Snow covered all of New York and was still drifting. The young children in Central Park anticipated the upcoming holiday—Christmas! Meanwhile, the zoo animals were getting the zoo ready for the event. Skipper and Kowalski were walking through the habitats, making sure everything was running smoothly. Kowalski was taking notes on the progress being made.
"How we looking, Kowalski?" Skipper asked.
"We're progressing pretty quickly this year," Kowalski replied, looking over his notes.
"Perfecto. How are we on getting that tree?"
"Bada and Bing are bringing it over as we speak."
"Excellente!"
In the midst of their conversation, a certain ring-tailed lemur and his 'royal' subjects walked up to them.
"Eh, excuse me smelly flightless water birds. I was wondering who is to be playing the role of Santa Claus this year."
"I am, Ringtail," Skipper answered.
"You?! And who gave you the permissionings to be taking such a role?! Not me."
"As a matter of fact, Ringtail, the rest of the zoo voted for me while you were busy—" he mocked Julien's voice— "'making your kingdom look the most fantastical!'"
"Okay, firsting of all, I am not sounding like that. Thirdly of all, I will be playing the Santa Claus," Julien insisted.
"Oh, really? And what would be your first decree as Big Red?" Skipper inquired.
"Of course, it would be to start the boogying! Haha!"
"Mm-hm. And tell me—what is the true meaning of Christmas?"
"Pft! Of course, it is when everyone gets what they want! As long as what they want isn't the same thing as what I want."
Skipper rolled his eyes. "No can do. A Santa has to be someone who cares about the little ones having a good Kidsmas. And a selfish Ringtail such as yourself just won't cut the mustard."
"I will be the mustard!" Mort cheered happily as he hopped up and down.
Skipper sighed in annoyance. "Come on, Kowalski. We've got work to do."
The other animals were excitedly getting ready for the 25th, which was just four hours away. Marlene was hanging lights around the zoo with the help of the larger mammals. Becky, Stacy, and Rico were organizing games. The chimps were making the gingerbread house. Bada and Bing had just returned with the Christmas tree. Roger was putting the finishing touches to his Christmas song and Private was writing a Christmas story for the kids.
Back in the lemur habitat, Julien complained, as usual.
"Ugh! Maurice! That stupid penguin thinks he is the boss of me! How dare he not appoint me as Santa Flaws?!"
"Um, Santa Claus. And, maybe you should just let it go—just enjoy Christmas as you are," Maurice suggested.
"Because Maurice, I am king," Julien insisted.
"Right, but you know there's really nothing wrong with not being Santa. You can still have a good Christmas," Maurice reasoned.
"Whatever, Maurice," Julien groaned in response.
— § —
In the park, the children were having fun with a snowball fight. All except four small ducklings, who were trying to figure out a way to spy on the zoo animals and create mischief.
"Okay, so how are we to sneak in without the being seen?" Eggy asked.
"I think I saw the penguins use a secret hatch that leads into the zoo once," Ramona said.
"Perfect! Follow me!" Eggy said, walking off with his wing in the air.
"Uh, Eggy, you're going the wrong way and I'm the only one who knows where it is," Ramona told him.
Eggy turned back to face her. "Right. I knew that."
— § —
"Wow, how long is this tunnel?" Bradley asked. The four mischievous ducklings were now making their way through the tunnel Ramona brought them to, which seemed to be taking forever.
"Shouldn't be much further now," Ramona answered.
"Where does it lead?" Samuel asked.
"I don't know, but I know it leads to somewhere in the zoo."
Finally, they reached the end of the tunnel.
"Okay, let's go," Eggy whispered, slightly opening the hatch. "The coast is clear!"
The four of them hopped through the tunnel exit, shutting the hatch behind them. They were next to the Zoovenir Shop. The ducklings crept forward and peeked around the corner of the shop to see the zoosters at work with the Christmas decoration. They watched in awe as the gorillas prepared a magnificent Christmas tree for decorating later on that evening.
