Search/Recent Changes
DBTropes
...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!

The Christmas Tree

 The Christmas Tree
type
TVTItem
 The Christmas Tree
label
The Christmas Tree
 The Christmas Tree
page
TheChristmasTree
 The Christmas Tree
comment
The Christmas Tree is a 1991 animated Christmas special directed by Flamerion Ferreira. It was distributed on VHS by Family Home Entertainment, and later on DVD by GoodTimes Entertainment.It takes place in an orphanage run by the evil Mrs. Mavilda. She steals the orphanage's funds and tricks the mayor into thinking she's a good manager. The kids are so miserable they latch onto a pine tree as a mother figure. Things begin to change when a new family moves to town, and the mayor assigns the mother, Judy, to a position as Mrs. Mavilda's assistant. She and her two children live at the orphanage while their husband/father must live elsewhere for his new job. Judy takes the orphans under her wing and tries to make life better for them. When Mrs. Mavilda decides to frame Judy for a crime in order to have her removed, the children make a desperate appeal to Santa Claus for help.
 The Christmas Tree
fetched
2023-12-04T00:32:08Z
 The Christmas Tree
parsed
2023-12-04T00:32:08Z
 The Christmas Tree
processingComment
Dropped link to AcCENTOnTheWrongSylLABle: Not a Feature - UNKNOWN
 The Christmas Tree
processingComment
Dropped link to AnAesop: Not a Feature - IGNORE
 The Christmas Tree
processingUnknown
AcCENTOnTheWrongSylLABle
 The Christmas Tree
isPartOf
DBTropes
 The Christmas Tree / int_11459bd4
type
OffScreenTeleportation
 The Christmas Tree / int_11459bd4
comment
Offscreen Teleportation: In one scene, the mayor is talking with Mavilda and asks where Judy is, only for her to appear out of nowhere with no footsteps having been heard. As if that one isn't startling enough, there's an even bigger one in the very last scene. Ray, the father, literally just appears in the scene where Mavilda is threatening to have Mrs. Hopewill cut down. They don't even show him step out of a car or walk up or anything at all. He literally just poofs into the scene like Nightcrawler and no one bats an eye at it.
 The Christmas Tree / int_11459bd4
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_11459bd4
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_11459bd4
 The Christmas Tree / int_11630eaa
type
The Gambling Addict
 The Christmas Tree / int_11630eaa
comment
The Gambling Addict: Mrs. Mavilda again. Rather than use the money that the mayor gives her to buy the orphans new clothes, she wastes all of it in her poker games with her friends.
 The Christmas Tree / int_11630eaa
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_11630eaa
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_11630eaa
 The Christmas Tree / int_170cf4b6
type
Heroes Love Dogs
 The Christmas Tree / int_170cf4b6
comment
Heroes Love Dogs: The children at the orphanage collectively take care of a black stray dog named Licorice.
 The Christmas Tree / int_170cf4b6
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_170cf4b6
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_170cf4b6
 The Christmas Tree / int_17a45ff5
type
Misplaced Wildlife
 The Christmas Tree / int_17a45ff5
comment
Misplaced Wildlife: What appears to be a sloth bear can be found in the cold environment of the North Pole.
 The Christmas Tree / int_17a45ff5
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_17a45ff5
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_17a45ff5
 The Christmas Tree / int_18a84025
type
Only Six Faces
 The Christmas Tree / int_18a84025
comment
Only Six Faces: The only distinguishing marks for the orphans are their hair and clothes. All of them have the exact same face. It's especially noticeable when they uniformly smile at the newly arrived Lily and Pappy.
 The Christmas Tree / int_18a84025
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_18a84025
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_18a84025
 The Christmas Tree / int_1a3a91dd
type
Say My Name
 The Christmas Tree / int_1a3a91dd
comment
Say My Name: Lily slides down a cliff while being attacked by a bear. She calls her brother's name Pappy as she falls.
 The Christmas Tree / int_1a3a91dd
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_1a3a91dd
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_1a3a91dd
 The Christmas Tree / int_259d5879
type
Anachronism Stew
 The Christmas Tree / int_259d5879
comment
Anachronism Stew: The time period is quite vague. They seem to be aiming for about the 1920s, but blatant anachronisms keep turning up, such as Mrs. Mavilda's henchman Mel watching a television set.
 The Christmas Tree / int_259d5879
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_259d5879
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_259d5879
 The Christmas Tree / int_2764d432
type
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing
 The Christmas Tree / int_2764d432
comment
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: When she's around other adults, Mrs. Mavilda portrays herself as a stern but loving mother figure to the orphans. Behind closed doors, she's a cold and merciless abuser.
