Stanley's First Christmas (episode)

Plot Summaryedit | edit source
On a white wintry day in Central Park, Hana makes the announcement that this Christmas will be very special because it is Stanley's first Christmas, which makes the other the flowers cheer. As Gus encourages his friends from school to make this Christmas one that Stanley will remember, Hana tells the troll about Christmas, that this is the time People celebrate with music (as the 97.1 radio station plays Holiday tunes), with food (as Rosie get stuck together pulling peppermint taffy), events, parties, and by gathering mistletoe from the old Oak Tree. Hana shows what mistletoe is used for by kissing Stanley while holding up a sprig. Stanley then sees that the mistletoe and the wreaths is also used for decorating the doors of apartments in New York, with the tailors showing a bunch of red and green clothes hanging on clotheslines that would really put Stanley in the Christmas spirit all year long.

Hana then sits high on a hill overlooking New York and Central Park and sighs, saying that this is the time of the year when the whole world is filled with love and holiday cheer.

Meanwhile In Trollland castle, Queen Gnorga, who is back to her normal self, rants and raves about Santa Claus, an old toymaker and gift giver spreading joy and cheer every Christmas, which makes her sick to death of hearing as she hates love. As she pulls a cord and she, King Llort, whose feet are back to normal, Bubo, and their pre-teen son, Crown Prince Igthorn, descend into the hellish depths of their castle, she plans to give Santa Claus a gift of her own -- the kiss of hate.

At this time, Santa's and his Elves are in his workshop singing "Deck The Halls" while Santa Claus reading his Christmas list, which as he notices seems to be getting longer year after year. As he continues to work on getting all his presents ready for delivery to the children, a small puppy moans and scratches on the door outside. He happily receives the small visitor who licks his face and takes him inside to care for him. Elfaba, a young elf hoping to get a promotion this year, wants to make advance toys, but Elfis, her boss says she needs to test the toys to see that they work

In a small home, a young girl in rags named Shawna is watching over her mother lying sick in her bed, who wishes that her Daughter could have a nice Christmas like her friends, but regrets that the only thing she could give her this year is a little bit of bread and some water. Shawna consoles her mother by saying that at least they have each other, which is all that matters. While her mother sleeps, Shawna writes a letter to Santa Claus, saying that she needs nothing, only for her mother to be well.

As the Flowers and Animal are out picking more mistletoe, they see a carriage coming, and one that has Gnorga, Llort, and Igthorn riding in it. They hide and watch as Igthorn climbs a tree and get a bit of mistletoe for a kiss. Stanley wonders what Gnorga wants with mistletoe, as it is normally a symbol of love, the very thing she hates, and has his friends come with him to hitch a ride on the carriage as it takes off again so they can investigate.

Santa takes some time to sit by the fire and read the letters that he has received. He is then called to a knock on his door, who turns out to be Gnorga, Llort, and Igthorn, whom he greets pleasantly and asks what he could do for them. Gnorga says they're new neighbors who have come to bring holiday cheer, and as she holds up the mistletoe sprig and kisses him, his cheery demeanor changes to a mean spirit who ends up kicking the little puppy outside his door. Gnorga is pleased that her kiss of hate worked, but then the mistletoe shrivels up, and she, Llort, and Igthorn go back into their carriage to return to her castle in TrollLand, laughing as she now sees that there will be no presents for the children this year or any year.

The group who were watching the whole scene taking place at Santa's door come out of hiding to examine the shriveled mistletoe sprig. Hana sees that Gnorga has put a spell on the mistletoe, which means that it has been used for evil, and that this kind of spell has taken away Santa Claus' love. Jake asks Stanley if he could give Santa his love back, and Stanley says that he couldn't, that love must come from within his own heart. As Santa tells his elves to stop making the toys and goes off to bed to sleep through Christmas, the group look through his window and wonder who's going to finish the toys and deliver them. Elfba, who whitnessed the whole scene and decides to finish what her co-workers started asks the group if they're willing to give up their Christmas to finish the job, and they say that they will, saying that they won't let a mean old troll queen ruin anybody's Christmas.

