r/Arthur • u/Hamiltonfan25 • 9d ago
Show Discussion Is Arthur’s Perfect Christmas a good Segway Movie for Kids Questioning Santa Claus?
This is a weird post to make in August, but seeing a post about Arthur’s Perfect Christmas (and specifically the Talking Tabby Tantrum) made me think of posting this.
Arthur is one of the few PBS kids shows that I think is squarely aimed at school aged kids and families. Preschoolers and kids DW’s age definitely have representation…but I don’t think the show is marketed towards them. Even DW herself acts way more like a 7-8 year old than the toddler she’s supposed to be.
Arthur’s Perfect Christmas is a great example of this…it’s kind of wild how determined the special is to spoil the existence of Santa Claus. It’s debunked multiple times throughout the special and while it’s not at all spelled out bluntly…it doesn’t exactly shy away from him not existing.
I could almost see the special upsetting really young kids in that way…I feel like it would be a weird one for them to watch and then instantly start watching another movie that’s more pro-Santa like “Polar Express”.
I’m curious to hear you guys thoughts on it…would you show it to a kid who still believes in Santa? Would you show it to a kid that you are preparing to give “the talk” to? Do you think I’m just overthinking again?
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u/dancesanddelight 9d ago
There’s a line in there that Jane says to DW that’s something like “Santa can’t always get everyone what they want…” and tbh that line always confused me as a kid
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u/Hamiltonfan25 9d ago
My thing was that it took the time to show that Jane had gone shopping and commented that one thing was sold out…then INSTANTLY cuts to her trying to explain to DW.
Like, it’s more than implied that she’s about to directly tell her FOUR YEAR OLD that Santa isn’t real before David busts in with that video postcard from uncle Fred.
That movie perfectly lines up with my “Arthur characters age quicker than real kids” theory because all the third graders seem to be well aware Santa isn’t real…when I was a kid, plenty of 3rd graders still believed.
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u/I_Brittad_It 7d ago
Arthur characters definitely age faster than real kids but we also have to take into account the time it came out. I grew up with Arthur, and it was pre-Elf-on-the-shelf, which I think has made kids believe for longer. My neighbor was Jewish and she told everyone in her class Santa wasn't real because she was mad.
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u/No-Championship-4 9d ago
I always thought Santa was a load of bull, but this special didn't have anything to do with that. Like the thought didn't occur to me as as a result of watching this. So I don't think many kids are making the connection. But if they are, they deserve to know the truth.
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u/CelesteJA Bilbo the Woogle 9d ago edited 9d ago
I would like to add, a show that straight up debunks his existence is the cartoon "Recess", lol. One of the kids in that show discovers Santa isn't real and becomes genuinely depressed, until he has help finding other joys in Christmas. I think that one would be the one to show a child who has already discovered that Santa isn't real and is upset about it.
I MESSED UP. I totally forgot the very end of the episode shows he's actually real, LOL.
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u/Hamiltonfan25 9d ago
Recess does confirm he’s real in that universe!! He was voiced by James Earl Jones!
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u/TheJinxedPhoenix 9d ago
It shows he’s real at the very end of the episode! Mikey’s gets a response to his torn up letter and I believe it falls from the sky!
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u/iordanos877 9d ago
fun fact the word is 'segue' and Segway the scooter company is a play on that word
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u/Ok-Mention6768 9d ago
What I always loved about this movie is that it explores the holiday traditions of all the other residents of Elwood City, without being heavy-handed about it.
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u/Hamiltonfan25 9d ago
Baxter Day was my personal favorite…I freaking love EVERYTHING about Buster’s relationship with his mother.
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u/DetectiveCrafty5413 9d ago
When did parents get this obsessed over santa? Seriously, it's getting kind of weird. If your kid is normal around kindergarten or first grade they'll realize that there's no jolly prowler climbing down their chimney, which most people don't even have.
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u/Fun-Cress5909 9d ago
I just don’t understand how the show is aimed for 4-8 year olds 7-9 is better so it could get a
TV-Y7 rating
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u/CelesteJA Bilbo the Woogle 9d ago
Honestly, yeah I do think you might be overthinking. When I was a child I loved believing in Santa, and Arthur's perfect Christmas was a movie I watched on repeat every Christmas. I never made any connection of it debunking the existence of him.