Gifts from the Air

Directed by:	Ben Harrison
Written by:	Ben Harrison
Release date:	January 1, 1937
Running time:	7 minutes
Available on:	VHS

Gifts from the Air is a Christmas Color Rhapsody short produced by Screen Gems and originally released by Columbia Pictures on New Years Day of 1937.

Plot

A street urchin is looking at a toy store window and sees a toy soldier dancing whose limbs are so loose, the owner throws him in the trash. The boy rescues that wooden soldier and takes him home to try to give the toy a nice Christmas. He tells him how much fun they're going to have when they get home. Together, they await Santa's arrival on a pathetic Christmas Eve. After the boy falls asleep, the wooden uniformed man turns on the radio as it plays music. The toy soldier repays the kindness, bringing Santa Claus to the boy's shack with a ton of toys and food. The toys put on a show. Among them are a goat that sounds like Bing Crosby, an Ed Wynn-like fire chief, and a man inspired by long-forgotten comedian Joe Penner with a duck who asks Penner's catchphrase, "Wanna buy a duck?". There are also toys based on jazz violinist Ben Bernie as part of a wind-up jazz band, and comedian Eddie Cantor (who introduced the song "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" to the public) as a large-eyed bead-limbed doll. The boy, the wooden soldier, and a cat who also lives in the house are having a swell time frolicking among the new presents, when the boy finds one last present containing a roast turkey, a cake, and a bottle of milk for a Christmas dinner. The boy and the toys sing Auld Lang Syne as the cartoon ends. This poignant story includes carols and other songs, along with some odd vocalizations and quotes from toys.

Availability

Goodtimes Home Video under the Kids Klassics label included the short on the Christmas Comes But Once a Year compilation VHS in 1990.

External links

• Gifts from the Air at the Internet Movie Database

Sony Pictures