A unique highlight for many viewers is the visual style. While the short is bookended with the used in the 2011 feature film, the sequences featuring the ghosts transition into traditional 2D animation , serving as a nostalgic homage to the 1980s Saturday morning cartoon series. This blend was achieved through a collaboration between Sony Pictures Imageworks and Duck Studios. Review Perspectives
: The switch to 2D animation is frequently praised as the best part of the special, appealing to older fans who grew up with the original show. The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol
: Smurfette (Melissa Sturm) reveals that Grouchy’s bitterness stems from never receiving the one gift he truly wanted—a hang glider. A unique highlight for many viewers is the visual style
