Aliens Unpackage Christmas in This Canadian Cartoon Cult Classic Streaming Free on Tubi
Maybe it’s because the main character is named Peter. Or because aliens look impressive (even now). Or because I first saw it when I was five years old. Or maybe it’s a pet goose…
For whatever reason, the 1977 holiday special cosmic christmas ——The Canadian animation giant’s first cartoon nervana — it’s been my comforting December entertainment ever since I rediscovered it streaming online. This year it will only be available to watch for free on Tubi.
Unlike today’s pixel-perfect and beautiful animations, the drawings in “Cosmic Christmas” are a retro delight—feeling like a mess of Mad magazine’s Don Martin and classic animator Ralph Bakshi mash up. “Cosmic Christmas” doesn’t have the twists and turns of “Dr. Katz” or “Home Movie,” but there’s a hand-drawn mayhem that no longer seems to exist in modern comics.
The outrageous town mayor and confused police chief get some of the best Christmas jokes in the universe.
The story of “Christmas in the Universe” tells the story of a little boy Peter and a pet goose named Lucy. He discovers that three mysterious aliens have landed their spaceship on the outskirts of a small town in preparation for Christmas. Three visitors report seeing a new star in the extraterrestrial sky 2,000 years ago and come to Earth to learn the true meaning of the holiday.
Peter’s grandma, a colorful cast of teenage delinquents and Lucy Goose drive the festive plot forward until it reaches a thrilling climax that won’t be too scary for kids of any age, and a heart-warming resolution plan.
A group of tough-talking teenagers set their sights on Peter’s goose, Lucy.
“Cosmic Christmas” wastes some time in its 24-minute pace on odd musical interludes—including a bizarre dance between Lucy and the alien’s flying robot helper—but the core action keeps the story moving forward and coming to a conclusion. A satisfying conclusion.
When meeting the aliens for the first time, Peter explains the “Star of Bethlehem” and mentions Jesus Christ, but Cosmic Christmas mostly views the holiday from a secular perspective. Peter believes that the true meaning of Christmas is “love, peace and caring for others.”
If you like weird retro animation or are looking for something different to watch with the kids this holiday season, give Cosmic Christmas a try for free on Tubi.
Learn more How to use your Netflix password to find a wider range of holiday movies and shows.
