Arthur's Perfect Christmas

Arthur's Perfect Christmas is an hour-length Christmas special spin-off from the PBS animated series Arthur, based on the Arthur book series by Marc Brown. It debuted on VHS and DVD on September 12, 2000, before airing in prime time on Thanksgiving Day of that year (following the show's fifth season).

Synopsis

The special opens with scenes of citizens of Elwood City busy preparing for Christmas, as Arthur is singing the opening number, "Perfect Christmas". He tells the viewers his list of the things he wants in the upcoming Christmas: A large amount of snow, an amazing turkey dinner, a spectacular Christmas tree (specifically without tinsel), and that everyone will love the presents he gets for them. However, things don't work out quite as Arthur wanted them to.

Throughout the special, several other storylines happen:

• D.W. wants a new toy called "Tina the Talking Tabby", for Christmas, but "Santa Claus" (or in other words, Arthur and D.W.'s mother, Jane) can't find it at any store as soon as he gets her letter. On Christmas morning, she gets a duck called Quackers and throws a big temper tantrum. However, she changes her mind and eventually takes a liking to it.
• Uncle Fred is going on a trip to Florida. However, his car breaks down in Elwood City, so he and his dog, Rory, decide to stay at the Reads' house for Christmas. His car is eventually fixed on Christmas Day.
• Arthur buys a glass bird for Jane to replace the one that got broken in an earlier episode. Unfortunately, on Christmas morning, it ends up breaking before he can present it, so Uncle Fred helps him by giving Jane his present under Arthur's name.
• The timing of Francine's family's celebration of Hanukkah conflicts with that of Muffy's "holiday extravaganza" party, causing her to miss it. When Muffy states that Hanukkah isn't as important as Christmas, Francine feels offended because she is Jewish, and stops speaking to and calling Muffy. Eventually, they make up after Francine shows Muffy how important Hanukkah can be; all because her family is Jewish.
• Ever since Buster's parents got divorced, Christmas has been a difficult time for him and his mother, Bitzi. She wakes him up early on the days before Christmas and makes him pancakes, thinking that it's Christmas Day. Then he has to explain to her that it isn't so yet. While he, Arthur, and their friends are at Muffy's party, they suggest he create his holiday and call it Baxter Day. He is unsure, but he agrees to give it a try.
• Every Christmas, Binky volunteers at a homeless shelter with his father, and this year, he's trying to bake something special to bring. However, he's forgetting some things in every recipe, like not removing the shells from the pecans when he makes pecan pie, not unpeeling the bananas when he makes banana bread, and not adding sugar when he makes brownies. As soon as Muffy's party is over, Arthur walks into the living room.
• Meanwhile, the Brain's family is celebrating Kwanzaa.
• George's family is revealed to be Swedish and celebrate St. Lucia Day.

In the end, things don't work out quite as everybody may have hoped they would, but things seem to be for the better as Arthur wishes the viewers Happy Holidays, while D.W. keeps annoying him with her new Quackers toy.

Songs

• "Perfect Christmas" (by the Read family)
• "Boogie Woogie Christmas" (Rock and roll song by The Squabs)
• "What's the Use of Presents?" (by Muffy, with Arthur on soundtrack version)
• "Baxter Day" (by Buster)
• "Santa Lucia" (by George and the Lundgren family)
• "Perfect Christmas (Reprise)" (by Arthur)

Releases

The special made its debut on VHS and DVD on September 12, 2000, notably marking the franchise's first appearance on the latter format. It was released on DVD again by PBS Distribution under the PBS Kids label in 2012. This release included two "A Word from Marc Brown" segments and printable coloring pages and activities on DVD-ROM.

VHSRandom House Home Video/Sony Wonder
September 12, 2000

DVDRandom House Home Video/Sony Wonder
September 12, 2000

DVDPBS Distribution
October 9, 2012

Notes

• The special was the last episode in which Michael Yarmush voiced Arthur until the finale, "All Grown Up" and the last one in which Ricky Mabe voiced Timmy Tibble.
• After D.W. walks in on Arthur and laughs, stock audio by Michael Caloz is used.
• The Brain and his family are shown preparing to celebrate Kwanzaa. As the Brain himself tells Muffy in the ice cream shop he works at, it does not start until December 26, the day after Christmas Day. In fact, it is for a whole week, ending on January 1st the next year.
• Religiously, Jewish people do not go by a Gregorian calendar like those who celebrate Christmas or Kwanzaa do, so dates of Hanukkah vary.
• There is a stocking with the name "Chip" hanging in Muffy's house, notably making this special the first time her older brother, Chip, is acknowledged in the series.

