- Content: “Ho Ho Ho, Let’s Go!”
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What You Need To Know:
With a very strong moral worldview, this wholesome, very easygoing show is beautifully animated and shares positive themes for young children, such as kindness, creativity, friendship, and the importance of making sacrifices for others. While it doesn’t feature religion, and the true meaning of Christmas, being the birth of Jesus, is not discussed, the episode contains Christian themes without being directly addressed. MOVIEGUIDE® advises light caution for young children and media wise is suggested to discuss the concept of Santa Clause as an imaginary figure.
Content:
A very strong moral worldview. All the characters work together to creatively solve problems in a mild and gentle way with only positive emotions. The main character is an especially kind and thoughtful young child, who demonstrates a strong level of emotional understanding beyond his years. He takes it upon himself to explain the world as he knows it to a group of charming and friendly animals who have made a home with him around his tree house. When he realizes his friends have never heard of Christmas, he takes it upon himself to teach them. He is visibly upset when he realizes that his friends might not get to experience it, but he doesn’t lose his positive outlook. He even sacrifices his own present to ensure another child has one on Christmas morning. When his present is lost when Santa’s sleigh crashes, he offers to give his present up so another child can still have a present on Christmas morning. There is no religion or discussion about Christmas, despite it being a Christian holiday.;
No foul;
No violence;
No sex;
No nudity;
No alcohol use;
None; and,
No miscellaneous immorality.
More Detail:
The special begins with Dad and Hank hanging Christmas lights on their house. When Trash Truck arrives, Hank asks Dad if he can play. Greeting Trash Truck, he asks if he’s excited for tomorrow. When he seems confused, Hank is shocked that he doesn’t know about Christmas, the most amazing-est day of the year!
At the tree fort, Hank and Trash Truck meet Walter the Bear, Donny the Raccoon, and Mona the Mouse. Hank realizes that none of them have heard about Christmas. Using his Christmas storybook, he explains who Santa is and what he does on Christmas Eve. The friends are shocked and surprised that this man gives away presents for free. They have a lot of questions. They ask about the reindeer and how they can fly. Hank thinks that Santa uses magic dust. The friends ask, why does Santa do this?
Donny wonders how they can get presents this year. Hank explains the nice and naughty lists and asks them all if they’ve been good this year. After some lengthy and panicky confessions, Hank believes they should all be on the nice list. But they will have to decorate, or Santa won’t come. They all work together to find decorations using things they find around the tree fort, but not without difficulty. They come up with creative solutions and get everything they need. With lights strung up, stockings hung on a pretend cardboard fireplace, and a makeshift Christmas tree, they are ready for Santa to come.
Hank says the last thing they need is to write down their lists of everything they would like Santa to bring. Hank collects the list, but before sending them off, Mona double-checks the storybook to make sure they’ve done everything. They realize that the story only talks about children getting gifts, not trucks or animals. It looks like there is no Christmas for them, despite all their hard work.
Upset, Hank asks Trash Truck if he believes him about Santa. He’s sure he’s real. The lists blow away in the wind, and a tearful Hank thinks Santa will never come now, but hearing a jingle, he looks to the sky and sees a star twinkle brightly in the sunset, then something bright streaks overhead.
The animals run out, wondering what it was – maybe a meteor or a balloon? Curious, they go to investigate further. They find a trail of candy canes and decide to follow them. Then, they see reindeer and an overturned sleigh with presents scattered around. They pick up a present, and Santa himself appears, thanking them for grabbing it, as another child would be miserable.
They help Santa right the sleigh. But when the bottom ski falls off, Santa says he’s afraid kids around the world will not have Christmas this year. Hank offers to help them all. But Hank has an idea that might save the night for everyone on Santa’s nice list! Will they be able to save Christmas? They are about to have a magical Christmas Eve together.
With a very strong moral worldview, this wholesome, very easygoing show is beautifully animated and shares positive themes for young children, such as kindness, creativity, friendship, and the importance of making sacrifices for others. While it doesn’t feature religion, and the true meaning of Christmas, being the birth of Jesus, is not discussed, the episode contains Christian themes without being directly addressed. MOVIEGUIDE® advises light caution for young children and media wise is suggested to discuss the concept of Santa Clause as an imaginary figure.
