In recent years Garfield has become maligned as a spider-torturing spokescat for ill-conceived CGI movies and even iller-conceived computer generated shows on Cartoon Network. Some of the brow furrowing he's caused might be justified, but I say a Garfield of any sort is better than most of the seizure producing shows for little kids nowadays! (Don't get me started on the kids and their constant sexting!) You also can't put all the blame on one CGI cat for all the other CGI animals that came after (see: Marmaduke, Yogi Bear, et al).
At any rate! What I'm trying to say is: No matter your feeling for Garfield's current incarnations- in the 80's and early 90's he starred in some dandy animated specials. They were the perfect companion pieces to the Peanuts specials being produced around the same time, and as a child I loved nothing more than digging out the VHS tapes that held those CBS specials and popping them in the old videotrola.
Of course his best adventures happened around the holidays, and his old fashioned Christmas down on the Arbuckle farm is super terrific. After Jon takes Odie and Garfield to his old home place, Odie comes up with the idea for the perfect gift for Garfield. The number 7 Greatest Gift: BACK SCRATCHER.
Odie makes it out of "found" objects in the barn- a hoe and a plunger maybe? Whatever its makeup, Garfield loves it! Loves it as much as cats love to rub up on things. Garfield didn't get as crafty, and forgot Odie completely, but did find some old love letters that warm Grandma's heart as much as the collective heart of the audience.
In short, "A Garfield Christmas" is a tour de force, not to be missed, holiday classic, that deserves a little love and respect, and maybe a re-airing or two.
