[1] The story is based on the 1975 song of the same name, written by Gene Autry, Don Pfrimmer and Dave Burgess.

[2] Santa Claus' donkey Spieltoe tells the story of Nestor, his ancestor who lived in a stable during the days of the Roman Empire.

Nestor is teased by other animals and mistreated by Olaf, the stable owner, for his unusually long ears.

Nestor's mother finds him and shields from the harsh weather with her own body, freezing to death in the process.

In addition to Akikazu Kono, this is Rankin/Bass' second and last "Animagic" stop motion puppet production to be supervised by another Japanese animator, Satoshi Fujino, who also previously worked on The Little Drummer Boy, Book II.