So there’s this outcast reindeer, who has this weird thing going on with his nose. Watch the movie, it explains the whole thing…

In this 1959 film, a Russian boy tries to take his ‘holiday’ tree to his father, who’s serving in Antarctica, since there are no trees there. ‘Santa’ loans the boy his magic jet to get there, and other speaking creatures help him on his way later. During this time period, Russia was central to the Soviet Union, which was essentially an atheist state, no doubt our English translation took a few friendly liberties with the holiday storyline. Make sure to watch for the cool Cyrillic lettering in the film.

It’s a few weeks into December, when a sudden snowstorm brings out the winter hijinks that cute, cuddly animated forest creatures are known for. They watch a bouncing snowball and sing a few rounds of jingle bells, then it’s back to the nest, to watch football.

The children at the orphanage are excited to wake up, it’s Christmas morning! All the kids start playing with their toys, but it turns out they’re all imported junk (probably toxic too). All of the adults have abandoned the place, but luckily, a kindly inventor happens by and, takes everything that’s not nailed down and creates some real fun for the boys and girls. Who cares about eating later when we’re having so much fun right now?

Two children wander through town collecting wood so their disheveled home can be warm for at least a little while. Mom gives them a bit of dried out bread, and they’re sent off to bed hungry again. The children dream of a place where food is plenty, and toys are everywhere. Mom rudely wakes the kids up, but surprise, there’s food in the house! Some kindly shopkeepers hauled over food and toys for the family (though they still live in a house with holes in the walls). The end.