The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is the best way to be festive this year

Just in time for the festive season, The Guardians of the Galaxy has released a holiday special so you can celebrate with your favourite intergalactic family.

For those who need to be caught up to speed, the holiday special follows the Guardians as they purchase Knowhere from the Collector and take in Cosmo the Spacedog as a new addition to the team.

To capture a little holiday whimsy, Kraglin tells the squad a childhood tale of how Yondu ruined the holiday for Peter Quill.

And as Quill is still mourning the loss of Gamora, he too, is relying on the Christmas spirit - or spirits, to get him through.

In an effort to cheer up Star-Lord, the Guardians head to earth to create a memorable holiday, one that will go down in the books forever.

But instead of serving up a Christmas ham this year, Kevin Bacon will join the cast, playing a fictionalised version of himself as the team deems him the 'ultimate present' for Quill.

I mean, Bacon, a talking raccoon, catchy musical numbers along with this star-studded cast, what more could you ask for in a Christmas extravaganza?

If you haven’t already watched the trailer, here it is below.

Critics are loving it as well, as Variety’s Jordan Moreau called it one of the ‘best pieces of content Marvel Studios has released in years’.

He added: “Despite the short runtime, it plays exactly like a Guardians of the Galaxy movie, complete with [James] Gunn’s signature, laugh-out-loud, zany style.”

While writer for Tell-Tale TV Alicia Gilstorf said, the film perfectly captures some ‘holly-jolly goodness’ while urging the studio to invest in more seasonal specials.

She added: “This mini-movie revives everything we loved about the original Marvel Studios one-shots. The condensed storytelling leans on mundane absurdity as we blast off on an adventure that is lovingly unpolished.”

Disney+/Marvel

It looks like The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is quickly cementing itself as one of the best Christmas movies to curl up and watch every December.

Sorry, Home Alone

Also, make sure you catch this holiday special on Disney+ before Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is released on May 4, 2023.