PLUTO'S CHRISTMAS TREE AND OTHER HOLIDAY CARTOON CLASSICS

One of my favorite cartoons also happens to be Christmas themed. If you haven't seen Pluto's Christmas Tree (1952), crawl forth from that rock you've been dwelling beneath, sign into your Disney+ account, and check it out. This short is yearly viewing in my house. 

The story follows Mickey Mouse and Pluto as they make preparations for the holiday. Mickey chops down a tree for Christmas and brings it home, unaware the fir is itself home to Chip 'n' Dale. After Mickey gets the tree all nicely decorated, Pluto discovers the two scamps lurking within the branches. The ensuing mayhem, involving ornaments, chestnuts, and candle wax, would make Kevin McCallister himself beam with jolly pride. The short ends with a cameo from three very recognizable carolers. 

I first encountered this cartoon on a VHS compilation called A Walt Disney Christmas, a collection of several wintry-themed shorts. I owned this copy:

...but I saw it for the first time on this edition, which my grandmother owned: 

You're likely to find it on other similarly themed anthologies. (It's strangely absent from Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse [2001].)

Pluto's Christmas Tree is notable for being the first time the chipmunks encountered Mickey Mouse, and a rare instance where the duo don't vex their usual nemesis, Donald Duck. Pluto, who receives the brunt of the scamps' ire, also tangled with the chipmunks in Squatter's Rights (1946) and Private Pluto (1943), Chip 'n' Dale's cinematic debut. 

This is one of 94 shorts Jack Hannah directed for Walt Disney, one of his few to not star Donald Duck. Hannah is often credited with developing Donald's personality and character on screen. (Carl Barks gets rightful credit for fleshing out Donald in his highly popular comic book series.)   

While you're on Disney+, I recommend you check out another of Hannah's shorts, a terrific film called Lambert the Sheepish Lion (1952), set in the same fictional universe as Dumbo (1941). Also worth your time are two other Christmas/holiday/winter themed shorts, Santa's Workshop (1932) and On Ice (1935). Both are currently available on Disney+.

Regardless of whether you have sugar plums dancing in your head or not, Pluto's Christmas Tree is must viewing for Disney fans and Chip 'n' Dale completionists.

-T.Z.