UPDATED: Christmas Recommendations: The Snowman and the Snowdog, The Art of ROTG and TV Listings

'Tis the season! As such, we here at A113Animation have a few TV recommendations and last-minute animation-related present ideas for you.

Some TV alerts for UK readers: On Christmas Eve at 8 PM, Channel 4 airs The Snowman and the Snowdog, the sequel to the absolute Christmas classic, The Snowman. The original aired 30 years ago this year and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. While creator Raymond Briggs didn't write this sequel, he did give it his blessing and it's animated and approached in the hand-drawn, soft style of the magical and iconic original.



Check out an interview from BBC Breakfast with some of the crew who worked on The Snowman and the Snowdog, complete with clips from it, over at the BBC website, and check out the promo for it embedded above. A113Animation's favourite actor is to narrate an audio e-book version of the story shortly afterwards as well.

If ever there was a film to delight every generation, this is it - be sure to have Channel 4 on promptly at 8 PM on the 24th.

In terms of other animation and animation-related highlights over the holidays, we've got a lengthy breakdown of what to watch/set your records for this Christmas season - listings courtesy of the 22 December - 4 January edition of the Radio Times, and lovingly transcribed by me for your benefit. Our top picks are in bold. UPDATED: 24/12/2012, 00:00 (GMT) - More listings added. Note, The Muppets, Tintin and Happy Feet Two repeat almost every day on Sky Premiere.

Sunday 23rd December

• Kung Fu Panda - 8:35 PM, BBC3

Christmas Eve, Monday 24th December

• The Rugrats Movie - 6:10 AM, Channel 4
• The Nightmare Before Christmas - 9:10 AM, BBC2
• Who Framed Roger Rabbit - 10:20 AM, BBC2
• The Muppet Christmas Carol - 11:00 AM, Channel 4
• The Santa Clause - 12:25 PM, BBC1
• The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - 2:00 PM, BBC1
• The Polar Express - 2:40 PM, Watch
• The Grinch - 4:45 PM, ITV1
• Lady and the Tramp - 5:05 PM, BBC1
• A Christmas Carol (2009) - 6:45 PM, BBC1
• The Muppets (2011) - 7:00 PM, Sky Premiere
• Ratatouille - 8:30 PM, BBC3
• Merry Madagascar - 10:10 PM, BBC3

Christmas Day, Tuesday 25th December

• Aladdin - 9:25 AM, ITV1
• Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs - 11:00 AM, Film4
• Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa - 12:40 PM, BBC1
• Toy Story - 1:25 PM, ITV1
• Tangled - 3:10 PM, ITV1
• Shrek Forever After - 3:10 PM, BBC1
• Shrek the Halls - 7:10 PM, BBC3
• Kung Fu Panda - 7:30 PM, BBC3
• Kung Fu Panda 2 - 8:00 PM, Sky Family
• The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn - 8:00 PM, Sky Premiere
• The Incredibles -m 8:55 PM, BBC3

Boxing Day, Wednesday 26th December

• Valiant - 9:40 AM, Channel 4
• Cars - 10:25 AM, BBC1
• Happy Feet - 1:40 PM, BBC1
• Enchanted - 3:20 PM, BBC1
• How to Train Your Dragon - 5:00 PM, BBC1
• Toy Story 2 - 5:15 PM, ITV1
• Alice in Wonderland (2010) - 6:50 PM, BBC1
• Toy Story 3 - 8:30 PM, Sky Family
• A Christmas Carol (2009) - 9:00 PM, BBC3

Thursday 27th December

• Bolt - 2:00 PM, BBC1
• 101 Dalmatians (1996, live-action) - 11:00 AM, BBC1
• Astro Boy - 11:50 AM, Channel 4
• Monsters vs Aliens - 3:25 PM, BBC1
• Rango - 8:30 PM, Sky Family

Friday 28th December

• Planet 51 - 11:05 AM, Channel 4
• 102 Dalmatians (2000, live-action) - 10:45 AM, BBC1
• Peter Pan (2003, live-action) - 4:30 PM, ITV1
• Ratatouille - 7:20 PM, BBC3

Saturday 29th December

• Space Chimps - 8:45 AM, Channel 4
• Flubber - 1:40 PM, BBC2
• Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties - 10:35 AM, Channel 4
• Shrek - 4:45, Sky Family
• Happy Feet Two - 5:15 PM, Sky Premiere
• Shrek 2 - 6:20 PM, Sky Family
• Puss in Boots - 8:00 PM, BBC3
• A Christmas Carol (2009) - 8:00 PM, BBC3

Sunday 30th December

• Arrietty - 4:55 PM, Film4
• Pixar: 25 Magic Moments (Documentary) - 8:00 PM, BBC3
• The Incredibles - 9:00 PM, BBC3

New Year's Eve, Monday 31st December

• Muppet Treasure Island - 9:00 AM, BBC1
• Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time - 8:30 PM, BBC1
• Happily N'Ever After - 6:35 AM, Channel 4

New Year's Day, Tuesday 1st January 2013

• Up - 6:30 PM, BBC1
• Mary Poppins - 1:45 PM, BBC1
• The Princess and the Frog - 4:00 PM, BBC1
• Alice in Wonderland - 9:00 PM, BBC3

Wednesday 2nd January, 2013

• Kung Fu Panda 2 - 6:25 PM, Sky Family

Thursday 3rd January, 2013

• The Sword in the Stone - 9:00 AM, BBC2

To get a little off-topic a second, be sure to catch Jurassic Park (6:35 PM, ITV2) and/or The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (5:40 PM, Channel 4) on Christmas Day too if you can.

If you've got a bit of (very) last minute Christmas shopping to do for the animation junkie in your family, might I recommend The Art of Rise of the Guardians? If our glowing review wasn't enough to convince you, Titan Books have sent us across some of the great artwork the book shows off - check it out below.

You can order The Art of Rise of the Guardians and a few other A113Animation recommendations by clicking the Amazon.co.uk links below.