The Magic Snowflake facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Magic Snowflake
English Poster
Directed by	Luc Vinciguerra Art director: Richard Despres
Produced by	Pierre Belaisch Executive producers: Heath Kenny Jean-Pierre Quenet
Written by	Alexandre Révérend
Starring	Michael Sorich Cole Sand Mary Pat Gleason Andrew Morris Richard Tatum Bailey Gambertoglio
Music by	Robert Marcel Lepage
Editing by	Soline Guyonneau
Studio	Gaumont Animation Snipple Animation Dapaco Productions
Distributed by	Gaumont
Release date(s)	November 20, 2013 (2013-11-20) (France) December 23, 2015 (2015-12-23) (United States)
Running time	73 minutes
Country	France Belgium
Language	English French

The Magic Snowflake (its French name is L'Apprenti Père Noël et le flocon magique) is an animated Christmas adventure comedy film. It was made by Gaumont Animation in 2013. This movie was also produced with Snipple Animation and Dapaco Productions. It is a follow-up to the 2010 animated movie Santa's Apprentice.

What Happens in the Movie

A New Santa's First Day

The movie starts with a boy writing a letter to Santa. He wants a remote control flying bug. At the North Pole, a boy named Tim-Tim picks up the mail. He takes it to Santa's workshop. Santa's wife, Beatrice Lovejoy, collects the letters.

Santa is ready to retire. He gives his robe and hat to Nicholas. Everyone congratulates Nicholas on becoming the new Santa. After Santa and Mrs. Lovejoy leave, Nicholas takes over. He reads the letter from the boy who wants a flying bug. Tim-Tim secretly enters the workshop. Beatrice sees him and shows him around. Nicholas asks Tim-Tim to leave.

Nicholas's Strange Changes

The next morning, Nicholas wakes up with white hair. He shaves it, but it grows back. He tries to make the flying bug. It turns into a fiery bee and causes damage. The elves stop it. Nicholas tells Beatrice what happened. He sees Tim-Tim again. His voice gets deeper. He angrily tells Tim-Tim to leave.

Beatrice sees Nicholas's changes. She calls the Council of Retired Santas. They need to explain what is happening. Meanwhile, Santa and Mrs. Lovejoy are in Sydney. Santa worries about Nicholas. He holds his blue bunny toy for comfort.

Santa Returns to Help

Santa and Mrs. Lovejoy visit an orphanage. Santa wants a job, but Mr. Ratchet, the director, says no. Santa hears something from the fireplace. He goes up and lands in his old workshop. Santa returns and finds Nicholas. They go to the basement. The magic snowflake has melted.

The Council of Retired Santas arrives. Nicholas and Beatrice explain everything. Santa tells Nicholas he has "Grown-up-itis." This means he is growing up too fast. Beatrice and Santa ask Victorian Santa to take over. He will run the workshop until Nicholas is better.

The Advent Calendar Doors

Santa and Nicholas go to a snowy field. Nicholas sees a door marked 24. Santa explains these are advent calendar doors. Only Nicholas can see them. Nicholas enters door 24. He sees himself in the future. He is a boss who makes toys that make kids grow up faster. Nicholas and Rufus find a hamster marked 7. They leave door 24.

Back at the workshop, Victorian Santa sees a handheld game. He realizes it's too modern. He dislikes all the new toys. He decides to change things. Nicholas shows Santa the hamster with number 7. He says it's the next door. He enters door 7. He meets Tim-Tim and his mother, the Shaman. The Shaman tells Nicholas to find door 3. It is near Bear Mountain and leads to the past.

Nicholas tells Santa about door 3. Then Nicholas sees door 1. Santa warns him not to enter. Nicholas ignores him and goes in. He sees himself as a baby with his parents. They are boarding a ship. Nicholas tries to stop them, but it's too late. After he leaves door 1, the advent calendar doors fall apart. Nicholas now has a beard. Santa asks Nicholas if door 3 still works. Nicholas and Rufus go to Bear Mountain alone. Santa returns to the orphanage.

Victorian Santa's Plan

At Santa's workshop, Victorian Santa changes toys into bricks. Beatrice asks him why. He says kids can use their imagination with bricks. He locks Beatrice in a toy room. He wants her to stay there until after Christmas Eve.

At the orphanage, Santa entertains a girl named Zoe with his bunny. Mr. Ratchet sees this. Santa takes Mr. Ratchet and Zoe through the fireplace. They go through tunnels to a ship at the North Pole. Mr. Ratchet knows how to steer the ship. They arrive at the workshop. Victorian Santa is making bricks. Santa tries to stop him, but Victorian Santa refuses. He locks Santa, Mr. Ratchet, and Zoe in the toy room. Waldorf barely escapes. He goes to find Nicholas.

Nicholas Saves Christmas

Nicholas and Rufus arrive at Bear Mountain. Nicholas slides down the snow. His beard starts to disappear. The magic snowflake is fixed. Spirit fairies fly to Bear Mountain. The bear reveals door 3. Nicholas hears Waldorf calling. Nicholas enters door 3. He sees himself at age 3 in the orphanage. Nicholas realizes his teddy bear was a toy Santa gave him.

In the toy room, Santa gives Zoe his bunny. Mr. Ratchet sees how kind Santa is. Santa knows his glowing heart connects them. In the past, Nicholas hugs his teddy bear. He gives it back to his 3-year-old self. He leaves door 3. Nicholas's "Grown-up-itis" is cured! Nicholas and Rufus ride Waldorf to Tim-Tim's igloo. The Shaman congratulates Nicholas. Nicholas invites Tim-Tim to the workshop. He apologizes for yelling.

Nicholas, Tim-Tim, Rufus, and Waldorf go to the workshop. Tim-Tim distracts the elves. Nicholas uses a pencil to unlock the toy room door. He explains everything to Santa. Victorian Santa sees them. He locks them in the toy room with Tim-Tim.

Nicholas plans to make the boy's wish come true. He makes a remote control butterfly. He uses a pencil attached to it to pick the lock. They are finally free! Nicholas rides Waldorf to stop Victorian Santa. Nicholas convinces him to change his ways. He makes him turn back to the workshop. Nicholas collapses. Victorian Santa feels bad. Nicholas wakes up with the butterfly wings he made. The sleigh returns to the workshop.

Christmas is Saved!

Nicholas, Beatrice, Humphrey, and Santa change the bricks back into toys. There are only 2 hours left for Christmas delivery! Nicholas suggests using the butterfly wings to speed things up. They make a super-fast delivery around the world. They deliver the remote control butterfly to the boy.

Everything is successful. Nicholas now lets children visit Santa's Workshop. Victorian Santa keeps his promise. He provides Christmas dinner for everyone. Mrs. Lovejoy enters. She asks why Santa wasn't in Sydney. Santa explains what happened. Mr. Ratchet sees what Santa did. He offers Santa the job to run the orphanage. Everyone enjoys Christmas dinner. In the basement, the retired Santas are still playing a game under the magic snowflake.

Characters in the Story

Who Lent Their Voices

When the Movie Came Out

This movie first came out in France on November 20, 2013. The English version was released in Canada on November 30, 2013. The movie was also released in the United States. It was available on Netflix USA starting December 20, 2015, but only for a limited time.

How to Watch at Home

On November 1, 2016, the movie was released on DVD in the US. It came as a double feature with Santa's Apprentice. A special edition Blu-ray of the movie (77 minutes long) was released in the USA on February 19, 2019.