Franklin's Magic Christmas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Franklin's Magic Christmas |
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| Directed by | John van Bruggen |
| Written by | Betty Quan |
| Starring | Noah Reid, Elizabeth Brown, Richard Newman, Bryn McAuley, Luca Perlman, Kristen Bone, Mari Trainor, Donald Burda, Joyce Gordon, Eric Peterson, Araby Lockhart, Chris Wiggins |
| Studio | Nelvana |
| Distributed by | Kaboom! Entertainment |
| Release date(s) | November 6, 2001 |
| Running time | 55 minutes |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
Franklin's Magic Christmas is an animated movie that came out in 2001. It's the second film featuring Franklin the Turtle. You could watch it at home on video or DVD. This movie is a bit shorter than other Franklin films like Franklin and the Green Knight and Franklin and the Turtle Lake Treasure. It has also been shown on TV channels like Nick Jr. in the United States and Family Channel in Canada. The story is loosely based on the book called Franklin and Harriet.
Contents
Story of Franklin's Christmas Adventure
Getting Ready for Christmas
Franklin the Turtle, his little sister Harriet, and their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Turtle, are getting ready for Christmas. They plan to visit Mrs. Turtle's parents, Franklin's grandparents, at Faraway Farm. This farm is where Mrs. Turtle grew up. As they prepare to leave, they sing parts of the song Deck the Halls.
Franklin quickly gets annoyed with Harriet. She throws a snowball at him, making him drop a big pile of presents. Franklin's best friend Bear and his little sister Beatrice come to pick up Franklin's goldfish, Goldie. In the rush, Franklin accidentally leaves his favorite stuffed toy dog, Sam, behind. Franklin thinks Harriet purposely left Sam in the snow. But actually, Beatrice found Sam, and Bear forgot to give it back to Franklin before they left.
Arriving at Faraway Farm
Franklin is still annoyed with Harriet when they arrive at Faraway Farm. He gets even more upset when he finds out they have to sleep in the same room. That evening, his grandmother, Jenny, tells a strange story. It's about a reindeer she saw when she was a child. The story includes a flashback showing young Jenny and her father. Jenny admits she might have imagined the reindeer.
Mr. Turtle takes a family portrait, and Franklin looks sad because he misses Sam. Then, Jenny shows Franklin the bright star Sirius outside. She sings Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star to him before sending him to bed.
A Secret Project and a Discovery
The next day, Franklin helps Jenny feed the chickens. Jenny then shares a little surprise with him. She is fixing up an old sleigh for Grandfather Turtle. Franklin decides to help. Jenny introduces him to her neighbors, the Collies, who help collect polish for the sleigh.
That night, an ice storm hits, causing a blackout. While Franklin looks for candles in the attic closet, he finds something special. It's a bell from Jenny's story! This shows that Jenny's story about the reindeer wasn't just imagination after all.
Christmas Eve and a Broken Leg
The next morning, which is Christmas Eve, Franklin shows the bell to Jenny. He suggests they use the bell for his grandfather's sleigh. Jenny asks Harriet to help with the sleigh. But Harriet accidentally spills the secret about the sleigh at lunch. Franklin gets frustrated, but luckily, his grandfather doesn't hear.
Later, Mr. and Mrs. Turtle go to check on the Collies. Franklin and Harriet continue working on the sleigh. Franklin tells Harriet not to ring the bell. But she does anyway! Just like in Jenny's story, a reindeer appears. Franklin runs to the house to tell Jenny. As he runs, he accidentally distracts Grandfather Turtle. Grandfather slips on some ice and breaks his leg.
Back inside, Jenny checks on Grandfather Turtle and tells him to rest. Grandfather comforts Harriet when she starts to cry. When Franklin feels guilty, Grandfather Turtle tells him it was just an accident. Jenny sends Franklin and Harriet to their room while she takes care of Grandfather Turtle.
Lost in the Woods and a Magical Return
Franklin decides to use the sleigh to go back to Woodland. He wants to find Bear and Beatrice's mother, Dr. Bear, to help Grandfather. He soon finds out that Harriet has hidden in the back of the sleigh and come along. Rosie the horse, who is pulling the sleigh, is surprised. Rosie runs away, leaving the two young turtles stranded and lost in the woods.
Back at the farm, Jenny finds a note Franklin wrote. It says he went back to Woodland to find Dr. Bear. Mr. and Mrs. Turtle soon return home from the Collies' house. They discover what happened and become very worried about Franklin and Harriet.
Meanwhile, Franklin gets angry and scolds his sister for not listening. This makes Harriet cry. Franklin then comforts her and apologizes. Harriet then reveals that she has the bell! With Franklin's permission, she rings it. This time, two reindeer appear. One of them has the exact same bell as the one Franklin and Harriet have. Franklin realizes the bell must belong to this other reindeer. That's why he always comes when someone rings it.
With the bell back, the original reindeer magically creates a harness. With the help of the two reindeer, Franklin and Harriet quickly arrive at the Bears' house and get Dr. Bear. Back at the farm, Jenny and Mr. and Mrs. Turtle decide to split up to find the children. Rosie returns to the farm. Then, everyone sees Franklin, Harriet, and Dr. Bear arrive by sleigh. Dr. Bear puts a cast on Grandfather Turtle's leg. She also returns Sam, Franklin's stuffed dog, to him, which makes Franklin very happy.
That night, Franklin and Harriet look out the window. They see Santa Claus and the reindeer. The movie ends with Franklin and Harriet wishing each other a merry Christmas.
