.

On Christmas morning, Garfield gives Grandma Arbuckle the letters as a gift. Grandma Arbuckle is overwhelmed by the fit and thanks her feline friend. Garfield then gets a special gift when Odie gives him a homemade backscratcher. The gesture is enough to warm Garfield’s heart as he learns an important lesson about love.

How to watch similar holiday specials

The 2022 holiday season will be filled with many classics like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman. But for those looking for different and nostalgic specials like A Garfield Christmas, many options are available. A Family Circus is available to stream on Amazon Prime.

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Another classic, A Flintstones Christmas, can be watched via Apple TV, Amazon Prime, and YouTube. The 1982 special The Smurfs Christmas is available on Boomerang and the show’s official YouTube channel. For fans of Youg Bear, his special Yogi’s First Chrismas can be viewed on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Udu, and Redbox.

Whether you’re in the mood for Garfield, Yogi, or another beloved classic, these Christmas specials will warm your heart this holiday.