It’s officially the most wonderful time of the year! With Thanksgiving in the rearview mirror, it’s undeniable—we’ve made it to the season of the jolly old man himself.

The story of Santa Claus has been adapted to film dozens of times, even sparking a few all-too-familiar Christmas favorites. From “The Santa Clause” to “Arthur Christmas,” Saint Nick has found a home at the movies for decades—but my personal favorite adaptation is a little more recent.

“Klaus” was released straight to Netflix in November 2019. It initially flew under the radar for the most part—I myself don’t think I got around to it until 2021 or so—but I don’t have the faintest clue why.

To me, the greatest marker of a Christmas movie is the feeling it leaves you with as the credits roll. If you’re not brimming with hope and joy and love and all of those other gushy emotions, it’s simply not a Christmas movie. This rule is also how I justify “Die Hard” as a textbook Christmas movie, by the way. “Klaus” not only accomplishes this golden standard, but in my humble opinion, it goes above and beyond.

First of all, there’s the animation style. In a world so bogged down by the Disney-fication of animated films, anything unique or different immediately catches my eye. Animation as an art form begs to be unique, to show off different art styles in ways that live action could never accomplish. In “Klaus,” the characters feel simultaneously cartoonish and grounded in reality, and it’s largely due to the hand-drawn feel of the entire film. From the caricature-esque characterizations of height and weight to the gorgeous sweeping landscapes, the entire project bleeds with heart. Clearly, an extraordinary level of work and dedication was put into making every scene feel like it jumped right off the pages of a children’s storybook, which only makes the narrative in and of itself all the more endearing.

Speaking of the narrative, this film doesn’t play into the old, familiar trappings of a Santa Claus story. For the vast majority of the film, the titular character seems completely asymptomatic with the jolly old man we’re all familiar with, donning the fur-lined red coat and floppy hat, all rosy cheeks and bright eyes. In fact, this version of the seasonal icon is anything but jolly when we first meet him. This film serves not only as an origin story, but a tale about the importance of renewing our sense of inherent childlike wonder. And all in all, what says “Christmas” more than that?

I love this movie. I’ve watched it with my family every year since we discovered it, and it fits right in alongside classics like “Home Alone” and “Elf.” Whether or not you celebrate the religious holiday, the season of Christmas is all about love, family & friends and finding joy anywhere you can. And ultimately, “Klaus” is one of the best adaptations of that theme I’ve seen thus far.