The day of the Kongo Bongo Festival of Lights is the one day of the year where the Kongs and Kritters form a temporary truce to spend the day with their families. Not all is holly and jolly on this day, however. Donkey Kong struggles to find the perfect gift for all of his friends, General Klump has no family to celebrate the festival with, and Kaptain Skurvy and his pirate crew return to Kongo Bongo Island to steal the Crystal Coconut!
Tropes
- An Aesop: "Today isn't about presents; it's about being with family."
- All-Loving Hero: All DK got the others were bananas, as he genuinely thought they'd love that. When he fears they got him more lavish gifts, he tries to find them all the perfect gifts so they won't be disappointed.
- Benevolent Boss: Downplayed. K. Rool insults his troops, but he sincerely believes they need to spend time with their families.
- Big Brother Instinct: When they were children, Klump accidentally set fire to the house after playing with the fireworks. Skurvy took the blame to protect him, getting kicked out in the process."That's what family's for."
- Brick Joke: Krusha and later DK both make the same mistake of confusing fireworks for candles.
- Christmas Episode: They don't outright say it's Christmas, but given the event's traditions, giving presents and spending time with family, it's basically Christmas, but with a different name. That said, the fireworks are likely meant to homage American Independence Day.
- A Day in the Limelight: For General Klump, who gets focused on as he tries to save the holiday so he can enjoy it himself being alone with no family, only to actually find long-lost family by the end.
- Description Cut: When Cranky worries about DK setting up the fireworks, Diddy goes to check on him, telling Cranky that DK wouldn't goof off at a time like this. Cut to DK playing with a minecart.
- Dumbass Has a Point: Krusha is the only one to not need to be told that Klump has no family to go home to.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: Kaptain Skurvy claims that there is one thing he wants, even more than the Crystal Coconut; his long-lost brother. In the end, he finally finds him, and it turns out to be General Klump.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Except for Klump, K. Rool and the entire army leave to spend the holiday with their families. And of course, Klump and Skurvy embracing each other.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Even K. Rool insists on honoring the truce. Klump is also disgusted that the pirates would violate it.
- Evil vs. Evil: Skurvy as ever opposes not just the Kongs but the Kritters, even violating the holiday truce just because he's a pirate. At the end of the episode, he quickly earns K. Rool's ire when he tries to stop Klump from leaving with him.
- Foreshadowing: Numerous hints about Klump and Skurvy being brothers are dropped, including the song and both lamenting missing the one thing they want most of all.
- Freudian Excuse: Skurvy lampshades how getting kicked out of the house meant he had no choice but to become a pirate to survive.
- From Bad to Worse: Diddy tells Cranky that DK didn't set up the fireworks and is nowhere to be found. As Cranky grouses about this, Diddy tries to tell him about their worse problem: Skurvy at their doorstep.
- Go-Karting with Bowser: Per tradition of the Festival of Lights, the Kongs and Kritters take a break from their usual duties to spend time with their families. Observing the truce, Donkey Kong gets Klump's help to find presents for the festival and later, after they discover that Skurvy has stolen the Crystal Coconut, they work together to get it back.
- Holiday Ceasefire: The Kremlings honor a truce to not try to steal the Crystal Coconut from the Kongs during the Festival of Lights and instead leave to spend time with their families. The pirates, on the other hand, have no qualms with trying to steal it themselves.
- I "Uh" You, Too: In the last scene, K. Rool forbids Klump leaving the operation. He doesn't say why, but Klump realizes it's because he wants him to stay.
- Jerkass Has a Point: It's Cranky who first reminds DK that the holiday is about being with loved ones, not gifts.
- Mass "Oh, Crap!": When Klump throws his firearm, it fires at the barrels of fireworks, EVERYONE hightails off Skurvy's ship before it goes up. DK makes sure to grab the Crystal Coconut before doing so.
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: Klump's song and singing style owes a little to Bruce Springsteen.
- Pet the Dog: K. Rool sends all his troops home to spend the holiday with their families.
- Taking the Heat: Skurvy did this in the past to protect his younger brother Klump. After a young Klump accidentally burned down the family swamp while playing with fireworks, he took the blame instead and was banished, knowing that Klump wouldn't survive on his own.
- Tempting Fate: After distracting Skurvy's mooks, DK expresses certainty that nothing can go wrong now. Cue Skurvy getting the drop on them.
- This Is Gonna Suck: Played With. The apes realize that K. Rool is going to be very displeased to see his rival Skurvy trying to move in with him.
- Villains Out Shopping: The Kremlings all go home to celebrate the holiday and spend time with their families. K. Rool even waxes about enjoying food and fun with his siblings and mother.
- Villainous Glutton: One of the main things K. Rool is excited about the holiday for is getting to gorge himself on his mother's cooking.
- Villainous Rescue: Klump appearing on Skurvy's boat. He's more interested in getting the Crystal Coconut from Skurvy than helping DK and Diddy, but the result is the same.
- Wham Line:Diddy: I thought there was something else you were searching for.
Skurvy: Aye. It be me long-lost brother. - You Are Not Alone: Inverted, as Klump has no family to go home to and is left by himself at the base. Played straight after learning Skurvy is his brother.
- You Wouldn't Hit a Guy with Glasses: Fearing a fight, Klump tries this when he bumps into DK. He doesn't wear glasses, so he makes the gesture with his fingers.