Cultural references

• Bitzi states that she and Buster are going to watch It's a Wonderful Life.
• The game that Muffy plays during "What's the Use of Presents?" is a parody of Super Mario Bros.

Edits

There are some slight differences between the home video release and the televised version:

• At the beginning before the title card, the animation on the smoke coming out of the Reads' chimney goes at a slow pace. However, in the home video release, it goes fast.
• After Uncle Fred's video, Arthur and D.W. laughed immediately right after. In the home video release, they didn't laugh until a few seconds after.
• In the televised version, during the "Baxter Day" song, a vintage "tires screeching" sound effect is added when Bitzi and Buster's rocket skids to a halt in front of the Mill Creek Mall. At the end of the song, the word "baby" is cut from Buster's lyrics in newer versions of the special.
• During "What's the Use of Presents?" a fade effect is missing in the home video release. Also, Muffy's singing in both versions is slightly different.

Two versions were aired on PBS: an uncut version aired during prime time on the original Thanksgiving Day airing and an edited version aired during a pledge drive.

Goofs

• When Mr. Ratburn eats one of Binky's brownies, we see a brown rabbit in the background on the other side of him in his normal wear, but seconds later we see him in a red vest while talking to the Brain, but when he asks Binky if he put sugar in the brownies, the rabbit is white and wearing a green shirt.
• When Francine groans, her mouth doesn't move.
• In Arthur's fantasy in which Jane opens the gift, she pulls the top off, but when he opens it to see if it is okay, he pulls the ribbon off to do so.
• When Arthur was imagining his family in the stable, Grandpa Dave offered his roasted camel to him. Camel is not considered kosher in Judaism, so they wouldn't have eaten it (although Arthur probably doesn't understand that).

Cast

Gallery

Arthur imagines what his perfect Christmas would be like.

D.W. has Arthur transcribe her letter to Santa.

Arthur is bothered by the "Tina the Talking Tabby" jingle.

Francine tells Arthur about her frustration with Muffy's party invitation.

In class, George explains his St. Lucia traditions.

Buster has been woken up early by his mother every year.

Muffy announces her upcoming Christmas party.

At the store, Arthur spots the glass bird he broke last summer...

...and decides to get a new one as his gift for Jane.

Uncle Fred announces he and Rory are going to Hawaii for Christmas.

David decides to do an authentic Christmas dinner this year.

Bitzi wakes up Buster early yet again.

D.W. mails her letter to Santa.

Muffy's Christmas Eve party is in full swing.

Arthur is annoyed that it hasn't snowed yet.

Muffy wonders why Francine is not at the party.

Francine yells at Muffy for not listening to her.

Arthur suggests Buster should invent his own holiday.

Mr. Ratburn not liking Binky's homemade treats.

D.W. has decorated the tree with unicorns and her doodles.

That night, it rains instead.

Uncle Fred has decided to spend Christmas with the Reads.

Arthur puts Jane's present in the closet for safe-keeping.

D.W. mistakes Uncle Fred for Santa.

Muffy feels bad for her falling-out with Francine.

Arthur imagines how Jane would feel when she opens her present...

...which leads to him getting an award...

...and a spot in the Heroes of the 20th Century Parade.

Unfortunately, Arthur drops the gift...

...and it is beyond repair.

Uncle Fred reassures Arthur that sometimes things don't turn out like he expected.

At Rolls Royce, Muffy still feels bad for her feud.

Instead of Tina the Talking Tabby, D.W. gets Quackers the Duck...

...which leads to her throwing a fit...

...but finds herself enjoying it after all.

Arthur imagines his family angry if he tells them he broke the bird.

To Arthur's surprise, Uncle Fred uses his gift to Jane under Arthur's name.

The last gift is the tea set Fred broke last Christmas.

Muffy apologizes to Francine for not listening to her.

Francine tells Muffy of her Hanukkah traditions.

Muffy now understands why Francine's traditions are as important as hers.

Buster tells his mother about "Baxter Day".

The Reads have their authentic Christmas dinner.

Uncle Fred makes his departure.

Finally, it snows.

Meanwhile, George and his family dance...

...Brain and his family set up for Kwanzaa...

...Binky resorts to giving away storebrought treats...

...Mr. Ratburn sets up multiple tests for the following year...

...the Frenskies and Muffy watch a movie...

...Buster and Bitzy celebrate Baxter Day...

...and Arthur declares this was indeed a perfect Christmas.

Arthur wishing the viewers a Happy Holidays at the end of the show.

See also

• The soundtrack

External links

• Arthur Wiki: Arthur's Perfect Christmas
• Arthur's Perfect Christmas at the Internet Movie Database
• Arthur's Perfect Christmas at RetroJunk.com

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