The Toy that Saved Christmas
Encyclopedia
The Toy that Saved Christmas is the sixth episode of the VeggieTales
animated series and the first holiday special in that series. It was released in October 1996 on VHS. Unlike its predecessors it does not feature an opening/closing countertop. Like the other holiday episodes, it also has no "A Lesson In…" subtitle. The lesson is apparent enough anyway, clearly presenting the true meaning of Christmas is the birth of Jesus
.
This can be presumed as a spin-off of Rack, Shack, and Benny
, as the villain is Wally K. Nezzer's brother and Mr. Lunt reprises his character from Rack, Shack, and Benny.
The Toy That Saved Christmas was shown as a holiday special in Shine TV
. Its silly song, "Oh Santa!", is the only song not in The Ultimate Silly Song Countdown
.
On Christmas Eve, while most of the Veggie children are filled with a mad desire for the new toy, Larry, Bob, and Junior go sledding. They happen upon a lone Buzz-Saw Louie toy that has questioned Mr. Nezzer’s values and escaped the factory to find the true meaning of Christmas. Bob suggests that they go see Grandpa George. George reads the Gospel according to Luke Chapter 2: verses 8-14 in the Contemporary English Version
which is as follows:
"That night in the fields near Bethlehem, some shepherds were guarding their sheep. All at once an angel came down to them from the Lord and the brightness of the Lord's glory flashed around them. The shepherds were frightened. But the angel said, 'Don't be afraid! I have good news for you which will make everyone happy. This very day in King David's hometown, a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. You will know who he is because you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying on a bed of hay.' Suddenly many other angels came down from heaven and joined in praising God They said, 'Praise God in heaven! Peace on earth to everyone who pleases God.'" In this, George explains to them that the true meaning of Christmas is not to get, but to give, the way God gave us Jesus, the greatest gift of all. The children are heartened by the news, but puzzle about how to tell the rest of the Veggies before Christmas Day.
The story is interrupted by a Silly Song
entitled "Oh Santa!" Larry is staying up late awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus, eager to give him some home-made cookies. Instead of Santa, however, he is visited first by a bank robber (Scallion #1), then by a Viking (played by Pa Grape), and finally by an agent of the IRS (played by a Peach). They all take refuge is his home and eat his cookies (except for the IRS agent who Larry evidently considers too loathsome to invite inside). Santa finally shows up, but rather than being jolly he angrily chases after Scallion #1 and Pa Grape for stealing his "Belt" and "Hat." Larry is left without any cookies, and no Santa or friends.
Returning to the story, the characters' solution is to sneak into Mr. Nezzer’s toy factory and use his television studio to broadcast the message to all the surrounding towns. The plan is a huge success, except that Mr. Nezzer finds them out and threatens to get rid of them. He ties them to a sled and is about to send them downhill into a deep ravine when the other Veggie families intervene. Laura Carrot shows him kindness by giving him a gift, and he quickly repents the errors of his ways. However, the sled with Bob, Larry, Junior, and Louie is accidentally sent on its fateful course in the process but the Dinkletown kids were begging for more toys.
A chase scene ensues in which Mr. Nezzer and a half dozen Penguins attempt to save the doomed Veggies. The tables turn, however, when Buzz-Saw Louie is able to divert the sled’s course, leaving Mr. Nezzer alone racing toward the ravine. Louie again springs into action, using his buzz-saw to rally the Penguins and save Mr. Nezzer just as he is about to plummet to certain death. Then, Buzz-Saw Louie puts the buzz-saw for good use making furniture and the show ends. It was edited from the TV version due to the show's length only for thirty minutes.
was said to be taken to the hospital, as that bacteria was hurting his heart.
One problem with the plot was that Mr. Nezzer couldn't become a bad guy in the episode, because he became a nice guy in Rack, Shack, and Benny
. The animators solved this by making the villain Nebby K. Nezzer's twin brother, Wally P. Nezzer, and giving him a big nose. The silly song, "Oh Santa!" was inspired from when Vischer saw the musical Kiss of the Spider Woman
with Chita Rivera.
