Christmas Comes But Once a Year

Christmas Comes But Once a Year

Directed by Dave Fleischer

Produced by Fleischer Studios

19369 min7.1 / 10

A heartwarming 1930s animated short about an inventor's kindness transforming orphans' Christmas from disappointment to joy through ingenuity and generosity.

At an orphanage, the children are sad because they received used defective toys as gifts. Professor Grampy sees the children while passing by in his sled and has an idea on how to give them a merry Christmas.

Questions people ask

  • Is Christmas Comes But Once a Year easy watching? Yes, very. More comforting than 99% of films.

  • Does Christmas Comes But Once a Year end with hope? Yes, very. More hopeful than 99% of films.

  • Is Christmas Comes But Once a Year scary? No. Less frightening than 98% of films.

  • Is Christmas Comes But Once a Year violent? No. Less violent than 92% of films.

  • Is Christmas Comes But Once a Year sad? Not especially. Less sad than 67% of films.

These describe how the film comes across, measured across the whole film and compared with other well-known films. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked scene by scene, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.

60/ 100

Cinnamon Score

How much this film gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.

Familiar shape, done well.

Rarity47

How unlike any other film this one feels

Surprise61

How much more it delivers than it promises

Love72

How much audiences actually like it

The highest scores in the catalogue →

Ensemble

Like Christmas Comes But Once a Year

Nearest across the full emotional profile.

Same Mood as Christmas Comes But Once a Year

Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.

Like Christmas Comes But Once a Year, But Darker

Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.

Like Christmas Comes But Once a Year, But Lighter

Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.

Like Christmas Comes But Once a Year, But Less Popular

Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.

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