Which Tom and Jerry short was nominated for an Academy Award in 1941 but did not win?

The Night Before Christmas was the Tom and Jerry short nominated for an Academy Award in 1941 but did not win.

Released by MGM in 1941, this one-reel cartoon was the third Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Its Christmas setting places Tom and Jerry in a snowy, festive story, but their familiar chase quickly turns the holiday atmosphere into slapstick chaos.

The nomination was for the Academy Award for Best Short Subject: Cartoons, an early name for the category now known as Best Animated Short Film. At the 14th Academy Awards, the winner was Lend a Paw, a Mickey Mouse cartoon from Walt Disney Productions featuring Pluto.

The title is often confused with Tom and Jerry shorts that actually won Oscars. The series ultimately collected seven wins, including The Yankee Doodle Mouse, Mouse Trouble, Quiet Please!, The Cat Concerto, The Little Orphan, The Two Mouseketeers, and Johann Mouse. The Night Before Christmas remained a nominee rather than a winner, making it a useful distinction in the franchise’s award history.