This short film, featuring the work of the internationally-renowned Old Trout Puppet Workshop, is a playful cautionary tale about the consequences of selfishness and greed. The film’s greedy boy-king, Santa Claus, has everything he could ever want, including a castle brimming with toys, but the path of the greedy has only one end: to wind up alone, without a single friend. Santa only wants more and more—until he discovers the gift of giving.
Ideal for essays and debates on consumer culture and economics. Why does the filmmaker use puppets to tell a story for older students? Discuss whether this is effective. Write a story or create a video that deals with complex ideas or difficult issues through storytelling or fairy tales. Look at popular children’s stories and identify the values and lessons we learn from them. Rewrite a traditional children’s story to reflect or challenge contemporary values/issues.