The Secret World of Santa Claus facts for kids

The Secret World of Santa Claus (also known as Le Monde secret du Père Noël in French) is a fun children's animated TV show. It's shown in many countries around the world, like Teletoon in Canada and Super RTL in Germany. You can usually watch it every December during the Christmas holidays! On Christmas Day in 1999, there was a long marathon of the show. Since 2013, some episodes have been released on DVD in the US.

About the Show

This animated series takes you into the magical world of Santa Claus and his helpers. It's all about the adventures they have as they prepare for Christmas. The show teaches us about friendship, teamwork, and believing in the spirit of Christmas.

What's the Story?

Each episode usually starts with Santa Claus getting ready for Christmas at his North Pole workshop. He's busy with lots of Christmas activities. But then, two sneaky villains, Gruzzlebeard** and his partner **Dudley, show up! They always try to mess up Santa's plans and ruin Christmas for children.

These two trolls often end up getting caught in their own traps. In the end, everything usually works out perfectly for Santa and his team. It shows that good always wins over bad!

Meet the Characters

Let's get to know the amazing characters who live and work at the North Pole!

Santa Claus

Santa Claus is the main hero of the show. He's also known as Father Christmas. He has a big workshop at the North Pole where he works with his three elves. Santa travels around the world in his sleigh, pulled by his trusty reindeer.

It's not clear how old Santa is, but in one episode, "The 12 Labours of Santa Claus," we learn he's been Santa for at least 100 years! He always wears his classic red suit, hat, pants, and black boots with golden buckles.

Thoren the Elf

Thoren is the only girl elf at Santa's workshop. She is very kind and caring. Like the other elves, she always wants the best for Santa Claus. She also makes sure everyone stays safe.

Thoren has special powers! She can fly, become invisible for a short time, and understand any language, even animal talk. She can't use her powers for too long, though. People think she is the second oldest elf, after Jordi.

Guilfi the Elf

Guilfi is the tallest elf at the workshop. He is super good with machines and fixing things. He wears a red hat and often has his sleeves rolled up, ready to work. Guilfi hasn't become a Master elf like Thoren or Jordi yet, so he usually stays at the workshop.

He doesn't have powers until the very last episode, when he learns telekinesis (moving things with his mind). Sometimes Santa takes Guilfi on missions when Jordi can't go. Guilfi might be the youngest elf, but he even learned Russian!

Jordi the Elf

Jordi is probably the oldest elf because he's very skilled with magic. He is the shortest elf and wears a red hat with a pompom. His shirt is usually untucked. Jordi is the cleverest of the three elves and also good with mechanics, like Guilfi.

He always wants to help people but sometimes acts without thinking first. Jordi has the amazing power to change into any animal for as long as he wants!

Balbo the Polar Bear

Balbo is a friendly polar bear who helps Santa. In one episode, we find out Santa found him lost on an iceberg, separated from his parents. Santa took him to the workshop, and Balbo has been there ever since.

Balbo is very playful but also a bit clumsy. He often watches over the workshop with Guilfi. He also has a crush on Thoren!

Gruzzlebeard the Troll

Gruzzlebeard is the main bad guy in the show and Santa's neighbor. He's a big Troll who looks almost human. He has a large blue, messy beard (that's where his name comes from!) and a bald, cone-shaped head.

Gruzzlebeard loves telling Dudley what to do and playing his guitar, even though he's not very good. He often calls Santa "That Red-suited Sap" or "Bulbnose." He calls the elves "The Oafs" and the reindeer "The Hatracks." Gruzzlebeard and Dudley seem to live forever and never get old.

Dudley the Troll

Dudley is a different kind of Troll from Gruzzlebeard. He's a "Terrible Troll," which is a close relative of elves. We learn this in the episode "The Story of the Trolls." Dudley can be sneaky and mean like Gruzzlebeard, but he also has a good side.

He sometimes helps Santa, usually to save himself from trouble. He often gets tired of how Gruzzlebeard treats him. Like Gruzzlebeard, Dudley also seems to live forever and never gets old.

The Reindeer

Instead of the usual nine reindeer, Santa's sleigh is pulled by only three in this show: Rudolph**, his father **Donner**, and the talkative **Blitzen. The other two don't have very big roles.

Rudolph had his own episode where he felt unwanted. He ran away and made friends with a young Inuit boy. They eventually said goodbye when Santa found Rudolph.

Exciting Episodes

Here are some of the exciting adventures Santa and his friends have!

