12 Christmas Specials You Can Watch for Free on Hoopla

In the mood to watch something seasonal but don't feel like leaving home today?

That's not a problem. With Hoopla, you can stream more than 300,000 audiobooks, movies and albums to your phone, tablet or computer anywhere at anytime. And it's free with your Mentor Public Library card.

Here are 12 different Christmas movies and TV episodes that you can start streaming now.

1. Madeline's Christmas

All lists that can include Madeline's Christmas should, including lists about holiday specials, beloved children's literature characters, and pandemics.

There's not a whole lot of plot to Madeline's Christmas (but since when has Madeline been about things happening.) Basically, Madeline must take care of her classmates who have fallen ill around holiday time.

That's right. Any cartoon character can save Christmas! Madeline saves the holiday and cures the common cold. Is there anything this adorable moppet can't do?

2. The Office (UK)—BBC Special

No, not the one with the Yankee swap. This is the original British The Office—the one that inspired the American variant and made Ricky Gervais your favorite comedian's favorite comedian.

This isn't just a Christmas special. It's also the finale. Can David Brent (Gervais as the pre-Michael Scott entertainer/boss) find a date in time for the office Christmas party? And will Dawn and Tim—the British versions of Pam and Jim, but you probably figured that out—make it work?

3. Bah Humduck! A Looney Christmas

There are hundreds of iterations on Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, but this is the only one with Daffy Duck.

Ergo, it must also be the best. (Though we also acknowledge the awesomeness of A Muppet Christmas Carol.)

4. A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa

Speaking of the Muppets, Kermit and friends need to make it to the North Pole before Christmas so they can deliver letters to Santa in this adventure.

It's got music, merriment and Pepe the King Prawn flirting haplessly with Uma Thurman.

5. Holiday Inn

Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire sing and dance their way into your heart in the musical comedy classic. Crosby plays a song and dance man who leaves showbiz to run an inn that is open only on holidays. Astaire plays his former partner and romantic rival for the affections of Marjorie Reynolds.

6. One Christmas

Another classic filled with famous performers, including Katherine Hepburn and Henry Winkler. This film, based on Truman Capote's autobiographical story, is about a young man who visits his estranged father for Christmas in 1930 in New Orleans.

7. The Small One

Usually when Disney does Christmas, it involves Mickey Mouse or Scrooge McDuck getting visited by three ghosts.

But there's neither mouse nor Claus in sight during this animated short. Instead, it tells the story of the donkey who carries a pregnant Mary to Bethlehem.

8. Yo Gabba Gabba: Very Awesome Holiday Show

Join DJ Lance Rock, Brobee, Foofa, Muno, Plex and Toodee as they dance, sing and decorate the tree to prepare for the arrival of Santa Claus

9. Super Mario World, The Night Before Cave Christmas

This is, by far, the most ridiculous entry on this list. It's sillier than Sonic and Inspector Gadget saving Christmas combined.

After all, what can be more ridiculous than Mario and Luigi trying to stop King Koopa from stealing a bunch of cavemen's Christmas gifts?

10. Abbott & Costello: The Christmas Show

The original kings of comedy celebrate Christmas as only they can.

11. The Story of Christmas

Christmas isn't just about Daffy Duck and princess-saving plumbers. It's not just about Santa Claus or talking snowmen either.

The Story of Christmas recounts the tale of Jesus's birth simply and sweetly. Watch it with your kids if they start to forget the reason for the season.

12. Krampus: The Christmas Devil

And on the opposite side of the spectrum, we have a horror film about a demon who's come to punish all the kids on the naughty list.

Fan Favorite Friday: Over the Rainbow with Judy Garland

It's one of life's sad contradictions that Judy Garland—a woman who made so many people happy—spent most of her life battling depression.

And when Judy died in 1969, we lost, according to Fred Astaire, "the greatest entertainer who lived."

But this isn't about how Judy died or even how she lived. This is about the happiness she gave us all with her acting, dancing and singing.