"Wow," Eggy whispered, his breath fogging in the cold winter air.
"How long do you think it'll be before they get done?" Bradley asked.
"Long before you little tikes get to see it."
The ducklings jumped at the sound of a voice behind them. It was Private.
"Oh . . . hello, Mr. Private," Ramona said guiltily.
"And just what do you four think you're doing in the zoo before Kidsmas? How did you even get in here?"
"We just wanted to see the decorations!" one of the ducklings said.
"That's no excuse, uh, Bradley?" Private guessed.
"Samuel."
"Right, sorry. Anyway, that's no excuse. We wanted everything to be a surprise. Now tell me, just how did all four of you sneak in without being noticed?" Private repeated.
For a moment, all the ducklings remained silent, and then Samuel, Bradley, and Eggy pointed at Ramona. Ramona crossed her wings.
"Thanks guys," she said with a hint of sarcasm.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Private asked.
Ramona sighed. "I may have seen you and the other penguins using a secret tunnel once," she admitted.
Private's beak fell open. "So, you're telling me that you four snuck into the zoo using a top-secret tunnel that's only to be used by penguin personnel only?" he asked, crossing his flippers and frowning upon them.
The ducklings hung their heads.
"We're sorry," Bradley said sadly.
"Yeah, we're sorry, Mr. Private," Ramona resounded.
Private's disappointed frown faded into sympathy at the ducklings' sad little faces. He unfolded his flippers with a sigh.
"I'll tell you what. I'll take you back to the park, and if you all promise not to come back until we're ready, we can forget this ever happened. Okay?"
The ducklings lifted their heads with a smile.
"Really?" they said cheerily.
Private smiled. "Now, then, it's Christmas!"
The ducklings smiled back and hugged Private.
"Thank you, Mr. Private!" they resounded.
Private patted their backs. "Chins up, then. Now, about the promise?"
"We promise!" the ducklings resounded.
"All right. Let's get you back to the park," Private said, leading them back to the secret tunnel. Once they'd reached the end, Private led them to the mothers, who were busy watching the other children. When Mother Duck saw them she flew over to them in a panic.
"There you all are! I've been looking everywhere! Where have you four been?" she asked.
The ducklings looked at Private for help.
"Uh, I found them playing in the snow at the south end of the park. I guess they weren't paying attention at how far they were wandering. Right, kids?" Private asked, winking at the ducklings.
"Oh, yes, mother. We're sorry we worried you," Ramona said, the other ducklings following with their share of apologies.
Mother Duck sighed. "All right. Just don't wander off like that anymore! I was worried sick."
"Sorry, Mother. It won't happen again," Bradley said.
"Go on and have fun then. Thank you for bringing them back to me, Private," Mother Duck said.
"You're very welcome. See you in the morning. Big day tomorrow," Private said with a friendly smile. With that, they went their separate ways.
— § —
"Your highness, aren't you going to get ready? The kids are scheduled to be here in an hour," Maurice informed his king.
"No, Maurice. I am not. If I am not going as the Santa, then I'm not going at all," Julien replied.
"Now, King Julien, don't you think you're being a little stubborn?" Maurice suggested.
"No, Maurice, it is not I that is being the stubborn. It is that frowny flat-headed bossy penguin that is being the stubborn! There is no other that is fitted to be the Santa other than the king himself! Right, Mort?"
"King Julien is the bestest Santa ever!" Mort cried happily.
"See, Maurice? Case closed," Julien stated.
Maurice sighed. "Fine. In that case, what are we doing for Christmas, then?"
Julien hopped down from his throne. "Maurice! We are going to be having the bestest Christmas ever! We will have snowball fights and dance and best-ly of all, give presents! To me, of course."
Maurice turned his head and rolled his eyes. "Sounds like fun."
— § —
"Kowalski! Status!"