This film, television or video-related list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it with reliably sourced additions.

The Magic Pearl

Gruzzlebeard tries to stop toy production by stealing Santa's toy machine. But he accidentally smashes it! The machine can be fixed, but the magic pearl that powers it breaks in the sunlight. Santa, Balbo, Guilfi, and Thoren go back to the cave where they first found the pearl. They need to find another one.

They face a giant Abominable Snowman and a monster bat! With clever thinking and a bit of luck, they find a new pearl. They bring it back to the repaired toy machine, and toy-making can start again!

The 12 Labors of Santa Claus

Santa gets a letter saying he has to take 12 special tests. He takes these tests every 100 years to keep his job as Santa! When the judges get lost, Gruzzlebeard shows them where Santa is, hoping Santa will fail.

Gruzzlebeard and Dudley try to cheat many times, but the elves always make sure Santa passes. On the last test, Santa sees a child in danger from a falling icicle. He leaves the test to save the child. Even though he didn't finish the test on time, Santa is still allowed to be Santa for another 100 years because of his bravery!

Little Geniuses

Santa's computer says there are only twin brothers in a town called Sugartown. Santa, Thoren, and Guilfi visit, pretending to be a family. The elves learn that the twins are super smart but also troublemakers. Their parents are computer experts.

The elves figure out the twins hacked Santa's gift list! Thoren tries to sneak into their house but gets caught. Guilfi helps her "escape," but the boys follow them and hide on Santa's sleigh. They want to hack Santa's main computer to get all the presents. Santa teaches them a lesson, and the twins end up helping fix a problem with the toy machine. They learn that being good is more important than being sneaky.

Rudolph is Missing

It's a practice run for Santa's sleigh ride. Afterward, the reindeer get a break. Rudolph doesn't listen to Santa and goes ice skating. He falls through the ice and gets a cold, so he can't pull the sleigh. Rudolph feels sad, thinking Santa won't need him anymore.

Meanwhile, Gruzzlebeard accidentally gets a letter meant for Santa, asking for Rudolph. Gruzzlebeard tells Rudolph to deliver the present himself to prove how great he is. Rudolph runs away, and Santa and the elves worry. They go after him and bring Rudolph back. They then punish Gruzzlebeard. In the end, Santa gives the child a baby reindeer whose parents were caught by wolves.

The Starchild

Santa gets a message from a boy named Simon who wants a pony, and he's in Outer Space! Santa, Jordi, and Thoren decide to go to Space to deliver the pony. Balbo and Guilfi stay at the workshop. Gruzzlebeard tries to wreck the sleigh, but the pony kicks him into it!

Santa and the elves shrink the pony to take him to space. But Gruzzlebeard is also in space with them! Santa shrinks Gruzzlebeard too and delivers the pony. A meteorite is heading straight for Simon's space station! The sleigh pulls the space station out of the way, making it a happy Christmas for Simon.

Leon's Christmas

Santa is getting fewer and fewer Christmas letters. It turns out a boy named Leon is telling people to stop believing in Santa Claus! Santa and the elves find out that Leon's letter got lost years ago. He wanted his dog, Lenny, back. Lenny had been given away to a lady who dyed all her dogs pink, but he ran away.

Since Santa didn't bring his dog back, Leon started telling everyone not to believe. Santa and his team find Lenny and bring him back. Leon finally learns that Santa is real and that sometimes things just get lost.

A Present for Two

Santa hasn't received a letter from a boy named Alex. Alex is the richest boy in the world, but his dad doesn't let him play with other kids. He's homeschooled and has no friends. Santa takes Alex to the workshop to choose a toy, but Alex's dad has already bought every toy!

After Alex gets lost with the reindeer, he finally decides what he wants: to be Santa! Santa lets him give a present to one person. Alex chooses his crush, Kathy, hoping to get closer to her. Kathy had asked Santa for a bike. She gets a bike with two seats, one for her and one for Alex. Alex is finally happy.

Super Rabbit

A boy named Randy has a rabbit doll named Jumper. But his older brother, Frank, throws it away, saying it's for babies. Santa and the elves get the toy back. Frank still won't let Randy have it.

Santa decides to make a video game called "Super Rabbit," which is Frank's favorite kind of thing. The game comes with a free Super Rabbit doll. Since Frank is interested in the game, he lets Randy have the doll. It turns out that Frank also secretly loves the doll!