VeggieTales
VeggieTales is an American series of children's computer animated films featuring anthropomorphic vegetables in stories conveying moral themes based on Christianity...
animated series and the first holiday special in that series. It was released in October 1996 on VHS. Unlike its predecessors it does not feature an opening/closing countertop. Like the other holiday episodes, it also has no "A Lesson In…" subtitle. The lesson is apparent enough anyway, clearly presenting the true meaning of Christmas is the birth of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
.
This can be presumed as a spin-off of Rack, Shack, and Benny
Rack, Shack, and Benny
Rack, Shack, and Benny, released in October 1995 on VHS, is the fourth episode of the VeggieTales animated series and the first to present one story instead of two shorter ones...
, as the villain is Wally K. Nezzer's brother and Mr. Lunt reprises his character from Rack, Shack, and Benny.
The Toy That Saved Christmas was shown as a holiday special in Shine TV
Shine TV
Shine TV is a New Zealand Christian television channel operated by Rhema Broadcasting Group and broadcast on Sky TV channel 111, Christchurch UHF 56, Nelson UHF 44, Telstra Clear Digital TV and Freeview Channel 25 . It includes a mixture of locally made and overseas programming.Shine TV is...
. Its silly song, "Oh Santa!", is the only song not in The Ultimate Silly Song Countdown
The Ultimate Silly Song Countdown
Veggie Tales: The Ultimate Silly Song Countdown is the 16th episode in the VeggieTales animated series and the third Silly Song compilation. The premise was to count down the Top Ten Silly Songs as decided by the show's viewers...
.
Synopsis
Grandpa George tells a story about Wally P. Nezzer, the owner of a toy company, who is spreading the word via television commercial that the meaning of Christmas is to get more and more toys. After seeing this, the Dinkletown kids were whining about wanting more toys. He explains to his assistant (Mr. Lunt) that this is a strategy to create demand for his toys in order to boost sales. The toy in question is called “Buzz-Saw Louie,” the only toy featuring an actual working buzz saw built into his right arm.On Christmas Eve, while most of the Veggie children are filled with a mad desire for the new toy, Larry, Bob, and Junior go sledding. They happen upon a lone Buzz-Saw Louie toy that has questioned Mr. Nezzer’s values and escaped the factory to find the true meaning of Christmas. Bob suggests that they go see Grandpa George. George reads the Gospel according to Luke Chapter 2: verses 8-14 in the Contemporary English Version
Contemporary English Version
The Contemporary English Version or CEV is a translation of the Bible into English,published by the American Bible Society...
which is as follows:
"That night in the fields near Bethlehem, some shepherds were guarding their sheep. All at once an angel came down to them from the Lord and the brightness of the Lord's glory flashed around them. The shepherds were frightened. But the angel said, 'Don't be afraid! I have good news for you which will make everyone happy. This very day in King David's hometown, a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. You will know who he is because you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying on a bed of hay.' Suddenly many other angels came down from heaven and joined in praising God They said, 'Praise God in heaven! Peace on earth to everyone who pleases God.'" In this, George explains to them that the true meaning of Christmas is not to get, but to give, the way God gave us Jesus, the greatest gift of all. The children are heartened by the news, but puzzle about how to tell the rest of the Veggies before Christmas Day.
The story is interrupted by a Silly Song
Silly Songs with Larry
Silly Songs with Larry is a regular feature in the Big Idea's popular 3D cartoon series VeggieTales. It generally consists of Larry the Cucumber singing either alone or with some of the other Veggie characters. Occasionally, another character or an ensemble gets the lead vocal. It is occasionally...
entitled "Oh Santa!" Larry is staying up late awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus, eager to give him some home-made cookies. Instead of Santa, however, he is visited first by a bank robber (Scallion #1), then by a Viking (played by Pa Grape), and finally by an agent of the IRS (played by a Peach). They all take refuge is his home and eat his cookies (except for the IRS agent who Larry evidently considers too loathsome to invite inside). Santa finally shows up, but rather than being jolly he angrily chases after Scallion #1 and Pa Grape for stealing his "Belt" and "Hat." Larry is left without any cookies, and no Santa or friends.