 The Christmas Tree / int_2764d432
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_2764d432
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_2764d432
 The Christmas Tree / int_28cd01ca
type
Disappeared Dad
 The Christmas Tree / int_28cd01ca
comment
Disappeared Dad: Mr. Kindle has a job at the lumber mill, which requires him to spend months away from his family. He doesn't come back until Christmas Eve.
 The Christmas Tree / int_28cd01ca
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_28cd01ca
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_28cd01ca
 The Christmas Tree / int_2cbadc
type
The Good Guys Always Win
 The Christmas Tree / int_2cbadc
comment
The Good Guys Always Win: The ending moral of the story outright states this.
 The Christmas Tree / int_2cbadc
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_2cbadc
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_2cbadc
 The Christmas Tree / int_2d8da79
type
Clueless Aesop
 The Christmas Tree / int_2d8da79
comment
Clueless Aesop: The ending promptly shoehorns in "You always win when you are good" as the moral of the tale Mrs. Mavilda learns. Putting aside the idea that you will eventually get what you want if you're a good person, in the story's context it makes no sense because the story was resolved by a Deus ex Machina courtesy of Santa and/or the tree striking Mrs. Mavilda with lightning. Can she truly have been said to have learned anything when her reformation is probably due to brain damage from being electrocuted?
 The Christmas Tree / int_2d8da79
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_2d8da79
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_2d8da79
 The Christmas Tree / int_2ef005ab
type
Vocal Evolution
 The Christmas Tree / int_2ef005ab
comment
Vocal Evolution: The Mayor starts out with a very similar voice to Ray and the narrator, but then suddenly changes to having a much higher-pitched and more Jimmy Stewart-type nasal voice for the film's climax.
 The Christmas Tree / int_2ef005ab
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_2ef005ab
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_2ef005ab
 The Christmas Tree / int_319e4a2f
type
Even Evil Has Standards
 The Christmas Tree / int_319e4a2f
comment
Even Evil Has Standards: Mrs. Mavilda's two male gambling partners are both shocked when she bets the entirety of the orphans' money on one hand, while her fat lady friend gets excited.
 The Christmas Tree / int_319e4a2f
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_319e4a2f
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_319e4a2f
 The Christmas Tree / int_3c0a4666
type
Noodle Incident
 The Christmas Tree / int_3c0a4666
comment
Noodle Incident: Mrs. Mavilda says she had a previous assistant whom she fired by framing her for a crime, and she'll just do the same to Judy. She only mentions it while talking to herself, so it seems no one else is aware of the situation, and no further elaboration is given.
 The Christmas Tree / int_3c0a4666
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_3c0a4666
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_3c0a4666
 The Christmas Tree / int_3d2c6d30
type
Skewed Priorities
 The Christmas Tree / int_3d2c6d30
comment
Skewed Priorities: When the mayor finds out what Mrs. Mavilda has really been doing with the kids, he's more concerned that the inspector might see it and call him out on it. Judy is more focused on preventing Mrs. Hopewell from being cut down than trying to find her children.
 The Christmas Tree / int_3d2c6d30
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_3d2c6d30
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_3d2c6d30
 The Christmas Tree / int_3fca462c
type
Deus ex Machina
 The Christmas Tree / int_3fca462c
comment
Deus ex Machina: Santa striking Mavilda down with lightning just before she cuts down Mrs. Hopewell and somehow having rescued Judy's daughter offscreen is about as blatant as you can get.
 The Christmas Tree / int_3fca462c
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_3fca462c
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_3fca462c
 The Christmas Tree / int_401d4116
type
Broken Aesop
 The Christmas Tree / int_401d4116
comment
Broken Aesop: Oh, so broken. The very bad and tacked on "you always win when you are good" line is disproved by the movie's events themselves. From what we see of the orphans, they are well-behaved and nice to each other, yet are abused emotionally and physically by Mrs. Mavilda, so how can that aesop be accurate? Judy is also a good mother (well, when she's not saying selfish things like her out of character moment under It's All About Me) and yet she is forced into working for an evil woman and her children are subject to the same abuse as the other orphans. Plus, consider how Lily nearly dies during their search for Santa and she's just as good as the other kids.
 The Christmas Tree / int_401d4116
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_401d4116
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_401d4116
 The Christmas Tree / int_485e1515
type
A Twinkle in the Sky
 The Christmas Tree / int_485e1515
comment
A Twinkle in the Sky: Inverted when Santa Claus shows up.