The Lucky Charm

A figure skater named Crystal has lost her lucky charm, and now she's not skating well. Santa and the elves must find it. Meanwhile, Gruzzlebeard** puts **Dudley in the world skating competition and cheats so Dudley will win. Jordi secretly changes the remote so if Gruzzlebeard cheats, Dudley will get a surprise!

Santa gives Crystal a fake lucky charm, and she skates wonderfully, winning along with her best friend, Natasha. Thoren and Balbo also win a prize. Dudley doesn't skate well because he's sick. When Santa tells Crystal the charm was fake, she learns to believe in herself. He then gives her beautiful crystal skates for Christmas.

The Flying Carpet

A boy's father, an archaeologist, can't come home for Christmas because something was stolen from his dig site. He can't leave until it's found. Meanwhile, Santa has gone to Almeria. Gruzzlebeard mixes up the phone wires so when the elves call Santa, they call Gruzzlebeard instead. They ask to go to Almeria for a magic carpet, and Gruzzlebeard says yes.

However, they get captured by the people who stole the item! These people want to trade the elves for the stolen item. Gruzzlebeard helps Santa to get forgiven. Then, the boy's father is brought back to his son on the magic carpet for Christmas.

Santa Claus' Memoirs

A famous reporter comes to the North Pole to interview Santa about his greatest adventure. Santa tells her about a time a thousand years ago. He received a letter from a boy named Arthur, asking for Excalibur. Santa and Guilfi head to England.

Santa is mistaken for a jouster and defeats Gruzzlebeard, who was a Viscount. He learns that Excalibur is a sword held by Merlin. In an enchanted forest, they meet Merlin, who says the Lady of the Lake has the sword. They get the sword after solving a riddle. Just as they are about to deliver it, Gruzzlebeard tries to steal it, so Merlin puts it into a stone. He says that on Christmas Eve, whoever pulls it out will be king of England. After many knights try, Arthur pulls it out! The reporter asks for a picture, but Santa magically erases it to keep their secret safe.

Magic Wand

Morgan is often teased about her long nose. She wishes for a magic wand to make it shorter. Gruzzlebeard makes a fake magic wand from the wrong wood under a full moon and gives it to her, pretending it's from Santa.

Morgan can't control this wand, and people all over the city start turning into animals! Santa and the elves come to save the day. Morgan learns to accept how she looks. Gruzzlebeard is punished when they give him a broken wand.

The Boy Who Wished to be Little Again

Dudley** is tired of **Gruzzlebeard teasing him for being small. A boy named David wants to be smaller for Christmas because his baby sister gets all the attention. Dudley steals a machine from Santa and secretly makes himself huge and David smaller than a spider.

David learns his lesson about wanting to be small. Santa becomes small and Thoren becomes huge so Santa can rescue David. Once David is safe, and learns his family cares for him, everyone returns to normal size. Santa then gives the boy's sister a carousel, which was what her older brother had wished for her.

A Present for Santa

The elves are called to a nearby village by children who want to know what Santa wants for Christmas. They try many ideas, but nothing seems right. Meanwhile, Gruzzlebeard sends two termites to eat Santa's home!

Jordi catches them after they eat a special suit Santa wears for a Christmas Convention. Santa is sad because his suit had special powers. The elves and Balbo go to the Forest of the Trolls to get materials for a new suit and fireflies for the runway lights. They trade Balbo's fur for materials. After much effort, they give Santa the new suit. The next morning, the elves find a big present: a hot air balloon! They return the termites to Gruzzlebeard's house, and they eat it down to the ground.

The Christmas Conference

Every hundred years, Santa invites his magical friends to the North Pole. He turns the area near his workshop into a sunny paradise. He gets a letter from a boy who wishes to fly because his city can only be reached by helicopter. Santa sends Thoren and Guilfi to get his friends: Frosty Freddie (controls snow/ice), Helpy Helga (controls rain), and Stardust Glitter (controls fire).

Santa also expects Bafauna, an old lady who rides a broomstick and controls wind. But she gets lost and is caught by Gruzzlebeard. Gruzzlebeard pretends to be her to sneak into the conference. Santa holds a contest to see who can make the best flying present. Gruzzlebeard sabotages their inventions. The elves unmask Gruzzlebeard, and everyone frees Bafauna. Santa realizes they should work together. They create a flight suit resistant to all elements with GPS. Gruzzlebeard and Dudley get trapped in their own home by Frosty Freddie's ice powers.

