PREP & LANDING

Perhaps you didn't know that the employment opportunities for elves in the North Pole are as varied as they are for the rest of us.  Indeed, life for Christmas elves isn't just about making toys, loading Santa's sleigh, and feeding the reindeer - there are all sorts of specialists needed to make sure Christmas comes off without a hitch.  "Prep and Landing" is just one special unit that's crucial to making spirits bright.

Wayne the elf is an old hand at Prep and Landing, and after putting in 227 years on the job, he's sure he's a shoo-in for a promotion.  But when his supervisor passes him over and instead pairs him with a starry-eyed newbie, Wayne develops a severe case of Bah Humbug.  His bitterness transfers directly to his job performance, and Wayne can be found sipping cocoa and watching TV instead of making way for Santa.

Unsurprisingly, Wayne's apathy leads to sloppy work, which in turn nearly spoils Christmas for one sweet little boy and for kids around the world.  Luckily, his partner's optimism and devotion to the craft supersedes, effectively saving Christmas.  Wayne learns a hard lesson about entitlement and failure, but 227 years of solid service do not go unnoticed and he is rewarded in the end.  This quirky, high-energy special requires a bit of attention to absorb, and can be a bit frenetic if it's just playing in the background.  However, it's a clever and cheery addition to your holiday collection - sort of a mismatched buddy comedy of the Lethal Weapon variety, but, you know, for tiny little kids.

Bonus features include the Prep & Landing shorts "Tiny's Big Adventure" and "Operation Secret Santa", a series of goofy Kringle Academy Elf Training Videos, a "North Pole News" newsreel, and three North Pole Commercials.  The extras make up for their brevity in their quantity and cuteness.