Max's Christmas is the animated Christmas short produced for Weston Woods Studios by Michael Sporn Animation, Inc. Directed & Animated by Michael Sporn, who coproduced with Paul R. Gagne, it's the notably the first animation of Max and Ruby and the first adaptation of the story by creator Rosemary Wells, with the episode adaptation following it in 2002. The original book was published in 1986 by Dial Books.
Plot[]
It is Christmas Eve. Max pulls out the candy cane from his and Ruby's decorated Christmas tree, and enjoys it while he plays with his purple truck with a white star. Ruby comes to him saying, "Guess what, Max!" He asks, "What?" As she drags him still enjoying the candy cane, she says that it's Christmas Eve and he knows who's coming that particular night. He asks, "Who?" She replies that Santa Claus is coming tonight. In the bathroom, she cleans his right cheek as he asks, "When?". She replies "Tonight." as she took his candy cane away to brush his teeth. He asks, "Where?", but she commands to him to spit into the sink. Later, while she dries him, she replies that Santa is coming down the chimney into their living room. He asks, "How?", and while she gets his red pajama shirt on she replies that that's enough questions.
In Max's room, Ruby recommends that he go to sleep fast before Santa comes. But he, hopping happily in his bed, wants to stay up to see him. Ruby replies that nobody ever sees him. He asks, "Why?" and she simply says, "Because!"
Later that night, Max doesn't believe what "Because" is. So he sneaks downstairs into the living room and waits for Santa, with the Christmas tree lights aglow. As he starts to doze, Santa suddenly comes down the chimney with a "Zoom!". He covers Max's eyes with his hat in order for him to not be seen. Max asks, "Why?", and, as Santa fills the stockings, he replies that everyone is supposed to be asleep, but Max peeks at him anyway. Santa asks, "Guess what?", and, as he puts Max to sleep on the couch, he said it's time for him to go. Max asks, "Why?" and Santa replies, "Because!". He soars up the chimney.
As Christmas morning approaches, Ruby came downstairs to see Max sleeping on the couch. She asks, "What happened? Who were you talking to? Where did you get that hat?" She notices the blanket on him and asks, "Why is your blanket so humpy and bulgy?". He actually reveals that it is full of presents that Santa left for them, and simply says "Because!".
Cast[]
| Voice actor/actress | Character(s) |
|---|---|
| Jenny Agutter | Max Ruby Narrator |
| Rex Robbins | Santa Claus |
Availability[]
This short, along with another Christmas one Morris' Disappearing Bag, is first made available to the public on the VHS of The Night Before Christmas. Both shorts is also made available on Scholastic's Storybook Treasures DVD, featuring Max's Chocolate Chicken and Otto Runs for Preseident, released in 2010 by Weston Woods and NewVideo.