Bah, Humduck!: A Looney Tunes Christmas

Bugs Bunny [Billy West] pops up from his hole to brush away the snow and explain to the audience that he’s all about winter holidays, even though rabbits are more commonly linked with Easter. He’s almost run over by Daffy Duck in an Ebenezer Scrooge-like SUV, the owner of the huge Lucky Duck Superstore—an enterprise that feels like a Costco-sized megastore. Daffy, in a stubborn, miserly mode, treats his employees with contempt and flippantly dismisses customer concerns, even after Bugs scolds him for his treatment of Playboy Penguin. Daffy’s snobbish bravado leads him to attempt to pocket money that Priscilla Pig, Egghead Jr., Henery Hawk, and Barnyard Dawg Jr. are collecting for charity. His hover scooter gives him trouble, and he ends up tangling with his own staff and some disappointed customers, which only feeds his resentment toward the holiday season. After a sharp retort from Bugs, Daffy mutters a taunting line, choosing to interpret it as a jibe rather than a warning.

When Daffy proclaims that he hates the holidays, Bugs cautions that misdeeds bring consequences, and he mutters a festive echo of an old Scrooge line—“Bah, Humduck!” The moment foreshadows a deeper reckoning to come.

On Christmas Eve, Daffy insists his staff be back at 5:00 AM on Christmas Day so he can squeeze out even more profit from last‑minute shoppers. Assistant Manager Porky Pig (in a Bob Cratchit-ish role) pleads with his boss to let him go home to spend time with his daughter Priscilla, who plays a Tiny Tim-like part in the bullpen of the store, but Daffy refuses. The holiday mood is spoiled by Daffy’s insistence on profits over people, a habit that reflects his long-standing greed.

That night, the spirit of Daffy’s business idol Sylvester the Cat, a Jacob Marley-like figure wrapped in chains, appears to warn him about the consequences of greed. The ghost also hints that three visitors will come to him, but Daffy suspects Bugs is playing tricks and dismisses the warning. After this visit, Daffy ignores a series of requests from colleagues: Elmer Fudd would like vacation time, Marvin the Martian would like to return to Mars for the holidays, and Porky asks for time at home with Priscilla and a doll he once tried to buy—Daffy’s price hikes have left everyone stretched thin. By night’s end, the staff head home, while Daffy, feeling trapped, ends up stuck inside the store as a snowdrift seals him in.

The Ghosts of Christmas Past arrive first, manifested by Granny and Tweety Bird, pulling Daffy back to his childhood days at the Lucky Duck Orphanage. The reimagined Baby Looney Tunes design references his early life, showing how he was often ignored by potential parents and left to dream of belonging somewhere—an origin for his present coldness. The Ghost of Christmas Present, played by Yosemite Sam, arrives next to challenge Daffy’s current treatment of his workers, revealing a bleaker future: Elmer Fudd sleeping on the street due to overwhelming workload, Marvin the Martian grieving for being unable to visit his home planet for the holidays, and Porky’s struggle to balance work and family. The emotional sting of these visions starts to soften Daffy’s hard exterior, though he doesn’t fully recognize the reason behind his growing sentiment.

As the night deepens, the last visitor enters—the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, embodied by the Tasmanian Devil. This final apparition shows a bleak future in which Daffy’s greed ultimately leads to his death from an unspecified cause, and the Lucky Duck Superstore collapses into closure, leaving employees without jobs but enabling them to spend Christmas with their families. At the headstone, Porky reveals that Daffy did try to name himself as his heir, which would have caused legal trouble, and the store’s fate. Yet Priscilla remains longer at the grave, sharing a truth that surprises Daffy: she never truly hated him and understands the ache of loneliness during the holidays. She promises to visit his grave every year on Christmas, leaving cookies, and she calls him “Uncle Daffy,” a simple gesture that signals a thaw in his heart. The Ghosts of Christmas, satisfied with the change they’ve sparked, fade into the dawn.

Returning to the present, Daffy acts on the warnings he received. He awakens Elmer to grant the vacation time he requested, promotes Porky to store manager, hires Playboy Penguin as a new employee, and ensures that all staff receive gifts, a raise, and paid vacation time. He experiences a momentary impulse to recoup costs, but it quickly dissipates when Priscilla brings him a plate of duck-shaped cookies and affectionately calls him “Uncle Daffy.” She even kisses him on the cheek, sealing the moment of transformation. The Ghosts of Christmas witness this renewed warmth and are delighted by the change they’ve helped create.

As the film closes, Bugs Bunny remarks on his love for the holidays, chewing on a candy cane as the mall pulls away to reveal the town in its festive glow. Porky and Priscilla conclude with their iconic sign-off, T-T-That’s all folks!, signaling a holiday ended with a sense of renewal and community.

Bah, Humduck!

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:27