The Story of the Trolls

Two young Scottish children ask for information about elves. Santa tells the elves about their origins. Elves grew up in a magical land and had fierce rivals: the Terrible Trolls. They make a moving picture book about it.

Gruzzlebeard** finds out and has **Dudley build an antimatter beam to Santa's workshop. When the book is finished, Trolls come out of it, causing chaos! Everyone locks the Trolls inside. To stop them, Santa, Thoren, and Jordi learn that the secret lies with the Trolls themselves. They sneak into Gruzzlebeard's house. Santa finds that the globe under Dudley's hat is made of steel. The next day, the sleigh has a magnet powered by a solar panel. Rudolph helps them fly above the clouds to power the magnet. The magnet pulls the Trolls together, smashing their globes. They are returned to the book. Jordi reveals he changed the beam to attract metal, pulling all metal objects in Gruzzlebeard's house.

Christmas for Dudley

Dudley** is tired of doing all of **Gruzzlebeard's chores. He wants a robot for Christmas to do them all. The elves feel bad for Dudley and make him one, even without asking Santa. However, the robot goes wild and starts taking all the North Pole's electricity!

Everyone works together to stop the robot. They finally catch it and make it pedal to create electricity. Santa then gives Dudley a robot to keep Gruzzlebeard busy, so Dudley can relax.

The Return of Santa Claus

Jordi creates a teleportation device. Santa and the three elves go into it, but Gruzzlebeard cuts a wire, sending them to the year 2222! In the future, Santa is forgotten, and Gruzzlebeard has a monument. Only a boy named Hubert remembers Santa, thanks to a picture Santa gave one of his ancestors.

Santa, the elves, and Hubert stop the future Gruzzlebeard and save the future. They return to the present and stop Gruzzlebeard before he cuts the wire. The future is changed, and Santa gives an unknowing Hubert a toy Santa. This episode shows that both Gruzzlebeard and Dudley are immortal and never age.

The Tall Little Girl

It's Balbo's birthday, and Santa is planning a surprise party. A girl named Kinshey wants to be taller because her coach won't let her play basketball. Disobeying Santa, Jordi gives Kinshey a potion to make her taller, but it makes her giant!

She starts accidentally damaging the city. Santa comes to the rescue and makes her normal size again. Kinshey then appreciates her real size. After Balbo's party, they go to the basketball game, and Kinshey is allowed to play! She plays great. Santa then gives her a pair of spring-heeled shoes.

The Teddy Bear

A boy wants a teddy bear the size of a real bear for Christmas! The elves are being a bit mean to Balbo, so Balbo decides to run away and give himself to the boy. Gruzzlebeard goes after Balbo because he wants to hypnotize him to learn Santa's secrets.

The boy becomes very attached to Balbo, but Gruzzlebeard takes him away. Soon, Gruzzlebeard, Balbo, and the boy all end up in the middle of a lake, in danger. Santa eventually saves them all. He then gives the boy a plush Balbo that can grow to life-size.

Stolen Christmas

A boy named Jesse didn't get a present one Christmas when he was little, so he thinks no one else should either. He dresses up as Santa Claus to trick mail carriers into sending all letters to his mansion. He also robs stores so others can't get toys.

The real Santa is arrested, and the fake Santa goes home with the elves! The imposter asks the toy machine to make him pills, which turn him into a huge monster. Meanwhile, Santa escapes from prison and flies a toy plane to the North Pole. He runs out of gas, but a young boy trades his fish for gas. Santa arrives just in time to save his elves from Jesse. He lures the monster to a frozen lake, where he falls in. The pills change his color. Jesse asks Santa for help. Santa uses magic to return him to normal. Jesse admits he never wrote to Santa. Santa takes Jesse to the police and returns all the toys. He also gives the generous boy a new fishing rod and a pond full of fish.

Havoc in Toyland

Gruzzlebeard casts a spell on all the toys, making them come to life! Santa and the elves must turn them back to normal. But Gruzzlebeard traps Santa in a lot of bubble gum. Santa eventually escapes and helps the elves.

One toy rebels against Santa, but the other toys stand up to him. The bad toy asks Gruzzlebeard for a potion to bring all toys at the toy store to life. But Santa arrives to set everything right again.

Message in a Bottle

Gruzzlebeard goes ice-fishing and finds a letter to Santa in a bottle. It's from a boy named Marlo on Animalia, an island where animals can talk. Marlo and his parents were stranded there, but friendly animals helped them enjoy Christmas. Then, an evil troll witch who hates Christmas turns up. She turns everyone except Marlo and a few others to stone.

