Watch Yogi's First Christmas For Free

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Yogi and Boo Boo are awakened from hibernation by the arrival of their Hanna-Barbera friends Huckleberry Hound, Augie Doggie, Doggie Daddy, and Snagglepuss at Jellystone Park in this movie-length TV Christmas special. The plot has the gang, plus Ranger Smith, trying to stop a crazy old hermit who hates Christmas from causing a lodge to be shut down. It's Hanna-Barbera so the animation, while not bad, is nothing to get excited about. Plus the sound effects are loud and the music score canned. There are also some songs recycled from previous TV specials. How much you will like this depends on how much you enjoy Hanna-Barbera in general. I'm not a big HB fan as their cartoons were basically the worst parts of TV sitcoms, only animated. This does nothing to change my opinion. It's a decent Christmas special but not a classic by any means. The extra length also hurts it as there's barely enough material for a half-hour special, let alone triple that.

I'm not as familiar with the Yogi Bear world as other people might be. Whatever else I may have seen of it, I can't remember that well. But this special is something that I enjoy watching and I see no reason as to why you wouldn't enjoy it either. It just one place, we get treated to a variety of different events all rolled into one special. I will admit, it could be a flaw that it seems like a bunch of little stories all rolled into one big story, but that flaw (if you could call it one at all) befalls a lot of great movies and specials. I still see this whenever I can each December because it always seems like a nice way to spend Christmastime. If you can see it, than watch it because it's a good movie to watch.

Yogi's First Christmas, which I saw for first time Christmas time 1980, was an amusing twist on that famous cartoon character and his friends. It was about Yogi's being awakened by the Christmas Party at the Jellystone Lodge, how Yogi joined BooBoo, Cindy, Ranger Smith, Huck, and other friends in Christmas joy. The cartoon was also educational in that it showed that it is not only Grinches like Herman the Hermit would want to spoil Christmas. Snively, nephew of Sophie Throckmorton, proprietress of Jellystone Lodge, was bent on spoiling the party, calling singing Christmas songs corny and showing no interest in any of the activities that made up the Christmas celebration, as if he thought such activities "unmanly", which they are NOT! Near the end he changed his mind but was initially deprived by his Aunt Sophie; after Herman the Hermit tried to feed him wretched food, Aunt Sophie gave in and promised to allow him to take part IF he would eat what was served and made no further complaints. Most likely, Snively was raised the WRONG WAY, to believe too much in the superhuman male-subhuman female dichotomy that has been all too prevalent in this IMMATURE society of ours. THAT is what caused Snively to behave badly; Aunt Sophie was a nice lady who meant well, and wanted Snively to act like a DECENT PERSON and NOT conform to the naughty side of the frontier spirit, and DID NOT make excuses for Snively(the boies-will-be-boies floogie). Snively's actions (until his aunt gave him another chance) are eloquent of just how immature our society is, and how many people believe so strongly in the horse manure that society reinforces (like the superhuman male-subhuman female dichotomy). In that respect, Yogi's First Chritmas was really educational.

So nice to see Yogi again - & Boo Boo, Augie and his dad Daddy Doggy, Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss, and Ranger Smith.Yogi & Boo Boo are hibernating until April which makes Ranger Smith very happy at the Jellystone Park / Lodge. The manager of it is Mr. Dingwell & he's anticipating the arrival of the owner, Mrs. Sophie Throckmorton & her nephew Snidely. She wants to sell it due to some strange going ons last season during Christmas Carnival Week. Herman the Hermit hates Christmas & will do whatever it takes to shut down the lodge. Everyone's singing wakes Yogi & Boo Boo up & since they usually sleep through Christmas, they don't want to miss this one - it's their 1st Christmas (hence the name.) Yogi & Boo Boo save Mrs. T. & her bratty nephew from an avalanche, which was caused by Herman. Herman keeps doing nasty stuff & each time Yogi's the hero & gets promotions on top of promotions. Ranger Smith wants to put Yogi back in his cave / St. Louis Zoo! Cindi's awake too - she's a female bear who likes Yogi. Snidely keeps losing contests that they have, gets mad & runs away to Herman's hut. They bond since they both don't like Christmas & team up to try & ruin everything. Mrs. T. decides not to sell but rather to bring orphans up to the lodge throughout the year & donate it as an Orphanage Getaway & promotes Yogi to Christmas Carnival Director.What a good, fun holiday classic for the kid in all of us.