 The Christmas Tree / int_485e1515
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_485e1515
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_485e1515
 The Christmas Tree / int_48e8fe57
type
Happily Adopted
 The Christmas Tree / int_48e8fe57
comment
Happily Adopted: All of the orphans, at the end. When the mayor tries to make Judy the new director of the orphanage, her husband interjects that they will adopt all of the children instead. However, Mrs. Mavilda stays on as Judy's assistant, so the orphanage is apparently... still an orphanage. For some reason.
 The Christmas Tree / int_48e8fe57
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_48e8fe57
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_48e8fe57
 The Christmas Tree / int_4c798fd5
type
Shock and Awe
 The Christmas Tree / int_4c798fd5
comment
Shock and Awe: Weirdly, Santa. He decorates the tree and gives the children new clothes with a noticeable electrical crackle. In a more traditionally elemental and slightly more sinister vein, Mrs. Mavilda is conveniently struck by lightning just before he makes his appearance. You really don't want to get on this guy's naughty list. It makes him a sort of Badass Santa.
 The Christmas Tree / int_4c798fd5
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_4c798fd5
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_4c798fd5
 The Christmas Tree / int_4c8d7e0b
type
Forgotten Framing Device
 The Christmas Tree / int_4c8d7e0b
comment
Forgotten Framing Device: The opening narration takes place in a room with a Christmas tree in it, which is not actually the Christmas tree the special focuses on. This location never appears again, nor do we find out who owns the place.
 The Christmas Tree / int_4c8d7e0b
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_4c8d7e0b
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_4c8d7e0b
 The Christmas Tree / int_550754dc
type
Improbable Infant Survival
 The Christmas Tree / int_550754dc
comment
Improbable Infant Survival: Lily falls off a cliff into a snowdrift. But she survives, thanks to Santa conveniently being in the area. In a slightly less blatant example, the children never seem to get sick or injured despite wearing threadbare clothing to play in the snow.
 The Christmas Tree / int_550754dc
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_550754dc
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_550754dc
 The Christmas Tree / int_5ca80293
type
Pragmatic Villainy
 The Christmas Tree / int_5ca80293
comment
Pragmatic Villainy: Mrs. Mavilda expresses concern over the disappearance of Lily and Pappy... but only because if the Mayor finds out, she could lose her job.
 The Christmas Tree / int_5ca80293
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_5ca80293
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_5ca80293
 The Christmas Tree / int_5f9fbd83
type
Not Allowed to Grow Up
 The Christmas Tree / int_5f9fbd83
comment
Not Allowed to Grow Up: Mrs. Mavilda seems to trot out the same kids and outfits every year.
 The Christmas Tree / int_5f9fbd83
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_5f9fbd83
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_5f9fbd83
 The Christmas Tree / int_60194b82
type
Spanner in the Works
 The Christmas Tree / int_60194b82
comment
Spanner in the Works: Mrs. Mavilda's plan to frame Judy for theft falls apart simply because a bad traffic accident prevents Judy from reaching the home of Mavilda's friend, who was supposed to plant the "stolen" object.
 The Christmas Tree / int_60194b82
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_60194b82
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_60194b82
 The Christmas Tree / int_617f0563
type
Heel–Face Turn
 The Christmas Tree / int_617f0563
comment
Heel–Face Turn: Mrs. Mavilda, after being struck down by the Bolt of Divine Retribution. In the words of the narrator, "She's good now."
 The Christmas Tree / int_617f0563
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_617f0563
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_617f0563
 The Christmas Tree / int_69fb91e8
type
Chewing the Scenery
 The Christmas Tree / int_69fb91e8
comment
Barring the scenery-chewing, the voice acting is... understated at best. Also near the end when Pappy tells his parents that Lily is probably dead, and their only reaction is their eyes going wide for a second.
 The Christmas Tree / int_69fb91e8
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_69fb91e8
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_69fb91e8
 The Christmas Tree / int_6b05b601
type
Jerkass Has a Point
 The Christmas Tree / int_6b05b601
comment
Jerkass Has a Point: Subverted. As cruel as she was about it, Mrs. Mavilda was right that Judy encouraging her children’s obsession with a tree is what caused them to go missing. However, she's overlooking the fact that Pappy and Lily left specifically because Mavilda was planning to have the tree cut down and is trying to frame Judy for theft.
