Hi everyone, I'm new here and look forward to chatting about all things festive with you
I am, however, on a mission. I have been on said mission for... ohh, about 6 years now. And since I'm 19, that's basically my entire teenage life. What is this mission? It is to find a Christmas animated short movie that I watched as a child. I'll begin with a bit of back story, feel free to skip through my ramblings and just read the description of the movie further down if you want. I just talk too much.
I can't remember its title or the entire plot, but remember moments of it, and more importantly, remember how sentimental I got about watching it every year as a child, as part of the annual "spend December watching the same old videos over and over and getting overexcited" tradition which yes, I still hold now. It's only July, and "Blue Toes the Christmas Elf" is already on standby![]()
Anyway, I digress. Oops. After suddenly losing any idea of where this movie came from, and realising that since I hadn't watched it in a few years I had no idea where it was, at about 12 or 13 I began a hunt for it. Problem was, my mum barely remembered it. She mentioned that she'd given some videos to charity shops the previous year, but didn't know what I was talking about so couldn't tell me if it was in the pile. I was distraught. Every year since then, I've typed things into Google, ransacked my attic, asked everyone I know, and to no avail.
But then last year, I began my annual search. Having gone to Uni, I asked my new friends. My vague babblings about abominable snowmen made them laugh and assume I was being my usual odd self, but they had no idea what I meant. So I resorted to Google again and as if by magic, I found someone who remembered the cartoon. Someone 7 years older than me, and over in the USA (I'm in the UK). They were on a forum site desperately searching for this cartoon. But no-one remember it. I e-mailed this person and we realised that only me, them and their sister remembered the cartoon. So despite our joint efforts, another Christmas passed by with no trace
It's July now, and I'm giving myself the 4 and a half months till Advent to finally find it. So I hope you lovely people can help me! I'd be more grateful than I can say.
SO. HERE'S WHAT I REMEMBER OF THE MOVIE.
It's from the 1980s or early 90s, and is in 2D cartoons. Not particularly high-budget. The story is hazy in my memory, but it involves some kids who live on a snowy mountain, I *think* with Santa. But there are also horrible abominable snow monsters who live in the forests of the mountain. They are big and white with tiny beady eyes hidden by a really long shaggy fringe. The children are warned to stay away from these monsters, but for some reason they end up in the woods. I think they're either rescuing someone or looking for a Christmas tree, it's so hard to remember so far back! My new-found friend in the US reminded me of a bit in which the children leave food out for a rabbit which is being chased by a fox, and another moment when a reindeer kicks the abominable snow monster's bottom and leaves a hoof print, which the snow monster sulks off to show his friends.
Another moment I remember is the children going ice-skating. They're all wearing puffy bomber jackets and hats and scarves and mittens. One of the kids is quite chubby. I think, but am not certain, that they have a dog too.
At the end of the movie/short, the children are running down the mountain away from the monsters, and the villagers scare them away. They then make a wooden sign with a cartoon of the monster's face on it with either a line through it or some other way of saying they're not allowed. I'm pretty sure there's then a moment where one of the kids alters the picture somehow, like making it squint or giving it bigger teeth or something, and everyone laughs. That's another uncertain memory though. *Sigh*
Anyway, I've written a mini essay instead of a sensible first post. Sorry all! I'm just so so so desperate to find this thing, and I've spent so long. The person I spoke to last year gave me a glimmer of hope and vice versa, but once again we couldn't have the nostalgic fun of watching it just before Christmas.
If anyone can help me, I will be quite literally forever in your debt. And I will dance around like this for about 6 days:
Thanks in advance!!!
B xxx