"The Christmas Raccoons" is the first of four Raccoons specials, and introduced the characters of Ralph, Melissa, and Bert Raccoon; Schaeffer, Dan, Julie, Tommy, and Cedric and Cyril Sneer (Many of the other main characters came in later specials -- Sophia Tutu debuted in " The Raccoons on Ice ," as the Pigs and Broo did in "The Raccoons and the Lost Star"). It was the Number One U.S. syndicated animated special in 1980, and was aired not only in Canada and the United States, but also in England via BBC and ITV.