One of the forgotten holiday specials of the 1980s returns to TV on Sunday night.
The obscure 1982 animated special Christmas Comes to Pac-land will air on MeTV Toons, the free network that airs classic cartoons. The program, which is based on the iconic Namco arcade game and the ’80s show Pac-Man, will air at 6:30 p.m. ET on the network.
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This special originally aired on ABC back in the day, but eventually aired in repeats on Cartoon Network and Boomerang. The plot is all about Pac-Man and his family coming to Santa Claus’ rescue after those pesky ghosts cause a sleigh crash.
While it’s a weird premise for a yuletide TV special, there are some notable names attached that make it notable for classic animation fans. It comes from Hanna-Barbera, the iconic animaton studio behind Scooby-Doo, Yogi Bear and other TV hits. The director is Ray Patterson, a veteran animator behind classic Tom and Jerry shorts and specials starring The Smurfs, Yogi Bear, The Flinstones and Scooby-Doo.
The voice cast is especially interesting if you have a love for voiceover work. Frank Welker (Scooby-Doo), Peter Cullen (Transformers and Winnie the Pooh) and Russi Taylor (Minnie Mouse and The Simpsons) all play characters in Christmas Comes to Pac-land.
The special is not legally streaming on any service and is not available to rent. Sunday night will mark the only 2025 showing of Christmas Comes to Pac-land on MeTV Toons, so set your DVRs if you can’t watch it live. MeTV Toons is available to anyone with a digital antenna and a station in your area. Check with your cable or satellite providers for availability outside of over-the-air signals.
See the full Sunday night MeTV Toons lineup, which features loads of Christmas specials and snowy adventures:
- 5 p.m. ET: The Flintstones, “Christmas Flintstone”
- 5:30 p.m. ET: Cave Kids, “Cave Kids Christmas”
- 6 p.m. ET: Yo Yogi! “There’s No Business Like Snow Business”
- 6:30 p.m. ET: Christmas Comes to Pac-land
- 7 p.m. ET: Sonic Christmas Blast
- 7:30 p.m. ET Taz-Mania, “No Time for Christmas”
Click here for more information on some of the ’90s offerings that MeTV Toons is airing on Sunday night.