My aunt got out an old VHS tape of The Snowman for the kids to watch a few nights before Christmas. (Yes, I'm very behind on my reviews.) Her jaw dropped when she heard I hadn't seen it. I'm not quite sure how I made it through my childhood without ever seeing this film. Adapted from a famous children's book of the same name, this television film came out in 1982, the peak of my childhood.

The story is basic but beautiful. One night a child brings the snowman he made to life and they share the wonders of the world together. The boy shows the snowman his home, and the snowman takes flight with the boy and they visit with all the other magical snowmen of the North Pole and Santa himself.

The film is beautifully animated, it looks just like a children's book. It's far simpler and much more magical, than most of the traditional children's Christmas shows. I'm sad that I missed it during my childhood, but I'll make sure to make it a tradition for my son.

View the entire film below.