Elf Buddys Musical Christmas

It's new, and even modern, but it has the warm heart and stop-motion style of holiday specials past.

Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas suits the genre well, and suggests there is an alternative to simply running the sprockets off old holiday perennials.

The story is sweet, and the special is still a good choice for family viewing.

As holiday newcomers go, this is much better than socks and underwear from Grandma. Just don't expect a shiny new train set.

Every little once in a while, a television special reminds us that the Christmas spirit can make the impossible come true. In Elf, for example, the goofiest guy on the planet gets kissed by a beautiful blond. Now that's what I'm talking about.

Clever enough for adults, sweet enough for young kids and musically inventive enough to please the worst Scrooge.

Animated version of much-loved tale invites younger viewers.

It's too much of a rehash of the original, superior Elf and the songs by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin while fine, won't stick with viewers for a minute after the program concludes.

Marrying that source material to the stop-motion components of the original Elf, Buddy's Musical Christmas won't supplant its big-screen inspiration-but it sure is a sight to behold.