History Main / SavingChristmas

* Many of {{Trans-Siberian Orchestra}}'s albums have a Saving Christmas theme, but it's on a much more personal level than other examples.

* Decades later, PlasticMan tells a story to his sidekick's nephew how Santa saved the Justice League from the demon Neron [[ItMakesSenseInContext by giving Neron woolen socks and itchy underwear for Christmas]]. Given that Plas is a habitual liar [[FunPersonified who rarely takes things seriously]], this was presumably a tall tale.

* ''VideoGame/KingdomOfLoathing'' has done this, to varying extents of actually 'saving' the holiday, with its special 'Crimbo' events. Since 2005 Crimbo has needed saving from, in various years, a workers' strike, a takeover by the Queen of Halloween, assimilation by the Crimborg, radiation-induced mutations, the Penguin Mafia, bland and inoffensive corporate culture, a candy trade embargo, a HumongousMecha, and heavily-armed bears.

* The Norwegian comic book ''Truls og Trine Redder Julen'' ([[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Truls and Trine Saves Christmas]] follows the conventions of this trope to a T. Christmas is ruined because someone stole Santa's sack of gifts? Check. The thief is a gruff monster (in this case, a [[AllTrollsAreDifferent troll]] with a FreudianExcuse? Check. The monster reforms when [[ChildrenAreInnocent innocent children]] show him a little bit of kindness? Check.

* ''VideoGame/KingdomOfLoathing'' has done this, to varying extents of actually 'saving' the holiday, with its special 'Crimbo' events. Since 2005 Crimbo has needed saving from, in various years, a workers' strike, a takeover by the Queen of Halloween, assimilation by the Crimborg, radiation-induced mutations, the Penguin Mafia, corporate takeover, a candy trade embargo, and a HumongousMecha.

** In "Wishmas" Timmy ends up replacing Christmas with Wishmas after giving every one a "one wish coupon", leaving Santa out of business and replaced by Jorgen, Cosmo and Wanda. Now Timmy has to find a way to revive Christmas and get Santa to leave his house.

** In "Wishmas" Timmy ends up replacing Christmas with Wishmas after giving every one a "one wish coupon", and Santa is out of business and replaced by Jorgen, Cosmo and Wanda. Now Timmy has to find a way to revive Christmas and get Santa to leave his house.

* '''[[color:red:Personal Santa]]''' -- The most mundane version, common in {{Sit Com}}s, involves financial problems or a minor disaster ruining the holiday celebrations on a personal or local level. Luckily, if the characters show the True Spirit Of Christmas, Santa (or a plausibly deniable representative thereof, see SecretTestOfCharacter) will give everyone a special gift. Maybe not what they wanted, but what they need or deserve.

Sometimes the MallSanta will be called in to help. Be careful though, because BadSanta might take his place. Luckily BadAssSanta will come to save the day!

Compare AnAssKickingChristmas. See also SubbingForSanta

* Many of [[Trans-Siberian Orchestra]]'s albums have a Saving Christmas theme, but it's on a much more personal level than other examples.

* ''Merry {{Madagascar}}'' begins when Santa and his sleigh crash-land on the island, giving the jolly gentleman a case of amnesia. So it falls to Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria -- along with the ever-inventive Penguins -- to deliver the presents and save Christmas.

* Played with in [[http://www.missmab.com/Comics/HJ_01.php this]] ''[[DanAndMabsFurryAdventures DMFA]]'' storyline.

* In Creator/TerryPratchett's Literature/{{Discworld}} novel ''Discworld/{{Hogfather}}'', the titular Hogfather (the Discworld equivalent of SantaClaus) is assassinated (for want of a better word, since the Hogfather is a sort of immortal quasi-deity), and [[TheGrimReaper Death]] is the one to stand in for him. Meanwhile, Death's granddaughter Susan (it's a long story) tries to find out what happened to the Hogfather and fix things.
** Filled with FridgeBrilliance related to the origin of myths like Santa Claus which ''really matter'' in-story. And it includes the best version of ''The Little Match Girl'' EVER.

* A particularly horrible (in a good way) portrayal is in ''TheProposition'', when [[spoiler: Morris and Martha Stanley's Christmas dinner is beset by outlaw Arthur Burns and SideKick Sam Stote, who have come to rape and murder. Arthur's brother Charlie arrives just in time to save Christmas]].

* Literature/HowTheGrinchStoleChristmas is an extremely iconic example. [[HowTheCharacterStoleChristmas To the point where it codified an entire subtrope]].
* OlderThanRadio, possibly TruthInTelevision: Charles Dickens' Literature/AChristmasCarol was written at a time where Christmas was going out of fashion as a holiday. Many scholars believe that this showed Christmas in a new light and many people returned to the holiday.

* The children's book ThePolarExpress (and later TheFilmOfTheBook) features the "Visit The North Pole" variety.

* TheSimpsons

* Somewhat subverted in AmateurSurgeon: Christmas Edition when moronic surgeon Alan Probe ''causes'' the destruction of Xmas when he collides his private jet with Santa's Sleigh, further crashing into the North Pole. Alan goes to save the holiday by fixing his mistakes with, you guessed is, [[BackAlleyDoctor back alley]] [[MeatGrinderSurgery surgery]].

* DragonballAbridged turned The Tree of Might movie into this. In this version, the heroes had to stop the titular tree from sucking all the Christmas Joy from the earth.

** They may have failed at taking Santa's place, but in a way they did save Christmas next year by convincing everyone in the world to ask for only one present.

* ''SantaBaby'': JennyMcCarthy (yeah, ''that'' JennyMcCarthy) is Santa's daughter and has to take over the family business when dad is sick.

* ''KingdomOfLoathing'' has done this, to varying extents of actually 'saving' the holiday, with its special 'Crimbo' events.
** To wit, Crimbo has needed saving from, in various years, a workers' strike, a takeover by the Queen of Halloween, assimilation by the Crimborg, radiation-induced mutations, the Penguin Mafia, corporate takeover, a candy trade embargo, and a HumongousMecha.

-->--''TheOnion''

* One of StanFreberg's ''{{Dragnet}}'' parodies involved Joe Friday taking a Scrooge-esque character named Grudge to the North Pole, to demonstrate to Grudge that Santa is real (despite there [[AintNoRule being no law]] that says one must believe in Santa). Once Grudge believes, he gets all the presents that were piling up for him during his time of non-belief.

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* One of StanFreberg's ''{{Dragnet}}'' parodies involved Joe Friday taking a Scrooge-esque character named Grudge to the North Pole, to demonstrate to Grudge that Santa is real (despite there [[AintNoRule being no law]] that says one must believe in Santa). Once Grudge believes, he gets all the presents that were piling up for him during his time of non-belief.
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* Quite possibly a TruthInTelevision; Charles Dickens' Literature/AChristmasCarol was written at a time where Christmas was going out of fashion as a holiday. Many scholars believe that this showed Christmas in a new light and many people returned to the holiday. So this is OlderThanRadio.

[[folder:Recordings]]
* One of StanFreberg's ''{{Dragnet}}'' parodies involved Joe Friday taking a Scrooge-esque character named Grudge to the North Pole, to demonstrate to Grudge that Santa is real (despite there [[AintNoRule being no law]] that says one must believe in Santa). Once Grudge believes, he gets all the presents that were piling up for him during his time of non-belief.
[[/folder]]