One of the greatest unsolved mysteries of Scooby-Doo is why it has so few Christmas specials. Sure, the series mostly focuses on criminals and supernatural events, but the characters' familial bonds and love of food are a perfect holiday fit. Plus, the franchise has been going on for over 50 years, so you'd think more of these episodes would have explored scary elves, Abominable Snowmen, or even evil Santas by now.
Although one notable Scooby-Doo Christmas special has been canceled, we've been fortunate enough to get six that deliver jokes, mystery, and Christmas cheer all at once. We've ranked these based on how funny and frightening they are, as well as how well they embody the Christmas and Scooby-Doo spirit and balance nostalgia with something new.
6 "The Case of the Gift Grabber" 'Scooby-Doo! Mystery Cases'
"The Case of the Gift Grabber" features the fivesome as toys investigating stolen presents while a young girl named Ariel narrates. The Creeper (who resembles the monster from Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!) jumps out of a stolen gift. While running from him, the group trips, leaving Scooby to take him down with a snowball. Together with Shaggy, he then skates around the monster and creates a hole in the ice. Trapped, the Creeper is then unmasked by the gang and revealed to be Old Miser Murray.
Cute but Simple
This stop-motion special is cute, but there isn't much substance to it. The viewer doesn't learn who Old Miser Murray is, and the entirety of the mystery is solved within two minutes. To be fair, this was sort of the point of Scooby-Doo! Mystery Cases -- each of the 13 shorts involved one or more children playing with toys and imagining those toys solving mysteries. In that sense, it delivers exactly what it's supposed to, and for that, it's a nice addition to the list.
5 "Scooby-Doo! Haunted Holidays" Close
Technically a direct-to-video special, Scooby-Doo! Haunted Holidays begins with a disgruntled store owner named Havros and his nephew, Fabian, watching a parade. Unfortunately, the parade is soon ruined when an angry snowman -- which Fabian calls the Sinister Snowman -- causes a blizzard. In order to solve the mystery, the gang must learn about the legend of Vladimar Harstikor, try to fix a broken glockenspiel, and enlist the aid of Santa himself.
Good, But Done Better
There's nothing wrong with this Scooby-Doo Christmas special, but it's a little underwhelming compared to the others. For example, A Scooby-Doo! Christmas does a better job of incorporating its Snowman-villain, and The Nutcracker Scoob is a bit more festive. However, it was fun seeing the gang encounter a paranormal character (Santa) who was actually on their side, and as is usually the case with Scooby-Doo, it found a good balance of frights and laughs throughout.
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Posts 4 "The Nutcracker Scoob" 'The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries' - Season 1, Episode 13 Close
The gang is helping a group of children put on a Christmas play when a scrooge-coded Winslow Nickelby announces that he plans to buy their building. As if the news isn't bad enough, while putting on the play, a ghost arrives to scare the gang and destroy the set. Add to this a hunt for an emerald, multiple costume changes, and general shenanigans, and it's a Scooby-Doo crime-solving classic.
The Power of Nostalgia
While many people remember this episode fondly, it doesn't hold up as well on a later viewing. The villain is a little random, and Scrappy-Doo is already a pretty controversial character, so that's not doing the episode any favors. Plus, it doesn't have Velma, and the Scrooge stand-in is a bit on the nose. Still, it's definitely worth a watch, and it beats out some of the others on this list largely due to the nostalgia factor.
3 "Scary Christmas" 'Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!' - Season 1, Episode 14 Close
Daphne is upset that her birthday is always overshadowed by Christmas, so she asks the gang to prioritize her birthday that year instead. However, Fred is determined to solve a Christmas-related mystery and sends the gang searching for one. It soon seems like neither of them will get their wish when a pterodactyl is seen attacking the town. After visiting an archeological dig, an orphanage, and a Christmas star redesigner, the gang has the clues it needs to crack the case and save the day.
Humorous, but Not for Everyone
In general, the humor of Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! is something that will either really land with or entirely miss audiences. It's very different from earlier versions of the show and gives it a modern touch. The same can be said of its animation, which is smoother but also simpler. Still, the episode wins when it comes to its overall plot, pacing, and unique approach to a Christmas mystery.
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Posts 2 "A Scooby-Doo! Christmas" 'What's New, Scooby-Doo?' - Season 1, Episode 10 Close
"A Scooby-Doo! Christmas!" begins with the gang finding a living, angry snowman while traveling to a condo owned by Daphne's uncle. They later learn that the Headless Snowman first appeared after a robber named Blackjack Brody stole gold from a traveler, Seamus Fagen, which he hid in a chimney. Ever since, the Snowman has been breaking into and destroying the townspeople's homes, which has also meant the end of most Christmas festivities.
Classic Scooby-Doo
This Scooby-Doo episode has it all: an interesting mystery, lots of Scooby-Doo shenanigans, and in the end, a compelling villain. It embraces so much of what makes older Scooby-Doo episodes great while also feeling fresh. Some viewers might find it a little simple or think that other villains were scarier, but there's no denying that this episode is one of the best when it comes to the overall story, characters, and Christmas feel.
1 "Scroogey Doo" 'Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!' - Season 2, Episode 10 Close
Velma has been invited to give a speech at a symposium, so the gang follows her to London where they quickly meet a man named Scrooge. At first, the story feels like it's going to be a simple Christmas Carol rehash, but everything takes an interesting turn when Velma is also visited by three ghosts of her own; they compel her to give up mystery-solving, and frighteningly, they almost succeed.
A Unique Twist on a Christmas Classic (and 'Scooby-Doo')
Unlike "The Nutcracker Scoob" which simply threw in a Scrooge stand-in, "Scroogey Doo" puts its own spin on the tale, not just by making Velma a target of the ghosts, but also by ending the episode with Scrooge learning nothing. Admittedly, other aspects of the episode's ending are a bit convoluted, such as the reveal that Velma and Scrooge were hypnotized, but it's pretty par for the course with the general humor of Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!. Plus, it's a really great Velma episode, and after what the character has been through in recent years, she deserves it.
In short, like the other Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! episode on this list, some viewers will love this episode while others won't get it, but that polarizing effect makes it all the more worthy of a watch. We're decidedly in the camp of those who were laughing the entire time, and while its newness means it lacks some of that Scooby-Doo nostalgia factor, that actually makes it even better, since it's bringing Scooby into the modern age. Much like with the Ghost of Christmas Future, we're excited to see where the franchise heads next, and hope it includes more holiday specials.