Yogi and Boo Boo are awakened from hibernation by the arrival of their Hanna-Barbera friends Huckleberry Hound, Augie Doggie, Doggie Daddy, and Snagglepuss at Jellystone Park in this movie-length TV Christmas special. The plot has the gang, plus Ranger Smith, trying to stop a crazy old hermit who hates Christmas from causing a lodge to be shut down. It's Hanna-Barbera so the animation, while not bad, is nothing to get excited about. Plus the sound effects are loud and the music score canned. There are also some songs recycled from previous TV specials. How much you will like this depends on how much you enjoy Hanna-Barbera in general. I'm not a big HB fan as their cartoons were basically the worst parts of TV sitcoms, only animated. This does nothing to change my opinion. It's a decent Christmas special but not a classic by any means. The extra length also hurts it as there's barely enough material for a half-hour special, let alone triple that.

How much I loved Yogi Bear cartoons when I was little.This period in the early eighties was the lowest point for the HB 60's characters. After Laff-A-Lympics and Scooby cloning, these holiday episodes of Yogi, Flintstones, Casper and Scooby Doo must stand as how low the characters would sink.From sudden song singing that wakes Yogi up, to Ranger Smith telling Booboo the rich lady will sell the lodge because Yogi carried a tray of food upstairs and hasn't returned.And why was Yogi wearing ice skates in the hotel? Suspense would consist of Ranger Smith suddenly chasing after Yogi and wanting Yogi back in his cave, to Yogi feeling he must jump out of windows to get away from Ranger Smith. Just too forced plot development.Herman Hermit was another attempt at Yosemite Sam. HB would strive to have their own Yosemite Sam, as well as a handful of tries at getting the Tasmanian Devil (the best known one being the Frankenstones' Hardrock).Tho it was convoluted, there was greater plot development (and that really isn't saying much) with Yogi being promoted in the lodge business.And how about Cindy's seductive dance toward Booboo? What was that all about? And Booboo would sing a really meaningless song about hope.The scraped together HB characters here were Huck, Snag, Augie Doggy and Doggy Daddy. None of the others, like Quickdraw or Magilla Gorilla, turned up.And that nauseatingly peppy song turns up in the Casper's first Christmas cartoon too.Ah, my dear friends, where have you gone? Yogi and his gang would be subjected to Yogi's Space Race and Yo Yogi after this, but this period here, when the Saturday morning cartoons were subjected to that infamous cartoon strike and reruns were re-distributed instead, making what was supposed to show up look much much worse, really was an incredible lowpoint for the HB line.

So nice to see Yogi again - & Boo Boo, Augie and his dad Daddy Doggy, Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss, and Ranger Smith.Yogi & Boo Boo are hibernating until April which makes Ranger Smith very happy at the Jellystone Park / Lodge. The manager of it is Mr. Dingwell & he's anticipating the arrival of the owner, Mrs. Sophie Throckmorton & her nephew Snidely. She wants to sell it due to some strange going ons last season during Christmas Carnival Week. Herman the Hermit hates Christmas & will do whatever it takes to shut down the lodge. Everyone's singing wakes Yogi & Boo Boo up & since they usually sleep through Christmas, they don't want to miss this one - it's their 1st Christmas (hence the name.) Yogi & Boo Boo save Mrs. T. & her bratty nephew from an avalanche, which was caused by Herman. Herman keeps doing nasty stuff & each time Yogi's the hero & gets promotions on top of promotions. Ranger Smith wants to put Yogi back in his cave / St. Louis Zoo! Cindi's awake too - she's a female bear who likes Yogi. Snidely keeps losing contests that they have, gets mad & runs away to Herman's hut. They bond since they both don't like Christmas & team up to try & ruin everything. Mrs. T. decides not to sell but rather to bring orphans up to the lodge throughout the year & donate it as an Orphanage Getaway & promotes Yogi to Christmas Carnival Director.What a good, fun holiday classic for the kid in all of us.

....brought to you by Hanna-Barbera!Yogi's First Christmas is a cute Christmas special with Yogi and Bobo and how they skip hibernation in an adapt to have a Christmas! This is a fun cartoon which I used to enjoy watching when I was growing up.3(***)out of 4(****)stars