 The Christmas Tree / int_6b05b601
featureApplicability
-0.3
 The Christmas Tree / int_6b05b601
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_6b05b601
 The Christmas Tree / int_6d884a25
type
Childhood Memory Demolition Team
 The Christmas Tree / int_6d884a25
comment
Childhood Memory Demolition Team: Mrs. Mavilda wants to destroy the tree just to show the kids who's boss.
 The Christmas Tree / int_6d884a25
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_6d884a25
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_6d884a25
 The Christmas Tree / int_7315fd38
type
Covers Always Lie
 The Christmas Tree / int_7315fd38
comment
Covers Always Lie: The DVD cover shows the children indoors with a Christmas tree behind them. This tree is not Mrs. Hopewell, but a different one that only appears in the opening scene. The VHS cover shows Mrs. Hopewell outside, but the children look pretty cute with soft facial features, unlike the Elmer Fudd-like faces the kids have in the film proper.
 The Christmas Tree / int_7315fd38
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_7315fd38
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_7315fd38
 The Christmas Tree / int_782fdff
type
Storybook Opening
 The Christmas Tree / int_782fdff
comment
Storybook Opening: A textbook (storybook?) example. The storybook doesn't have words or even word-shaped scribbles, just the kind of colored Tetris blocks that frequently showed up in low-budget animation before the All-CGI Cartoon became common.
 The Christmas Tree / int_782fdff
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_782fdff
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_782fdff
 The Christmas Tree / int_7aa8e46b
type
Cunning People Play Poker
 The Christmas Tree / int_7aa8e46b
comment
Cunning People Play Poker: Mrs. Mavilda is an evil orphanage matron who always blows the mayor's donation money on poker games. Despite never winning, the fact that she's even using it to gamble at all reflects on how crafty and manipulative she is, tricking the mayor into thinking the kids are taken care of and going to great lengths to try and get rid of the kind-hearted Judy.
 The Christmas Tree / int_7aa8e46b
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_7aa8e46b
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_7aa8e46b
 The Christmas Tree / int_7abd339f
type
Black-and-White Morality
 The Christmas Tree / int_7abd339f
comment
Black-and-White Morality: "You always win when you are good."
 The Christmas Tree / int_7abd339f
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_7abd339f
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_7abd339f
 The Christmas Tree / int_823c6e3e
type
Large Ham
 The Christmas Tree / int_823c6e3e
comment
Large Ham: Mrs. Mavilda is an especially noticeable one, given that she's also pretty much the only person in the world she inhabits that shows any emotion whatsoever.
 The Christmas Tree / int_823c6e3e
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_823c6e3e
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_823c6e3e
 The Christmas Tree / int_863fa679
type
What Happened to the Mouse?
 The Christmas Tree / int_863fa679
comment
What Happened to the Mouse?: Mavilda's plan of having a friend frame Judy for petty theft is stopped before it could start when a cop sends Judy back home because of bad weather, and the plan is never mentioned again after that.
 The Christmas Tree / int_863fa679
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_863fa679
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_863fa679
 The Christmas Tree / int_8d718b9e
type
Bears Are Bad News
 The Christmas Tree / int_8d718b9e
comment
Bears Are Bad News: One that looks like Baloo from The Jungle Book (1967) chases after the kids at one point.
 The Christmas Tree / int_8d718b9e
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_8d718b9e
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_8d718b9e
 The Christmas Tree / int_8d80bc0d
type
Private Profit Prison
 The Christmas Tree / int_8d80bc0d
comment
Private Profit Prison: Mrs. Mavilda runs the orphanage similarly to this. She keeps the kids in rags and practically on a starvation diet just to keep the money. She even keeps a set of nice clothes around for them to wear just for inspections to cover up her schemes.
 The Christmas Tree / int_8d80bc0d
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_8d80bc0d
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_8d80bc0d
 The Christmas Tree / int_97069d40
type
Harmless Electrocution
 The Christmas Tree / int_97069d40
comment
Harmless Electrocution: Mrs. Mavilda somehow survives the Bolt of Divine Retribution that strikes her before she can cut down Mrs. Hopewell.
 The Christmas Tree / int_97069d40
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_97069d40
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_97069d40
 The Christmas Tree / int_970c790a
type
Big Bad
 The Christmas Tree / int_970c790a
comment
Big Bad: Mrs. Mavilda, who owns the orphanage, is responsible for all the children's problems. She doesn't use any of the mayor's money to buy the orphans new clothes, gambles the money in her poker games, tries to send away the stray the orphans take in, tries to have Judy arrested just because the kids like her, and attempts to cut down Mrs. Hopewell out of spite towards the kids.
