Yogi Bärs erste Weihnachten

My daughter and I recently watched Yogi's First Christmas (1980) on Tubi. The storyline follows Jellystone National Park preparing for Christmas holiday events at a nearby lodge. When a hibernating bear decides to wake up and join the party, things get out of control for the ranger. Can the ranger get things under control, or will the bear settle into the holiday season?

This picture had five directors and features voices from Daws Butler (The Jetsons), Don Messick (The Last Unicorn), Hal Smith (The Andy Griffith Show), and Janet Waldo (The Jetsons).

I enjoyed this picture way more than I expected. The idea of Yogi's first Christmas really worked, and the two villains were excellent. This also included a large number of side characters in the Jellystone universe, which was a pleasant surprise. The circumstances were a lot of fun, the hijinks were unique and unexpected, and the ending is rewarding. There's a lot to like here.

In conclusion, this is an underrated holiday animated gem that's absolutely worth your time. I would score this an 8/10 and strongly recommend it.

While Yogi and Boo-Boo hibernate Ranger Smith spends Xmas in a nearby ski lodge with Snagglepuss, Augie Doggy, Doggie Daddy, and Huckleberry Hound. But it will be the last Xmas the lodge will ever have as the owner, Mrs. Frockmorton, is selling to build a freeway (over a mountain!). The festivities wake Yogi and Boo-Boo who gatecrash the party and show that fun times can still be had at the lodge, inadvertently impressing the owner at every opportunity, despite various attempts at sabotage.

The locations and animation featured in this 99-minute movie are kind of limited and sparse. It could have felt a bit more cozy and festive. Otherwise it's a decent way to spend a Sunday afternoon in the run-up to Xmas.

I'm not as familiar with the Yogi Bear world as other people might be. Whatever else I may have seen of it, I can't remember that well. But this special is something that I enjoy watching and I see no reason as to why you wouldn't enjoy it either. It just one place, we get treated to a variety of different events all rolled into one special. I will admit, it could be a flaw that it seems like a bunch of little stories all rolled into one big story, but that flaw (if you could call it one at all) befalls a lot of great movies and specials. I still see this whenever I can each December because it always seems like a nice way to spend Christmastime. If you can see it, than watch it because it's a good movie to watch.

Loved Yogi Bear as a child, and still have a soft spot for it now. It is a funny and charming show with appealing, funny and smart humour and likable characters, plus the characters are well voiced.

'Yogi's First Christmas' is entertaining and charming with enough of what makes me like Yogi Bear in the first place and what makes me love Christmas. As far as Yogi Bear television specials/films go, 'Yogi's First Christmas' generally is among the better ones (the only bad one of the ones seen is 'Yogi's Great Escape'), though with its limitations.

The limitations are particularly apparent in some of the animation. Some very nice vibrant colours and some details are well done, but generally the drawing lacks finesse and the backgrounds are a bit sparse and incomplete. Would have toned down the sound effects and the music is too 80s, pretty cheap and doesn't fit.

Also felt that the villains didn't add an awful lot and the conflict convolutes the story a little, a shame because the story was fine as it was elsewhere.

On the other hand, there is a lot of amusing writing that is true in spirit to the Yogi Bear show and what made it so appealing in the first place. A lot of the lines have a little corn but will garner several laughs and even more smiles. There is a real sense of fun and nostalgia, it's heart-warming and has a festive charm.

As said, there are some nice colours that elevates the animation to a slightly better level. 'Yogi's First Christmas' is never dull, pretty lively actually, and it is hard not to feel warm, cosy, amused and touched seeing the story unfold and the characters interact. The spirit of Christmas is evoked perfectly.

Characters mostly are great, with Yogi and Boo Boo likable characters. The voice acting is very good, with Daws Butler giving a bravura performance in multiple roles.

In summary, not quite magical but fun. Die-hard fans will like it and so would those not demanding too much. 7/10 Bethany Cox

This is one of the best Christmas cartoons out there. Every year without fail, my family watches it. We can't let the holiday season go by without Yogi's First Christmas! On a scale of 1 to 10, this cartoon gets a 15!