Today, I’d like to share one of my all-time favorite holiday cartoons: “Somewhere in Dreamland” by animator Max Fleischer (1936). Fleischer is remembered as one of the early pioneers of animated films, and was the creator of such classics as Betty Boop, Popeye, and Superman. “Somewhere in Dreamland” is one of the 36 pieces that Fleisher created as part of his “Color Classics” collection, intended to showcase his “stereo-optical process,” which was designed to mimic 3-D

This nine-minute short piece tells the story of two poor children during the Depression who receive an amazing Christmas surprise. I first saw this piece as a kid on the Disney Channel, back when Disney used to show lots of vintage cartoons. It’s stuck with me ever since because it’s so heart-warming and precious. It’s a little longish, but I think it’s definitely worth a watch.