European Vacation

This 44-minute musical Christmas movie finds Pooh, Tigger, Darby, and the rest of everyone's favorite characters from the Hundred Acre Wood enjoying a busy Christmas Eve filled with Christmas preparations and dreams about what they hope to receive from Santa. When Roo and Lumpy discover a fancy red bag in the snow and then stumble upon a young reindeer named Holly caught in a thicket, they find out that the bag they've found is Santa's magical toy sack and that without it, Santa may have to cancel Christmas. When Holly is unable to remember which direction leads home, Roo and Lumpy sound the super sleuth siren and the whole gang sets off for the North Pole to return Santa's bag. Using their knowledge of the North Star to guide them, the hopeful group makes their way toward the North Pole, but finds the road difficult and full of danger. Can the group make it to Santa in time to save Christmas by working together? Will their individual Christmas wishes ever come true? Bonus features include two episodes about friendship and teamwork ("Symphony for Rabbit" and "Tigger Goes Snowflakey") and the "Hundred Acre Wood Downhill Game" in which players pretend to ski down a hill and then interactively match presents with their intended recipients. (Ages 2 and older) --Tami Horiuchi

Pooh Bear and his pals in the Hundred Acre Wood celebrate Christmas and New Year's Eve in a pair of adventures folded into this 65-minute made-for-video feature. In the first, the silly old bear plays Saint Nick to his buddies ("I always thought he'd be taller") after failing to get an errant wish list off to Santa, while identity crisis strikes the gang in the second half. Piglet inherits Tigger's hop and jumps like a pogo stick, and Eeyore (dressed in Pooh's shirt) becomes a happy-go-lucky honey lover. Welcome to The Twilight Zone according to Winnie the Pooh. There's not much A.A. Milne in this TV-style holiday special, but it's a bouncy little production that should entertain the wee ones with its warm fuzzies, good company, slapstick energy, and life lessons. --Sean Axmaker