This article is about the special. You may be looking for the VHS. |
'Tis a Gift is a Christmas special and overall the twenty-first episode of Shining Time Station. This special takes place between the first two seasons.
Plot
The spirit of the Christmas Holidays has hit Shining Time Station as it becomes busier than ever. Schemer tries to get passengers to vote for him to be Santa's Helper in the town’s Christmas Pageant, by unnecessarily making it a campaign to vote against Stacy. J.B. King begins to look for Mr. Conductor leaving him presents around the station hoping he receives them. The station sees the arrival of two new faces; A man named Mr. Nicholas who believes a certain train called The Northern Star will arrive to collect him to the confusion of the staff, and Vickie, a shy girl who unintentionally ruins Matt and Tanya's fun and preparations.
As the night goes on, St. Nicholas helps Vickie come out of her shell giving her the courage to engage more with the station. Once Mayor Flopdinger announces he will be Santa's Helper, the adults in the station erupt into confusion. This all changes as Vickie starts to sing for them to the pure delight of her mother. As the station all comes together in harmony to sing carols, Mr. Nicholas (revealing to be Santa Claus himself) leaves for The Northern Star as Mr. Conductor leaves with him to help. Everyone is chosen to be Santa's Helper. The station comes all together as one to celebrate the Christmas spirit.
Cast and Characters
Main Cast
- Ringo Starr as Mr. Conductor
- Didi Conn as Stacy Jones
- Nicole Leach as Tanya Cupper
- Rachel Miner as Vickie
- Brian O'Connor as Schemer
- Jason Woliner as Matt Jones
Special Guest Star
The Flexitoon Puppeteers
- Jonathan Freeman as Tito Swing
- Olga Felgemacher-Marin as DiDi
- Alan Semok as Tex
- Craig Marin as Rex
- Peter Baird and Kenny Miele as Grace the Bass
Guest Starring
- Ardon Bess as Tucker
- Jerome Dempsey as Mayor of East Shemp
- Mart Hulswit as J.B. King ESQ
- Bobo Lewis as Midge Smoot
- Judy Marshak as Claire
Mentioned characters
Thomas Stories
- Thomas, Terence and the Snow (used on TV broadcasts)
- Thomas' Christmas Party (used as the second story on TV and as the first one on VHS)
- Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree (used on VHS)
Jukebox Band Segment Songs
- Over the River and Through the Woods
- Jingle Bells
- It's Christmas Time at the Railway Station
- Simple Gifts (with Vickie)
Cartoons and Songs
Trivia
- This episode marked the last of several things:
- Ringo Starr's last appearance as Mr. Conductor, although he would later appear in stock footage in the second season premiere, Scare Dares. His role was taken over by George Carlin in the aforementioned episode.
- The last time Jason Woliner and Nicole Leach are credited in the opening.
- The last time Matthew Jones and Tanya Cupper are main characters.
- The second-to-last episode to debut stories from Season 1 of Thomas The Tank Engine & Friends (originally it was the last until Whistles and Sneezes appeared in the Season 2 episode, Achoo [the last to debut stories from Season 1 of Thomas The Tank Engine & Friends]).
- This episode also marked the first of a few things:
- This is the first time The Rainbow Sun is mentioned outside of the theme song.
- This is the first hour-long episode.
- This episode was the only time for several things:
- This is the only Season 1 episode to be released on VHS.
- The only Christmas-themed episode of the series.
- This is the only episode to use an entirely different opening and closing sequence.
- This is the only episode where an incarnation of Mr. Conductor leaves the show on-screen.
- The only appearance of Tucker Cooper.
- This is the second time "Terence the Tractor" is told by Mr. Conductor.
- This special is dedicated to all those who helped to build Shining Time Station. The dedication was edited out of later airings and the home video release.
- Although generally considered to be a special, this technically was the 21st and final episode of Season 1.
- Upon its VHS release in 1992, the Thomas stories in this episode were rearranged. "Thomas' Christmas Party" was made the first story, while "Thomas and the Missing Christmas" became the final story. As Ringo Starr had left and thus never created a US version of the latter, the original UK soundtrack was used, removing all mentions of "The Fat Controller".
- The footage, "Climbin’ to the Canyon" used for the opening and closing sequences, as well as It's Christmas Time at the Railway Station, were filmed at the Grand Canyon Railway in Williams, Arizona, and features their locomotive #18. Incidentally, the #18 steam engine makes a second appearance as its whistle, a Southern Pacific six-chime, is used for Mr. Nicholas' heard-but-not-seen Northern Star. The locomotive used to reside at the Mt. Hood Railroad in Oregon, and the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad in Alamosa, CO. but as of today it's moved to Boyertown, PA to be operated by the Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust.
- The main events of the special were taped in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where it would remain for the rest of the series.
- The music video, The Hobo Song, was originally going to be cut out as the producers felt it would be too emotional for young viewers, but the final decision was made that it would be kept in as it conveyed an important message.
- Mr. Conductor's line, "See? With the help of Terence..." is cut from the VHS version as Thomas' Christmas Party is the first Thomas story instead of Thomas, Terence and the Snow.
- Based on what Mr. Conductor said before telling the story, Thomas' Christmas Party may have taken place in December 1989 as it was referred to as "Last Christmas".
- The jukebox scenes were filmed in New York City while the scenes of the station were filmed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.