 The Christmas Tree / int_970c790a
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_970c790a
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_970c790a
 The Christmas Tree / int_97293a99
type
Stock Money Bag
 The Christmas Tree / int_97293a99
comment
Stock Money Bag: The mayor pays Mrs. Mavilda in unmarked bags of money.
 The Christmas Tree / int_97293a99
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_97293a99
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_97293a99
 The Christmas Tree / int_9bf3470e
type
Santa Claus
 The Christmas Tree / int_9bf3470e
comment
Santa Claus: Shows up at the very end, having saved the kids who went to search for him and apparently strikes down Mrs. Mavilda with a Bolt of Divine Retribution as well. Of course, as noted by Phelous, the movie seems to confuse Santa with Jesus, including having the kids follow the Star of Bethlehem to find him. This assumes that it wasn't a commentary on how Santa resembles the Abrahamic God.
 The Christmas Tree / int_9bf3470e
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_9bf3470e
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_9bf3470e
 The Christmas Tree / int_9f81bd21
type
Stealth Parody
 The Christmas Tree / int_9f81bd21
comment
Stealth Parody: Some have suggested that it might be awful on purpose.
 The Christmas Tree / int_9f81bd21
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_9f81bd21
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_9f81bd21
 The Christmas Tree / int_a484ef6c
type
Sensory Abuse
 The Christmas Tree / int_a484ef6c
comment
Sensory Abuse: The scene in which Mrs. Mavilda fires Judy. The former's screaming is so loud she breaks the volume levels of her microphone.
 The Christmas Tree / int_a484ef6c
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_a484ef6c
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_a484ef6c
 The Christmas Tree / int_a52f8fdf
type
Bolt of Divine Retribution
 The Christmas Tree / int_a52f8fdf
comment
Bolt of Divine Retribution: One apparently delivered upon Mrs. Mavilda by Santa Claus. Which she miraculously survives.
 The Christmas Tree / int_a52f8fdf
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_a52f8fdf
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_a52f8fdf
 The Christmas Tree / int_a70223
type
Karma Houdini
 The Christmas Tree / int_a70223
comment
Karma Houdini: Mrs. Mavilda's weekly gambling partners — the ones who knowingly benefited from her habit of throwing away all the money donated to the orphanage — get off scot-free.
 The Christmas Tree / int_a70223
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_a70223
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_a70223
 The Christmas Tree / int_a939d96a
type
Adults Are Useless
 The Christmas Tree / int_a939d96a
comment
Adults Are Useless: The mayor doesn't seem to have the slightest inkling that anything is amiss, and is perfectly willing to fork over large sums of cash (measured in a number of bags, no less) to Mrs. Mavilda without much question. Mrs. Mavilda's poker buddies. They have to know (or at least suspect) that Mavilda neglects the kids at best, yet none of them can be bothered to do anything about it. Santa Claus himself, who doesn't do jack for these poor kids until the very end of the movie. Zigzagged with Judy. At times she's aware of how horrible Mrs. Mavilda is, like calling her out on not buying the orphans new clothes like she was supposed to do, but otherwise does little to actually stop Mavilda from mistreating the kids. Possibly justified in that she's relying on Mavilda to keep a roof over her and her children's heads, but it's a weak argument at best.
 The Christmas Tree / int_a939d96a
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_a939d96a
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_a939d96a
 The Christmas Tree / int_ad1db87c
type
Oh, Crap!
 The Christmas Tree / int_ad1db87c
comment
Oh, Crap!: Mavilda's reaction after she tells Judy the kids aren't allowed outside anymore, which Judy answers by deducing Mavilda doesn't want the mayor to see the orphans are still wearing rags despite the money he gave her.
 The Christmas Tree / int_ad1db87c
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_ad1db87c
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_ad1db87c
 The Christmas Tree / int_af81576b
type
Thinking Out Loud
 The Christmas Tree / int_af81576b
comment
Thinking Out Loud: Mrs. Mavilda provides a lot of exposition this way, as we see her lying in bed talking to herself about how to deal with Judy and other issues.
 The Christmas Tree / int_af81576b
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_af81576b
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_af81576b
 The Christmas Tree / int_affd30b0
type
Stupid Evil
 The Christmas Tree / int_affd30b0
comment
Stupid Evil: Mavilda repeatedly wasting all of her embezzled donation money on poker? Bad enough. Her enjoying screwing the kids over way too much to care? Downright priceless. Not to mention gambling away the children's money after the mayor asked Judy to go with Mavilda to pick out clothes and toys for the children. What did Mavilda think was going to happen if she suddenly told Judy that she didn't have the money anymore?