During Santa's resting, the group sneak into his workshop and complete the work that has been abandoned, with Elfaba reading the list and most of the group painting and assembling the toys, with the flowers doing the icing work on the cookies. Soon everything is complete and all the requests have been answered, with the group letting out a sigh of relief. As Tommy goes into the closet to get some wrapping paper, a pile of letters falls out, which makes Elfaba realize that they still have more work to do. But then Santa wakes up and asks what's going on and who the little imp, beast, and brats he sees before him are. As Stanley, Hana, the kids, and the flowers run and hide, Elfaba tells him that Santa is under an evil spell, which he denies, and then explains to Santa who they were and what they were doing in his house. Santa goes to his living room and lets the group finish the job he has abandoned, saying that he washes his hands clean of doing anything for Christmas.

A while later, the toys are finished and loaded unto the sleigh, and Elfaba is at the reins ready to get the reindeer going so that she and the group can deliver the presents. But the reindeer go nowhere, which means that they won't go anywhere without Santa controlling them, and that means that Gnorga has succeeded in her plan to stop Christmas from coming, but Elfaba, not giving up yet, decides to go and tell Santa. Meanwhile, Shawna's mother has her daughter blow out the candle as they prepare for a good night's sleep, with Shawna hoping that Santa would answer his request. Finally, Gnorga blows out the candles in her and Llort's bedroom as they settle down for a restful sleep, knowing that this Christmas will truly be merry for her.

The group and Elfaba finally confront Santa to tell him that the reindeer can't go anywhere without him, but Santa tells Elfaba it's her problem now. Elfaba then scolds Santa for his selfishness, saying that he started the tradition and it's up to him to keep it going. As Santa pounds his chair, insisting that he isn't going to do anything, one last letter falls out of the closet. The puppy delivers it to Santa, who then finds out that it's from Shawna Dunesberry, the poorest girl in New York, and all she's asking for is her mother to get well. Santa wants to help the girl, but he doesn't feel like he used to. Then Rosie sneaks up to him and starts playing around in Santa's beard until she kisses him, and with that kiss Santa feels his love returning.

The Group cheers as Santa's cheerful spirit has been restored, but now they face the problem of getting the presents delivered, and Santa now sees that his team of reindeer won't be able to finish by Christmas morning. But then Hana waves her hands, and soon Santa and the Group see that the reindeer and the sleigh are both flying. The old toymaker and his elves is amazed by this miracle, and soon he and the Group are now taking to the sky to make sure the children get their presents.

By Christmas morning, Shawna wakes up to find a Christmas tree, a Christmas dinner, and a Christmas present in the form of a little puppy all waiting for her, and calls her mother awake to share the exciting news. Shawna's mother enters the room, and Shawna sees that she is out of bed and walking. She says that she feels so happy that she's now healthy again, which makes Shawna also happy that this is the best Christmas.

Meanwhile, Gnorga, Llort, and Igthorn are looking at her giant crystal in the human world, waiting to see the result of the mayhem she has caused, and spots the house of Shawna Dunesbury. She hopes to see what this child's Christmas would be like without Santa Claus. But instead, she sees Shawna and her mother dancing for joy, which makes her hiss as she realizes that Santa and Stanley has broken her spell. She vows that she will get the old geezer yet, or her name isn't Queen Gnorga, even though Llort says that there's always next year to stop Christmas.

Back in New York, the group is happy that Stanley's first Christmas has turned out to be (in Hana's words) magnifique. Donnie, however, wonders how Santa's reindeer was able to fly, and all Hana could say is that it's something that will forever remain a mystery, as Stanley says that Elfaba will be designing new toys for next Christmas, every year since she saved Santa Claus.