"A Mickey Mouse Cartoon"

Release Date November 21, 1952

Synopsis

Only Pluto knows that Mickey's fir tree contains Chip 'n' Dale. When Mickey finds out, he chuckles naively and thinks they're cute.

Characters

Mickey Mouse

Pluto

Chip 'n' Dale

Donald Duck (cameo)

Minnie Mouse (cameo)

Goofy (cameo)

Credits

Director : Jack Hannah

Animation

George Kreisl

Fred Moore

Bill Justice

Volus Jones

Effects Animation : George Rowley

Story

Bill Berg

Milt Schaeffer

Layout : Yale Gracey

Background : Thelma Witmer

Music : Joseph S. Dubin

Videos

United States

A Walt Disney Christmas

A Disney Christmas Gift

Germany

Mickey und Pluto Feiern Weihnachten

Frohe Weihnachten von Mickey Maus und Ihren Freunden

Die Schönsten Weihnachtsgeschichten von Walt Disney (49 minute version)

Die Schönsten Weihnachtsgeschichten von Walt Disney (72 minute version)

Weihnachtpass mit Mickey und Donald

Italy

Cartoons Disney 3

Da Tutti Noi a Tutti Voi

Canto di Natale di Topolino (1)

Canto di Natale di Topolino (2)

Cartoon Festival 3

Laserdiscs

United States

A Disney Christmas Gift

A Walt Disney Christmas

Japan

Merry Christmas

A Walt Disney Christmas

DVD

United States

Mickey's Magical Christmas : Snowed In at the House of Mouse

Disney Treasures : Mickey Mouse in Living Color : Volume 2

Cartoon Classics Favorites : Classic Holiday Stories

Television

The Ink and Paint Club : #59 : Clarabelle and Horace

Technical Specifications

Color Type : Technicolor

Animation type : Standard

Sound mix : Mono

Aspect ration : 1.37 : 1

Negative format : 35mm

Print format : 35mm

Cinematographic process : Spherical

Original language : English

Released by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.

Gallery

Click on the thumbnail for the full-sized picture

Comments

From Ed Martin : I have this short on video and my family and I watch it every Christmas.

From Ryan : This is another "Pluto vs. Chip 'n' Dale" shorts. While I normally find Chip and Dale to be annoying, this short was pretty good. I really enjoy the way the tree had been painted with all the Christmas lights. There is a rumor that Clarabelle Cow and Horace Horsecollar appear in this short as one of the carolers outside Mickey's front yard. All versions that I have seen only have Donald, Goofy, and Minnie as the carolers. Perhaps the storyboard had Clarabelle and Horace in it, but the animators decided to drop them from the cartoon.

From John Richards : This is a marvelous re-telling of the Little Golden Book entitled, "Walt Disney's Donald Duck's Christmas Tree", that changed the character of Pluto's owner from Donald Duck to Mickey Mouse.

The animation is wonderful, and the colors of the tree lights and ornaments are incredible.

I was pleased to finally find this holiday classic out on DVD - as Chapter 4 of "Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse".

From Elizabeth : I don't know why but this the Chip 'n' Dale short I remember the most. It is fantastic and it's a shame it is not on television anymore.

From Megan : I've always loved this cartoon; there's just something so magical about seeing the inside of the Christmas tree all lit up. I always use to stare up in the branches of our Christmas tree from underneath to see how pretty it was like in the cartoon.

But it made me really sad how Mickey yelled at Pluto, because Pluto has always been my favorite. And it wasn't (and never does seem to be) poor Pluto's fault. Mickey should have apologized! Oh well. I love it anyway and it give it an 8, only not a 9 or 10 for cruelness to Pluto.

From Dino Cencia : One of the best Christmas Time cartoons. This cartoon is great to watch on Christmas Eve (like around 11:30 pm) with snow coming down in your neighborhood, with your decorations up, trees, and a snack to watch the cartoon. My dad recorded this cartoon on TV before "Mickey's Christmas Carol". This cartoon is great, and it's one of my favorites, and my favorite part is when Mickey, Pluto, Chip and Dale, Goofy, Donald, and Minnie, were singing Deck the Halls. Then Pluto was howling to the music and Chip put a "Do not open before Christmas" sticker on his mouth! That part was so funny! So, again this cartoon is great at Christmas Time and you can watch it if you have this on video or DVD. I give this a 750. Merry Christmas!