Thank you, Judy, for helping us smile—even when you couldn't.

1. The Wizard of Oz—There's no shame in starting with the obvious choice. Judy was a supremely talented woman, but I might not be writing about her 45 years after her death, if it were not for The Wizard of Oz. It's on the short list of candidates for most important movie ever. (Realistically, it's either this or Gone with the Wind.)

You've probably already seen the movie, likely several times. You may have even read the book and watched the not-quite prequels and sequels. But if it's been awhile since you've seen the film, borrow it from us. Watch it with your friends or family. You'll be surprised how much of The Wizard you know by heart and how much it still moves you.

And that all starts with Judy and her wish to fly.

2. A Star Is Born—The more apt name for this film would be A Star Is Reborn. Judy's sensational in this remake—so good that when she lost the Oscar for best actress, Groucho Marx called it "the biggest robbery since Brink's."

If your knowledge and appreciation of Judy begins and ends with "Over the Rainbow," borrow A Star Is Born and watch that "Born in a Trunk" medley. Then borrow the soundtrack from us or download it from Freegal. You're going to want it.

3. Judgment at Nuremberg—When we think of Judy Garland, we think of the dancing and singing. We picture blue gingham and Mickey Rooney (or, later, Gene Kelly) by her side. All that's fair and true, but we should never forget that Judy could act.

Evidence A and all the evidence I need: Judgment at Nuremberg. Judy was, once again, nominated for an Oscar for playing a role that couldn't be any further from the singing and smiling child star we remember. We don't usually associate Judy and Nazi war crimes, but this movie's as much a testament to her talent as any she made.

(By the way, if you like Judy's dramatic turn, check out The Clock. The film didn't get much love when it first came out because audiences kept expecting Judy to sing, but this drama has aged well.)

4. Easter Parade—You want a talented headlining duo? How about Judy Garland and Fred Astaire? In this Irving Berlin musical, Fred transforms chorus girl Judy into a star to get revenge against his old dance partner. (Judy was forever playing the unlikely star.)

You probably already know the songs, but you should check out the movie too. (By the way, if you prefer streaming a movie to renting a hard copy, you can stream this directly to your computer, tablet or phone for free via Hoopla.)

5. The Gene Kelly/Judy Garland trilogy—Gene and Judy worked together on three films: For Me and My Gal, The Pirate and Summer Stock. For Me and My Gal was Gene's first film and Judy, by now already a movie star, was so kind and helpful to him that he never forgot it.

But for my money, Summer Stock is the most enjoyable of the bunch. Judy plays a farmer who turns out to have a knack for musical theater. (There's that unlikely star.) It's not a perfect film necessarily, but it has at least one perfect moment in the form of the indelible "Get Happy."

(By the way, if you have a Mentor Library card, you can download "Get Happy" for free here.)

6. The Judy Garland biographies—Judy Garland's story is as sad as it is powerful as it is fascinating. Consequently, several biographers have taken their turn to tell it. Read one; read them all. But be ready to cry.

7. The Judy Garland discography—We can't talk about Judy with talking about that voice. It doesn't matter whether you loved the music of young Judy, preferred her as she got older or can't possibly choose. Her voice was inimitable.

8. Judy on Broadway/Judy at Carnegie Hall—Toward the twilight of her career, Judy experienced a career resurgence as a live performer. Even to her final days, she could command an entire theater with her voice.

9. Meet Me in St. Louis—Want to know a secret? My favorite Judy Garland movie isn't The Wizard of Oz. It's not even either of the previously mentioned films that earned her an Oscar nomination. It's this splendid slice of MGM musical magnificence. The story is fairly simple: a girl falls for the boy next door.

The director is Vincente Minnelli—he who would soon become Garland's husband and then her ex-husband. Their daughter Liza once said that her father's love for her mom shone in every frame of this film. I can tell you my opinion, but I'd rather you watch it for yourself.

Oh, and it features Judy singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."

10. Judy Garland Christmas—Speaking of which...

Come back each week for a new Fan Favorite Friday.