Returning to the story, the characters' solution is to sneak into Mr. Nezzer’s toy factory and use his television studio to broadcast the message to all the surrounding towns. The plan is a huge success, except that Mr. Nezzer finds them out and threatens to get rid of them. He ties them to a sled and is about to send them downhill into a deep ravine when the other Veggie families intervene. Laura Carrot shows him kindness by giving him a gift, and he quickly repents the errors of his ways. However, the sled with Bob, Larry, Junior, and Louie is accidentally sent on its fateful course in the process but the Dinkletown kids were begging for more toys.
A chase scene ensues in which Mr. Nezzer and a half dozen Penguins attempt to save the doomed Veggies. The tables turn, however, when Buzz-Saw Louie is able to divert the sled’s course, leaving Mr. Nezzer alone racing toward the ravine. Louie again springs into action, using his buzz-saw to rally the Penguins and save Mr. Nezzer just as he is about to plummet to certain death. Then, Buzz-Saw Louie puts the buzz-saw for good use making furniture and the show ends. It was edited from the TV version due to the show's length only for thirty minutes.
Production
The studio was on a tight schedule in late 1996 to get the film done. But then, the air conditioning turned off in the office, and a heat wave hit Big Idea. Many people started sleeping over at the office, trying to get The Toy that Saved Christmas done. After it wrapped, Phil VischerPhil Vischer
Phillip "Phil" Vischer is an American voice actor, animator, director, writer and puppeteer known for creating the computer-animated video series VeggieTales with partner and friend Mike Nawrocki...
was said to be taken to the hospital, as that bacteria was hurting his heart.
One problem with the plot was that Mr. Nezzer couldn't become a bad guy in the episode, because he became a nice guy in Rack, Shack, and Benny
Rack, Shack, and Benny
Rack, Shack, and Benny, released in October 1995 on VHS, is the fourth episode of the VeggieTales animated series and the first to present one story instead of two shorter ones...
. The animators solved this by making the villain Nebby K. Nezzer's twin brother, Wally P. Nezzer, and giving him a big nose. The silly song, "Oh Santa!" was inspired from when Vischer saw the musical Kiss of the Spider Woman
Kiss of the Spider Woman
Kiss of the Spider Woman is a 1985 Brazilian-American drama film. It was directed by Argentine-born Brazilian director Héctor Babenco, and adapted by Leonard Schrader from the Manuel Puig novel of the same name...
with Chita Rivera.
Oh, Santa!
- Larry The Cucumber as himself
- Scallion #1 as a bank robber
- Pa Grape as a Viking
- The Peach as an IRS agent
- Bob the Tomato as Santa Claus
The Toy that Saved Christmas
- Phil VischerPhil VischerPhillip "Phil" Vischer is an American voice actor, animator, director, writer and puppeteer known for creating the computer-animated video series VeggieTales with partner and friend Mike Nawrocki...
...Grandpa George as the narrator and mailman - Shelby Vischer...Annie as his granddaughter (debut)
- Phil VischerPhil VischerPhillip "Phil" Vischer is an American voice actor, animator, director, writer and puppeteer known for creating the computer-animated video series VeggieTales with partner and friend Mike Nawrocki...
...Bob the Tomato as himself - Mike NawrockiMike NawrockiMichael Nawrocki is an American voice actor, writer, animator and director. He is the co-founder and Executive Vice President of Big Idea Entertainment, the company best known for bringing computer-animated vegetables to life in the popular VeggieTales series...
...Larry The Cucumber as himself - Lisa Vischer...Junior Asparagus as himself
- Phil VischerPhil VischerPhillip "Phil" Vischer is an American voice actor, animator, director, writer and puppeteer known for creating the computer-animated video series VeggieTales with partner and friend Mike Nawrocki...
...Mr. Nezzer as Wally P. Nezzer, the owner of the Nezzer Toy Factory and the main antagonist and villain - Phil VischerPhil VischerPhillip "Phil" Vischer is an American voice actor, animator, director, writer and puppeteer known for creating the computer-animated video series VeggieTales with partner and friend Mike Nawrocki...