 The Christmas Tree / int_affd30b0
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_affd30b0
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_affd30b0
 The Christmas Tree / int_b39d5719
type
Sadist
 The Christmas Tree / int_b39d5719
comment
Sadist: Mrs. Mavilda, who happily gambles away the orphanage funds on a regular basis. Apparently, the fact that she lost money specifically meant to help the orphans gives her pleasure every time. Even the thought of Judy and her children being thrown out into the cold makes her giggle.
 The Christmas Tree / int_b39d5719
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_b39d5719
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_b39d5719
 The Christmas Tree / int_b76f6cb2
type
Little Stowaway
 The Christmas Tree / int_b76f6cb2
comment
Little Stowaway: Lily stows away on Pappy's sled while going to the North Pole to see Santa Claus.
 The Christmas Tree / int_b76f6cb2
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_b76f6cb2
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_b76f6cb2
 The Christmas Tree / int_bb18a227
type
It's All About Me
 The Christmas Tree / int_bb18a227
comment
It's All About Me: A rather Out-of-Character Moment. When Judy tells the kids the bad news that they won't be getting new clothes, they are visibly upset, to which she says, "Please, children, don't make it more difficult for me."
 The Christmas Tree / int_bb18a227
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_bb18a227
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_bb18a227
 The Christmas Tree / int_bc03c871
type
Child Hater
 The Christmas Tree / int_bc03c871
comment
Child Hater: Mrs. Mavilda has been treating the orphans so horribly over the years that they were more willing to believe a tree loved them. She even makes it clear she's going to subject Pappy and Lily to the same abusive behavior despite still being with their mom, so it seems she just really hates children in general.
 The Christmas Tree / int_bc03c871
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_bc03c871
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_bc03c871
 The Christmas Tree / int_be617752
type
Ring-Ring-CRUNCH!
 The Christmas Tree / int_be617752
comment
Ring-Ring-CRUNCH!: Happens when Mrs. Mavilda wakes up one morning in a fit.
 The Christmas Tree / int_be617752
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_be617752
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_be617752
 The Christmas Tree / int_bf927e82
type
Non-Human Sidekick
 The Christmas Tree / int_bf927e82
comment
Non-Human Sidekick: Licorice the dog.
 The Christmas Tree / int_bf927e82
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_bf927e82
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_bf927e82
 The Christmas Tree / int_c1b2c63f
type
Dull Surprise
 The Christmas Tree / int_c1b2c63f
comment
Dull Surprise: Barring the scenery-chewing, the voice acting is... understated at best. Also near the end when Pappy tells his parents that Lily is probably dead, and their only reaction is their eyes going wide for a second. Then there's the group of kids saying "Oh, no!" so flatly, you'd think they'd been smoking a pound of weed beforehand.
 The Christmas Tree / int_c1b2c63f
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_c1b2c63f
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_c1b2c63f
 The Christmas Tree / int_c1d1d6ad
type
Who Names Their Kid "Dude"?
 The Christmas Tree / int_c1d1d6ad
comment
Who Names Their Kid "Dude"?: Ray and Judy's son is named Pappy, which is something that many children call their grandfathers. And apparently this is his real name.
 The Christmas Tree / int_c1d1d6ad
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_c1d1d6ad
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_c1d1d6ad
 The Christmas Tree / int_c2cedc1c
type
Big "NO!"
 The Christmas Tree / int_c2cedc1c
comment
Big "NO!": Mrs. Mavilda gives one when she loses all of the orphanage's money on one hand.
 The Christmas Tree / int_c2cedc1c
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_c2cedc1c
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_c2cedc1c
 The Christmas Tree / int_cf7ccd79
type
Orphanage of Fear
 The Christmas Tree / int_cf7ccd79
comment
Orphanage of Fear: It's clearly some kind of con setup, with money only being spent on food and electricity while Mavilda pockets the difference.
 The Christmas Tree / int_cf7ccd79
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_cf7ccd79
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_cf7ccd79
 The Christmas Tree / int_cf7fafbb
type
Orphanage of Love
 The Christmas Tree / int_cf7fafbb
comment
Orphanage of Love: Once Judy gets promoted.
 The Christmas Tree / int_cf7fafbb
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_cf7fafbb
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_cf7fafbb
 The Christmas Tree / int_cfd52068
type
Evil Orphanage Lady
 The Christmas Tree / int_cfd52068
comment
Evil Orphanage Lady: Mrs. Mavilda is a corrupt orphanage matron who wastes all her income gambling rather than helping the orphans. She even manages to go beyond that by being just as cruel and nasty to children who aren't her charges.