From Lex : This is the one Disney short that I remember, and it's because of how wonderfully made the cartoon is. The color pallet is absolutely beautiful and it has stuck in my mind all of these years. Chip and Dale are my favorites!

From Billy Joe : I enjoyed this classic cartoon. I enjoy the ending where Pluto was howling the carol, and Chip and Dale stuck a "Do Not Open Til Xmas" sticker on his mouth. It gets a 9 out of 10. Recommended for the holidays.

From Bryan Hensley : This is one of my whole family's favorite Christmas shorts! Not only is it Mickey's Magical Christmas, but it's shown in its entirety in volume 9 of Disney's Classic Cartoon favorites, and the eerily-similar volume 7 of Disney's Animation Collection! Mickey and Pluto didn't realize there were chipmunks in their Christmas tree, until Pluto discovered something messing with the lights when the tree was decorated! Mickey brought out more Christmassy decor and didn't know Dale was filling in a missing Santa candle. Chip 'n' Dale brought the presents and the tree to pieces, thanks to Pluto getting in the tree, and Mickey too! That's when he discovered them, making Pluto hit his face with his paw in anger. This is the only short I know of to have Minnie have a similar makeover to Mickey in the 50's. She, Donald and Goofy were carolers outside the house. Once the caroling was done and Pluto joined in, he had a sticker on his mouth that says "Do not open till Xmas". I hope you enjoy this Disney Christmas classic, because my family and my own self always have!

Referenced Comments

Plane Crazy (1928)

"Okay, Pluto, let's get our tree!" Mickey announces at the beginning of a picture postcard scene as he and Pluto go off to start their Christmas. Mickey runs out with his hatchet while Pluto takes the traditional dog tack of trying to sniff out a tree. Chip 'n' Dale, watching nearby, can't help but have a bit of good-natured fun at Pluto's expense at send an acorn flying which hits Pluto, bang, right in the rear end! Pluto gives chase, at the end sliding into a snowbank and popping out a Pluto popsicle on the opposite side.

The chipmunks, in the race, take refuge in a nearby tree which turns out to be exactly the tree that Mickey is chopping down for his Christmas tree. Mickey and Pluto drag it on home, unknowing that they've got two tree squatters. The tree gets decorated and Chip 'n' Dale come wandering out on a limb. Well, apparently they've never seen a Christmas tree before, at least not from the inside and wander around the tree amazed at all the lights and ornaments. Pluto, lazing on the floor outside the tree, is doing the same thing until he notices that one of the bulbs seems to be defective.

Pluto sniffs around the trees, and we see that it is Chip just playing around with one of the lightbulbs. Pluto finds out as well, when Chip attempts to unscrew his nose the same way as the bulb! Pluto discovers the chipmunks, but do you think he'd have any luck convincing Mickey that they have visitors? Not a chance! Meanwhile, Chip has discovered a bowlful of nuts and is happily gathering them up for a feast. Pluto is on the chase again, and Chip runs up to the fireplace hearth where a row of Santa Claus candles is lined up.

Aha! That's the ticket! Chip figures he'll disguise himself as one of the candles. Bad move, because when Pluto begins barking at them, Mickey thinks that he wants them lit up and applies the flame to each one. Luckily, before we have chipmunks roasting on an open fire, Dale comes along and rescues him. Back into the tree they go, where a battle royale breaks out inside the tree, eventually pulling Mickey in as well. Ornaments fly this way and the tree is completely destroyed when what should Mickey discover but ...

"Hey, Pluto, our tree has chipmunks!"

Pluto gives a facial expression as a perfect Homer Simpson "DOH!" But the tension is broken by the appearance of a group of carolers; Minnie, Donald and Goofy singing "Deck the Halls." (For some reason, most Disneyphiles seem to think that Horace and Clarabelle were in this group as well.) The whole gang joins in singing beautifully, except Pluto. When he begins to sing ,or howl I guess would be the better word as Chip seems to think he deserves a "Do Not Open Until Xmas" sticker slapped over his mouth.

And with this short released at the beginning of the holiday season in 1952, Disney wished everybody, as we do here, a very happy holiday season.