Pinocchio's Christmas facts for kids

Pinocchio's Christmas is a special Christmas TV show from 1980. It was made by Rankin/Bass Productions. This show tells a holiday story based on the famous book The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. It first aired on ABC on December 3, 1980. This special uses a cool animation style called stop motion.

Pinocchio's First Christmas

It's Pinocchio's very first Christmas! His father, Geppetto, wants to buy him a special gift. Geppetto sells his boots to buy Pinocchio an arithmetic book. But Pinocchio has a different idea. He sells the book to buy a present for Geppetto.

Meeting Tricky Friends

Pinocchio soon meets the sneaky Fox and Cat. He thinks they are his friends. They tell him to bury his money in the snow. They promise it will grow into a Christmas tree covered in gold and silver coins. Pinocchio believes them and buries the money. While he's not looking, the Fox and Cat dig up the coins. When Pinocchio returns, the tree hasn't grown. The Fox and Cat pretend they don't know why.

A Puppet Show Adventure

Pinocchio then joins Maestro Fire-Eater's Christmas puppet show. He plays a character called Sir Larry Olive-Tree. During the show, Pinocchio makes a new friend. Her name is Julietta, and she is another puppet. After the show, Maestro Fire-Eater says he needs Julietta for a Christmas pageant. But Pinocchio runs off, taking Julietta with him! Maestro Fire-Eater calls a gendarme (a police officer) to chase them.

Escaping and Explaining

Pinocchio escapes the police and takes Julietta to the Forest of Enchantment. This is where Pinocchio was first created. He tells Julietta his whole story. He explains how he came to life. He also talks about accidentally chasing away the Talking Cricket, who is Geppetto's friend. Pinocchio shares how the Fox and Cat taught him to be naughty and skip school. After his story, Pinocchio worries he might never see his father again.

Lady Azura's Wisdom

Suddenly, the Fox and Cat appear again. They tell Pinocchio they know how to bring Julietta to life. They say he needs a secret medicine. To find it, he must go on a sleigh ride over seven mountains and seven valleys. Before Pinocchio can leave, a blue light appears. It calls his name, scaring away the Fox and Cat. Pinocchio faints.

The blue light is Lady Azura. She is the one who planted the seed that grew into Pinocchio's tree. She brings a doctor, who Pinocchio recognizes as the Talking Cricket. Pinocchio tries to lie about taking Julietta. This makes his nose grow! When he sees his nose, Pinocchio tells the truth, and it shrinks back to normal. Lady Azura tells Pinocchio that the best gift for Geppetto is love. Pinocchio leaves Julietta with Lady Azura. Dr. Cricket goes with Pinocchio to keep him out of trouble.

More Tricky Situations

Pinocchio starts his journey home. But he runs into the Fox and Cat again! They tell him to go to the North Pole. They say he can get a job teaching Santa Claus' toys how to dance. They take Pinocchio to a sleigh driver. The driver wraps Pinocchio in a gift box. He then sells the box to a duke who needs a present for his children. The duke doesn't spend much time with his kids. When the children open their present, Pinocchio tells the duke to stay home with them for Christmas.

A Happy Christmas Reunion

After this, Santa Claus arrives in his sleigh. He brings Pinocchio and Dr. Cricket back to Geppetto's workshop. Pinocchio is so happy to be reunited with his father! He promises to always be a good boy. Lady Azura then arrives with her helpers and a now-living Julietta. They all sit down for Christmas breakfast.

During the meal, Lady Azura tells Pinocchio something important. She says he might still get into trouble sometimes. (Pinocchio even sees the Fox and Cat waving briefly from the window!) She mentions he will have other adventures, like getting turned into a donkey or swallowed by a whale. But she says as long as he tries to be good, he will someday become a real boy.

Characters in the Story

• Todd Porter – Pinocchio
• George S. Irving – Mister Geppetto
• Alan King – Maestro Fire-Eater
• Bob McFadden – Talking Cricket, Sleigh Driver
• Allen Swift – The Fox, Santa Claus, Mr. Cherry
• Pat Bright – The Cat
• Diane Leslie – Lady Azura
• Gerry Matthews – Additional voice
• Ray Owens – Additional voice
• Tiffany Blake – Child
• Carl Tramon – Child
• Alice Gayle – Child

Behind the Scenes Team

• Producers/Directors – Arthur Rankin, Jr., Jules Bass
• Writer – Romeo Muller
• Music – Maury Laws
• Lyrics – Julian P. Gardner
• Design – Paul Coker, Jr.
• Sound Recording – John Curcio
• Production Coordinator – Lee Dannacher
• Associate Producer – Masaki Iizuka
• Animagic Supervisors – Akikazu Kono, Ichiro Komuro, Hiroshi Tabata, Seiichi Araki, Fuminori Minami, Mituharu Hirata, Shinichi Noro
• Music Arranger/Conductor – Maury Laws

Songs from the Special

• "I Never Know What Gifts To Buy" – Sung by Geppetto
• "Knock On Wood" – Sung by Pinocchio and Chorus
• "Let 'Em Laugh" – Sung by Maestro Fire-Eater and Chorus
• "It's The Truth" – Sung by The Fox and the Cat
• "Love, The Perfect Gift For Christmas Day" – Sung by Lady Azora
• "The Very Best Friend I Ever Had" – Sung by Geppetto
• "Dancin'" – Sung by Pinocchio and Chorus
• "Wicked Glee" – Sung by Sleigh Driver

More Pinocchio Stories

• The New Adventures of Pinocchio (1960–1961), another show also made by Rankin/Bass