 The Christmas Tree / int_cfd52068
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_cfd52068
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_cfd52068
 The Christmas Tree / int_d24b61a8
type
Patchwork Map
 The Christmas Tree / int_d24b61a8
comment
Patchwork Map: According to the book that one of the girls is constantly carrying, the world in which this special takes place has one of these. It looks like a beheaded gingerbread man composed of weird chunks of different climates, and apparently indicates that the orphanage is not too far from the North Pole.
 The Christmas Tree / int_d24b61a8
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_d24b61a8
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_d24b61a8
 The Christmas Tree / int_d485cb13
type
Psychotic Smirk
 The Christmas Tree / int_d485cb13
comment
Psychotic Smirk: For some reason, the other kids in the orphanage greet Lily and Pappy with what are supposed to be warm smiles but instead look like they're planning on cooking and eating the brother and sister◊.
 The Christmas Tree / int_d485cb13
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_d485cb13
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_d485cb13
 The Christmas Tree / int_d6e495b2
type
Undisclosed Funds
 The Christmas Tree / int_d6e495b2
comment
Undisclosed Funds: The orphanage is paid in bags of money. Apparently, direct deposits, checks, bank accounts, and statements that have an actual amount listed do not exist in this universe.
 The Christmas Tree / int_d6e495b2
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_d6e495b2
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_d6e495b2
 The Christmas Tree / int_da1c8191
type
Writers Cannot Do Math
 The Christmas Tree / int_da1c8191
comment
Writers Cannot Do Math: A particularly egregious example that can be better described as "Writers Cannot Count Higher Than Five." Towards the end of the film, Ray says he and Judy will be adopting the orphans, so they'll have nine children to take care of. However, there are seven children in total (as can be seen on the page image): their two biological children, and the five orphans. (Was he counting Mavilda and the dog? Or maybe the dog and Mrs. Hopewell?)
 The Christmas Tree / int_da1c8191
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_da1c8191
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_da1c8191
 The Christmas Tree / int_e034faef
type
Limited Animation
 The Christmas Tree / int_e034faef
comment
Limited Animation: So much so that you'll be startled whenever there's movement.
 The Christmas Tree / int_e034faef
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_e034faef
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_e034faef
 The Christmas Tree / int_e11e88b6
type
Thousand-Yard Stare
 The Christmas Tree / int_e11e88b6
comment
Thousand-Yard Stare: Judy and especially Ray unintentionally appear to be permanently shell-shocked for the whole movie. It doesn't help that Judy, for some reason, NEVER opens her eyes completely (except to demonstrate shock at Lily's apparent death). The animators must've run out of white.
 The Christmas Tree / int_e11e88b6
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_e11e88b6
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_e11e88b6
 The Christmas Tree / int_e5406b1b
type
Beat
 The Christmas Tree / int_e5406b1b
comment
Beat: The Mayor has an awkward one mid-sentence when saying, "I've got enough money here to get the children new clothes. [beat] And still some left for their Christmas presents."
 The Christmas Tree / int_e5406b1b
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_e5406b1b
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_e5406b1b
 The Christmas Tree / int_e5fd8bc2
type
Hate Sink
 The Christmas Tree / int_e5fd8bc2
comment
Hate Sink: None of the orphans like Mrs. Mavilda due to her mistreatment of them. The one thing they wish the most from Mrs. Hopewell is for someone to adopt all of them so they won’t have to suffer under Mrs. Mavilda any more.
 The Christmas Tree / int_e5fd8bc2
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_e5fd8bc2
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_e5fd8bc2
 The Christmas Tree / int_e9f517e1
type
Artistic License – Geography
 The Christmas Tree / int_e9f517e1
comment
Artistic License – Geography: The town where the movie is set is apparently on the same landmass as the North Pole, at least according to a map the children consult later in the story, and is close enough to said town to be walked to. Assuming it takes place on our earth, this is impossible; the North Pole is in the middle of the Arctic Ocean, not on any sort of land. And even if it's simply meant to be interpreted as the place where Santa lives rather than the actual physical North Pole, for it to be anywhere near that area the setting would be far more harshly cold and barren than it's shown to be.
