Christmas is looming and with it comes a hoard of great animated specials! With so many successful shorts premiered over holidays past, it's hard not to have a few favourites.

Number one on the list is Oliver Jeffers and Studio AKA's Lost and Found. Featuring the dulcet tones of Jim Broadbent and a score by Max Richter, Lost and Found has more than 60 awards under its belt:

Raymond Briggs' Snowman is synonymous with Christmas - and last years surprise sequel The Snowman and the Snowdog was a welcome return for the iconic character. Love, or loathe, the sequel, it is a beautiful feature.

Over the last decade (and a bit) Axel Scheffler and Julia Donaldson's The Gruffalo has become a firm favourite - spawning stage shows, toys, clothes and not one, but TWO animated shorts.

Featuring an all-star voice cast, including Robbie Coltrane, James Corden, Helena Bonham Carter, Rob Brydon, John Hurt and Tom Wilkinson The Gruffalo saw Studio Soi and Magic Light Pictures nominated for an Academy Award for Best Short Film (Animated) in 2011.

And finally… No list is ever perfect, but there is one all-time classic Christmas animation that cannot be overlooked. Another adaptation from a Raymond Briggs picturebook - this time it's the man himself Father Christmas.