BEWARE OF FALSE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW TO THEIR NAME. NOW WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE MOVIE. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THE FILM . NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 300 HOLIDAY FILMS & SPECIALS. I HAVE NO AGENDA.Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey is a 1977 Christmas stop motion animated television special produced by Rankin/Bass Productions. The production is first rate. The story moves along and it was made by Rankin-Bass. However beware Nestor's mother dies and its very sad. I would not allow a child under 5 to watch.Of all the Christmas animation special that Rankin Bass made this is one of the better ones.

Lovely, touching Christmas special from Rankin-Bass. It's a real tearjerker so be prepared! The story is about Nestor the donkey, who has abnormally long ears. Because of his freakish ears, he is disliked and shunned. He suffers tragedy and heartache. Eventually though, long story short, his ears prove to be a blessing. Great writing, characters, stop-motion animation, and songs. This is a beautiful story that has more heart than anything they put out today. Due to it being tied into the Nativity story, it's not likely to be shown on TV much these days. Seek it out if you can. It's a real treat. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

It amazes me that even long after I gave up my Christian beliefs, this little Christmas story tugs at my heart strings so much. I guess it is because the desire for acceptance by ones peers, the sacrifice of a parent for a child, and self-sacrifice are eternal truths. All of which far exceed the fantasy of cherubs, angels, and Santa Clause. Some people may get caught up in the low tech animation (Tilly's wires always manage to show themselves). I also get a kick out of the lame expressions on Olaf's dog's face. This is a must see for all children. All of us think we were dealt a hard lot in life. This movie teaches children that their perceived weakness can be a real strengths. I always loved the Rudolph story, but this one hits me far harder. I highly recommend it.

For those of you who have never seen this show, please try to find it on DVD. I bought my favorite Rankin/Bass Christmas shows on DVD this year. I was very pleasantly surprised to find this favorite from my childhood on the same DVD as "A Year Without a Santa Claus" (another real fave of mine).Sure, there are some sappy moments in Nestor, but the story is very touching and heart-warming. I wish there were more Christmas shows on television brave enough to acknowledge the birth of our lord and savior Jesus Christ as the reason for the season.And a short response to another poster about the blizzards in Rome... the beginning of the story sets it in Europe during the Roman rule and occupation... the cherub then guides Nestor over a long period of time to a stable closer to Bethlehem. As a child I never picked up on Nestor having to wait for a while to go to Bethlehem, but seeing it as an adult it touched me that we all at times have to wait for our opportunity to serve in some way and it might not come when we want it to, but when our Father does. But I digress.... a great Christmas treat!