First, let me say we are big Veggie Tales fans, or perhaps I should say Classic Veggie Tales fans, as more and more of their more recent offerings have fallen flat for us.

We were hopeful for this latest Veggie Tale, especially since it started off with the premise that Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber would explain who Saint Nicholas really was. In the beginning, the story does just that, showing Nicholas' life as a young boy in ancient Greece, and is in fact fairly accurate through Nicholas becoming an orphan.

It is Nicholas' (young) adult life that the Veggie Tales team takes creative license with. Had this not been a story about an actual historical figure AND one that was claiming to set history straight, I would have had no problem with the ensuing silliness. But instead of sharing the story of how Nicholas helped 3 daughters with no dowry money by throwing sacks of coins through their window late at night, the V.T. team puts Nicholas in ridiculous disguises, the last looking basically like a modern day Santa Claus. Not only do they manage to get a red fur-trimmed suit into the ancient Greece setting, but they also add snow, trips down chimneys, and a "sleigh" and "reindeer" into the story. Granted, Larry the Cucumber is trying to make it more "Christmasy" but in doing so, he's gone right back to confusing children as to who St. Nicholas actually was.

So once again, I can only recommend a book instead of a video. If your children are ready to hear the true story of St. Nicholas (as my 6 and 4 year old were), then I can only suggest Santa, Are You For Real? by Harold Myra.

I certainly hope the V.T. team can return to their roots. This video (even its "silly" song) left us sorely disappointed. Here's hoping I can return it to my local Christian bookstore...

I was very sad and angry to see how the VT crew butchered the life of a powerful saint. Saint Nicholas was a good and holy man, not a misguided preacher's kid. I can even get over the silliness about him being a masked hero running through the streets, but I cannot stand the slander of his early life. If you aren't going to speak the truth about holy men, avoid their stories completely. BTW he was not Greek, he was from Turkey. Getting kinda sick of the Orthodox=ethnic associations that seem to be acceptable. There was plenty to produce a powerful story of learning and loving God as you grow up into the faith, not turning it into the false "He got saved" moment that is the typical adult Evangelical conversion story.

Watching Saint Nicholas, one can only note how much better it is than most of the recent holiday specials, which try to have a moral to the story, but end up flat and heavy-handed. VeggieTales, on the other hand, go far beyond morals to express big ideas. The recent VeggieTales movie, The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A Veggie Tales Movie (Widescreen), was the sort of superior entertainment that, while it enthralls kids, also engages adults. It's hard to believe this featurette is only 45 minutes, because it runs the gamut from light laughs to moving pathos to profound finale, the same arc as a feature film. Adults who happen to walk by while it's on TV will probably find themselves drawn in. Kids will see something new every time.

Bob the tomato tells the true story of St. Nicholas, while Larry the cuke constantly interrupts with more conventional ideas of Santa Claus. The real saint threw bags of money down the chimneys of poor women to save them from being forced into brothels. In this kid-friendly version, young Nick saves the poor from going to jail. Either way, he becomes the patron saint of those who fight human trafficking. The DVD includes ways for kids and families to help a long-established charity called Samaritan's Purse, and a catchy video by Matthew West and Amy Grant, "Give This Christmas Away."

There's an intense scene when the young Nick's parents die, which might be disturbing for very young kids, like similar scenes in Disney films like Bambi. The film is filled with witty asides and references to holiday trivia and packed with well-performed, singable songs.Read more ›

The best VeggieTales DVD ever released! This story also doesn't pull the rug out from under little ones excited for Christmas morning gifts! It will inspire all of us to give - and give all year round. A story like this doesn't get much better than this! Great gift for any toddlers on your list!

Excellent topic & much NEEDED discussion for children!
this can really open up doors for a separation between what has become Santa and the roots of St. Nicholas.

The only reason I gave it 4 stars and not 5 is because of the imagined snow and the sheep that became like reindeer.. i really think they stretched it too much and I'm not sure that younger kids will be able to separate it out between what is being imagined and what they are really trying to portray about the actual story.

the music is great.

the music video made me cry.

the intent of the video is AMAZING.

the story is wonderful & really necessary. I am so glad they made this!