Mickey's Christmas Carol

 There are many adaptations of a Christmas Carol, musical, animated, live action, and set across different time periods. I enjoy a good number of them, from The Muppets to the Netflix animated version called "Scrooge", the Goes Wrong show production's adaptation, and I'm always welcome to seeing different adaptations. I even have nostalgia for Cartoon versions, such as the Flintstones version or Looney Tunes, but I wanted to begin some of my holiday posts with a version of this story that was my first owning it on VHS, and one I still try to watch every year, "Mickey's Christmas Carol", one that is very special to me, that I also have an ornament of this special as a book with multiple pictures in it.   

We have all seen a version of the story before, with Ebenezer Scrooge, whose love of money has made him cold and hateful. He is visited by three spirits after being warned by the ghost of his former partner to be given a chance to change, getting a glimpse of Christmas past, present, and yet to come. Taking place during the Christmas season and all taking place on one night, this story is classic and still fills me with joy by the end, despite which version, unlike the Grinch, where I will watch the others but truly enjoy one.

This version works on so many levels; the music is fitting for every scene, and the song written for the special is delightful and memorable. The animation is absolutely wonderful, still looking great, and still has that classic feeling that is also timeless. The writing is a good mix of the classic lines from the story and dialogue that fit this version and move the plot along, leading to one major difference between this and many adaptations.

This version is less than half an hour long, and it tells the entire story, yet it works. It doesn't waste a second of the run time; every second matters. Every emotion meant to land from longer versions lands and delivers well. The major moments of joy and even sadness work. Scrooge is appropriately played by Scrooge McDuck, voiced by Alan Young, who made the character always come to life, and each of the classic Disney characters fit the roles they are assigned in the classic story. 

The animation, music, pacing, and writing all come together to make this a great version of this classic story. Even before writing this post, I rewatched it because of how short it is, and I could not stop watching. It's enjoyable, delightful, and even moving. It is a certified Christmas classic to watch, and I will probably watch it a time or two more, just like I do with the 1950s version of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". A special that respects the time of the watcher but makes said watcher glad they watched it. Short and sweet, but stays with you, just like a good piece of chocolate from an Advent calendar. I'm glad I welcomed the holiday season with this special. There isn't much to say, then again, much like the special, sometimes something doesn't need to take up the most time to leave an impact.