 The Christmas Tree / int_e9f517e1
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_e9f517e1
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_e9f517e1
 The Christmas Tree / int_eb8ec7c8
type
Jerkass
 The Christmas Tree / int_eb8ec7c8
comment
Jerkass: To put it bluntly, Mrs. Mavilda is a complete bitch — well, before her Heel–Face Turn anyway. She doesn't use any of the mayor's money to buy the orphans new clothes, gambles the money in her poker games, tries to send away the stray the orphans take in, tries to have Judy arrested just because the kids like her better than Mavilda, and attempts to cut down Mrs. Hopewell out of spite towards the kids.
 The Christmas Tree / int_eb8ec7c8
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_eb8ec7c8
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_eb8ec7c8
 The Christmas Tree / int_f36c4f98
type
Easily Forgiven
 The Christmas Tree / int_f36c4f98
comment
Easily Forgiven: Not only is Mrs. Mavilda not sentenced for child abuse and embezzlement at the end, she retains a job at the orphanage (albeit as Judy's assistant)! All because of her lightning-induced Heel–Face Turn.
 The Christmas Tree / int_f36c4f98
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_f36c4f98
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_f36c4f98
 The Christmas Tree / int_f3d5d15f
type
Creepy Child
 The Christmas Tree / int_f3d5d15f
comment
Creepy Child: The orphans have shades of this and also of being some kind of hive mind, as they all develop the same bizarre, almost diabolical expression when meeting Judy's kids for the first time.
 The Christmas Tree / int_f3d5d15f
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_f3d5d15f
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_f3d5d15f
 The Christmas Tree / int_f4fe270
type
Villainous Glutton
 The Christmas Tree / int_f4fe270
comment
Villainous Glutton: Mrs. Mavilda spends all of the money given to the orphanage on self-indulgence, treating herself to fine meals while the orphans eat slop and then gambling the rest of the money away in card games while getting plastered.
 The Christmas Tree / int_f4fe270
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_f4fe270
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_f4fe270
 The Christmas Tree / int_f5f79e56
type
Hard-Work Montage
 The Christmas Tree / int_f5f79e56
comment
Hard-Work Montage: Judy builds a swing set and a slide during a montage. She places them around Mrs. Hopewell, a pine tree which the orphans love.
 The Christmas Tree / int_f5f79e56
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_f5f79e56
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_f5f79e56
 The Christmas Tree / int_fd76df83
type
Artistic License – Economics
 The Christmas Tree / int_fd76df83
comment
Artistic License – Economics: The mayor measures money in bags and not numbers.
 The Christmas Tree / int_fd76df83
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_fd76df83
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_fd76df83
 The Christmas Tree / int_fdf22cfd
type
Evil Is Hammy
 The Christmas Tree / int_fdf22cfd
comment
Evil Is Hammy: Mrs. Mavilda could give Davros a run for his money on this.
 The Christmas Tree / int_fdf22cfd
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_fdf22cfd
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_fdf22cfd
 The Christmas Tree / int_fe64d5a1
type
Evil Is Petty
 The Christmas Tree / int_fe64d5a1
comment
Evil Is Petty: Mrs. Mavilda apparently considers torturing the children and ruining their happiness to be worth her while, in addition to keeping the money given to her by the Mayor.
 The Christmas Tree / int_fe64d5a1
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_fe64d5a1
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_fe64d5a1
 The Christmas Tree / int_name
type
ItemName
 The Christmas Tree / int_name
comment
 The Christmas Tree / int_name
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Christmas Tree / int_name
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
The Christmas Tree / int_name
 The Christmas Tree / int_name
itemName
The Christmas Tree

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
A Twinkle in the Sky / int_570d1b3b
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
Bears Are Bad News / int_570d1b3b
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
Bolt of Divine Retribution / int_570d1b3b
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
Christmas Episode / int_570d1b3b
 ChristmasInTattertown
seeAlso
The Christmas Tree
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
Christmas Special / int_570d1b3b
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
Cunning People Play Poker / int_570d1b3b
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
Domestic-Only Cartoon / int_570d1b3b
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
Evil Orphanage Lady / int_570d1b3b
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
Glurge / int_570d1b3b
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
Hard-Work Montage / int_570d1b3b
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
Insult to Rocks / int_570d1b3b
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
Little Stowaway / int_570d1b3b
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
No Budget / int_570d1b3b
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
Private Profit Prison / int_570d1b3b
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
Ring-Ring-CRUNCH! / int_570d1b3b
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
Stock Money Bag / int_570d1b3b
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
Storybook Opening / int_570d1b3b
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
Thinking Out Loud / int_570d1b3b
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
Undisclosed Funds / int_570d1b3b
 The Christmas Tree
hasFeature
Wicked Wastefulness / int_570d1b3b