Gruzzlebeard and Dudley decide to team up with this witch. When Santa finds out, he goes with Thoren and Jordi. But Santa and Thoren also get turned to stone! Jordi and the remaining animals undo the witch's spell. Santa defeats the witch by spraying bubble gum at her. He promises to reward Marlo for his bravery.

Balthazar Can't Make Up His Mind

A boy named Balthazar can't decide what he wants for Christmas. Santa and the elves decide to visit him and ask. When Balthazar sees the squirrel Hoppy with them, he decides he wants to keep him.

However, Hoppy falls out the window and is stolen by a man who sells animals. The man plans to sell this rare squirrel, but Santa won't let him! Santa gets Hoppy back for Balthazar.

The Longest Night

On Christmas Eve, Santa shares some of his biggest secrets. He has his elves drink a special syrup and shows them the Master Clock. This device can stop time so he can deliver all gifts every year. Those who drink the syrup are not affected by the time stop.

Gruzzlebeard takes two glasses of the syrup, planning to destroy the clock so Santa can't finish his deliveries. While Guilfi and Balbo stay at the workshop, Santa, Jordi, and Thoren go to deliver gifts. Gruzzlebeard gives Balbo trick honey to make him sleep and traps Guilfi in a cage. He then destroys the clock. Instead of stopping time, everything goes backward to prehistoric times! The others return to the North Pole, free Guilfi, and fix the clock. They fast-forward time to the present. Gruzzlebeard tries to trap them, but Dudley points out he boarded up the wrong door. Guilfi joins the Christmas run, while Dudley and Balbo keep Gruzzlebeard busy with snowballs.

Santa Claus' Secrets

Continuing from the last episode, Santa and his elves keep delivering gifts. In one city, Santa and Guilfi go to a boy's apartment. Guilfi suggests the "old-fashioned way" (like a burglar), but Santa has a better idea. He uses magical dust to bring other toys inside to life so they can help them get in.

Meanwhile, Gruzzlebeard** escapes **Balbo** and **Dudley and uses his guitar to wreck the Master Clock. With time running again, Santa and his elves must make the last three deliveries in the West before it's too late. In the desert, they are attacked by dingos. Santa talks sense into them. They deliver a present to a nomadic camp. Their second-to-last stop is a rainforest. Santa and Thoren are attacked by a panther, which they catapult away. The others are caught between crocodiles and piranhas. Thoren sprinkles magic dust to freeze the lake they landed on.

Balbo tries to stop Gruzzlebeard but gets caught. Gruzzlebeard tries to stop Santa from delivering the last present. As Santa heads to Greenland, where a boy named Billy lives, the reindeer get tired. Storks temporarily help them. When they arrive, they find a note from Gruzzlebeard saying he caught Billy. But it's a trap! Billy is safe in bed. Gruzzlebeard locks the four in a glass cage and leaves the key, daring them to get it. Santa tells Guilfi he can get them out by using a magic power inside him. Guilfi uses telekinesis to lift the key and free them! They deliver Billy's present and return the one Gruzzlebeard left. When they get home, they free Balbo. Santa promotes Guilfi to Master Elf for his bravery. Santa then shares one last secret: how to make a delicious Yule Log. His elves then tell him there's one last present for him: a globe that shows the faces of all the kids he made smile.

List of Episodes

• The Magic Pearl
• The 12 Labors of Santa Claus
• Little Geniuses
• Rudolph is Missing
• The Starchild
• Leon's Christmas
• A Present for Two
• Super Rabbit
• The Lucky Charm
• The Flying Carpet
• Santa Claus' Memoirs
• The Magic Wand
• The Boy Who Wished to be Little Again
• A Present for Santa
• The Christmas Conference
• The Story of the Trolls
• Christmas for Dudley
• The Return of Santa Claus
• The Tall Little Girl
• The Teddy Bear
• Stolen Christmas
• Havoc in Toyland
• Message in a Bottle
• Balthazar Can't Make Up His Mind
• The Longest Night
• Santa Claus' Secret

Voice Cast

• Santa Claus - Tony Robinow
• Guilfi - Teddy Lee Dillon
• Jordi - Thor Bishopric
• Thoren - Anik Matern
• Dudley - Michael Rudder
• Gruzzlebeard - Mark Camacho
• Donner - Ian Finlay
• Blitzen - Gary Jewell
• Balbo - A.J. Henderson
• Rudolph - Bruce Dinsmore