The whole movie gives such a warm, cozy feel. The style of the movie is just perfect. It's very believable, and down to earth, you could say. The explanation of Santa's powers is about as believable as it gets in Christmas movies, and Art Carney is the only person who could ever fill the boots of Mr. Claus so well. When I close my eyes and envision my ideal Santa, it's his face that pops to mind. That's the lasting impression this movie has left. It's been my favorite Christmas movie since I was old enough to remember.
The setting is a departure from the usual Christmas fare, as well. The family travels as it moves to new oil drilling sites, and as a little boy, seeing the construction equipment in the intro credits, coupled with the fact that it's a Christmas movie left an impression upon a lot of my interests at that age. All little boys love dump trucks and construction equipment, and somehow it fits into a Christmas tale.
If you've never seen this, you must.