...Mr. Lunt as Mr. Nezzer's "little elf helper" - Ken Cavanagh...Buzz-Saw Louie as himself
- Kristin Blegen...Laura Carrot as herself
- Briget Miller...Lenny Carrot as himself
- Various other PeasPEASP.E.A.S. is an acronym in artificial intelligence that stands for Performance, Environment, Actuators, Sensors.-Performance:Performance is a function that measures the quality of the actions the agent did....
, Carrots, and Asparaguses as townsfolk - Delivery Penguins (real penguins, not Zidgel or Fidgel or Midgel or KevinKevinKevin is a male first name of Irish origin. It is believed that Saint Kevin was the one who popularized the name, although Kevin is not a biblical name. Caoimhghín is believed to be derived from the Irish cóem "kind, honest, and handsome" and gein "birth"...
on the Veggie Tales spin-off 3-2-1 Penguins!3-2-1 Penguins!3-2-1 Penguins! is a series of Sci-Fi computer-animated cartoons launched on November 14, 2000.3-2-1 Penguins! is a series of Sci-Fi computer-animated cartoons launched on November 14, 2000.3-2-1 Penguins! is a series of Sci-Fi computer-animated cartoons launched on...
)
Segments
The Toy that Saved Christmas is broken into the following segments:- Lyrick Studios FBI Warning
- Distributed By Lyrick Studios Logo
- Rack Shack And Benny VHS Trailer
- Dave And The Giant Pickle VHS Trailer
- Please Stay Tuned Fowloing This Presentation From Previews And Another Lyrick Studios Home Videos
- The Toy that Saved Christmas: First Half
- Silly SongSilly Songs with LarrySilly Songs with Larry is a regular feature in the Big Idea's popular 3D cartoon series VeggieTales. It generally consists of Larry the Cucumber singing either alone or with some of the other Veggie characters. Occasionally, another character or an ensemble gets the lead vocal. It is occasionally...
: Oh, Santa! - The Toy that Saved Christmas: Second Half
- The Toy that Saved Christmas end credits
- Big Idea Productions Logo
- Are You My Neighbor VHS Trailer
- Where's God When I'm S-Scared VHS Trailer
- Distributed By Lyrick Studios Logo
The Toy That Saved Christmas
Due to the format of the show, this episode does not contain the usual "VeggieTales Theme Song" and "What We Have Learned", although the "VeggieTales Theme" is still present. It also contains the following songs:- Can't Believe It's Christmas, sung by the Veggie children
- Grumpy Kids, sung by Buzz-Saw Louie
- Oh, Santa! (Silly SongSilly Songs with LarrySilly Songs with Larry is a regular feature in the Big Idea's popular 3D cartoon series VeggieTales. It generally consists of Larry the Cucumber singing either alone or with some of the other Veggie characters. Occasionally, another character or an ensemble gets the lead vocal. It is occasionally...
), sung by Larry, Bob, Scallion #1, and Pa Grape
Trivia
- This is Brian Moll, Adam Holmes, and Mike Laubach's first episode.
- Luis Contreras's first episode in storyboarding.
- Ken Greene's first episode in render managing.
- Cara Bukovski's first episode.
The Toy That Saved Christmas
- In a notable line by Bob the Tomato: "MouseTrapMouse Trap (board game)Mouse Trap is a board game first published by Ideal in 1963 for two or more players. Over the course of the game, players at first cooperate to build a working Rube Goldberg-like mouse trap...
. I wanted to play MouseTrap. You roll your dice, you move your mice. Nobody gets hurt." - The reading of the bible is a reference to A Charlie Brown ChristmasA Charlie Brown ChristmasA Charlie Brown Christmas is the first prime-time animated TV special based upon the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was produced and directed by former Warner Bros. and UPA animator Bill Melendez, who also supplied the voice for the character of Snoopy...
.
Oh Santa!
- The song is inspired by Kiss of the Spider WomanKiss of the Spider WomanKiss of the Spider Woman is a 1985 Brazilian-American drama film. It was directed by Argentine-born Brazilian director Héctor Babenco, and adapted by Leonard Schrader from the Manuel Puig novel of the same name...
. - The third person who is not Santa is an IRS agent. The agents are mocked with dialogue like, "I'm from the IRS, and I've to tax your--" and "Did you claim that?". The IRS agent is also the only person not welcomed by Larry.