Santa and the Fairy Snow Queen

Snoopy explains her role watching children to see if they behave well and to ensure that gifts are cared for. She warns that broken or forgotten toys are hauled off to the Land of Lost and Forgotten Toys. She then reveals Santa asked her to tell all the children the story of how the Fairy Snow Queen gave life to toys, so they would be more respectful of their gifts.

On a Christmas Eve long ago, after Santa and the brownies finished making the toys, the Fairy Snow Queen visits for a sugar cookie. She finds Santa deeply asleep, exhausted from his hard work, with the toys at his feet: the rag doll Jenny Neal, the musical doll Lee Porter, the jack-in-the-box Don Oreck, the toy soldier Bob Porter, the baby doll Audrey Washburn, the peasant-dressed doll Joanna Lamond, and the candy lion Patrick Clement. The queen decides to have some mischievous fun by bringing them to life.

The queen uses her magic to bring the toys to life, and they take their first steps with wonder. The rag doll dances with the Fairy Snow Queen, and the toys discover they can sing, much to Santa’s waking surprise. Santa wakes to find the living toys filling the workshop with motion and music.

The toys perform a marching routine led by the toy soldier and the baby doll. The jack-in-the-box bursts from his box and startles the others, until the soldier calmly coaxes him back. The Fairy Snow Queen uses her magic to calm everyone, and Santa asks again for the toys to be turned back to their inanimate state.

The Fairy Snow Queen reveals that her magic has been taken away because of irresponsibility. She explains she can only revert the toys if they truly wish to return to normal, and the toys make clear they do not wish to revert. Santa warns that if they stay alive, there will be no gifts for the children.

The Queen offers a compromise: the toys will come to life for one hour at midnight, each night. The toys agree to this arrangement. Santa appoints Snoopy as caretaker of all the toys.

During the first midnight life, the musical doll and the toy soldier reveal they have fallen in love. The soldier gives the doll his golden medal as a symbol of their bond. Santa decrees that all musical dolls will wear golden medals to commemorate their love.

The one-hour life ends and the queen returns the toys to their normal, inanimate state. Snoopy observes the transition and makes sure the process is orderly. Santa and Snoopy prepare to load the toys onto his sleigh for delivery.

Santa formalizes Snoopy's role as caretaker of all the toys. Snoopy commits to safeguarding them during the magical midnight moments. This arrangement ensures the toys' well-being is managed as they shift between life and stillness.

Santa and Snoopy load the toys onto the sleigh to deliver gifts. The morning after the first night, the toys return to their quiet state as preparations begin for the next midnight visit. The routine is established, balancing magic with the Christmas morning routine.

The arrangement remains in place, with toys coming to life for one hour at midnight each night. This ongoing magic allows the toys to be playful and musical during that hour without disrupting the dawn gifting. Snoopy continues her role as caretaker, ensuring order between lifelike moments and stillness.