"We are just about ready, Skipper! And the kids will be arriving in just fifteen minutes!" Kowalski replied excitedly.
"I'm so excited! Too bad Kidsmas only comes once a year," Marlene cried.
"Here's the gingerbread house!" Mason called as he and Phil set the house on the counter in the Zoovenir Shop.
"Perfect! What's left, Kowalski?" Skipper asked.
"All we need is the completion of the Kidsmas story that Private was writing. Private?" Kowalski said, turning to the youngest penguin.
Private stepped through the crowd of zoosters. "I'm almost finished. I'll have it done soon," he reported with a smile.
"Well, you get on that, Private. We're greeting the kids in T-minus nine minutes. Okay, everyone! Let's get in position!" Skipper ordered.
Everyone met at the gates and awaited the children. Everyone except a certain ring-tailed lemur and his loyal subjects.
"Are you sure you don't want to join the others, King Julien? Surely, that would be more fun than hanging around your kingdom all day," Maurice encouraged.
"Ugh! Maurice! How many times must I be telling you? We can have the bestest Christmas without them!" Julien insisted.
"But—"
Julien waved his finger in Maurice's face. "Ah-ah-ah. Bestest—Christmas—ever. That is an order, mister!"
Maurice sighed. "Yes, your highness."
Meanwhile, the kids were just arriving and all the zoo animals were welcoming them to the zoo with hearty season's greetings.
"Good morning, kids of Central Park!" Skipper called, "Oh, no . . . No, no, no!" he cried as a group of kids tackled him to the ground.
"Merry Christmas!" the children cried. The other zoo animals laughed as Skipper tried to free himself from the kids' tight embrace.
"Okay! Uh—Merry Christmas! Um—a little help, please!" Skipper said with a laugh.
Julien peered over the wall at the commotion and saw what was happening. "Pft! Look at them, Maurice. If they knew how boring that bossy penguin is, then they'd be begging me to play Santa Chores!"
"Santa Claus," Maurice corrected again. "Now can you just come over here and make the most of Christmas? That was your whole idea in the first place, right? Having the 'bestest Christmas ever' without the others?" he asked while helping Mort make a snowman.
"Right-e-o! Let's get this party started, shall we!?" Julien said, hopping down from the wall and turning on his boom box.
"Yeah?! 's that all ya got, kids?!" Skipper said, throwing a snowball toward the children. Although, the children ducked at the last moment and the snow hit Marlene in the face. Skipper covered his beak with his flippers. Everyone looked from him to Marlene.
"Ah!" Marlene cried, wiping snow from her eyes. She darted a look at Skipper with her arms crossed, and then she eyed the snow slyly.
Skipper moved his flippers down and adjusted his Santa cap. "Marlene, now—it was an accident, you know that!"
Marlene looked at him out of the corner of her eye, then bent over and grabbed a handful of snow. After balling it up, she held it up and smiled deviously at him.
"Um, I'm sorry?" Skipper tried.
"What was that? I can't hear you," Marlene replied. Everyone held back their snickers.
"Now, Marlene, I didn't mean to—"
Marlene threw the snowball at him and he ducked, causing the snowball hit Mason in the face.
"I say!" he cried, wiping it off of his head as Phil fell over laughing. Mason threw a snowball at him to shut him up. From there it was a chain reaction—eventually everyone was throwing snowballs at each other. No one could contain their laughter.
"What is going on over there?" Maurice asked from behind the walls of the lemur habitat.
"It sounds like fun!" Mort cried.
"Who is caring about what is going on over with the other zoo animals? We are having much more of a good time than them!" Julien told them.
"All right, this is where I draw the line. You know darn well that you want to go have fun with the others. Why can't you just admit it?" Maurice said, putting his paws on his hips.
"I am not admitting to anything because there is nothing that is needing to be admitted to! Now, who will be starting the Christmas conga-ga line? Me? Okey-dokey." He was about to turn on the conga-ga music when Maurice stopped him.
"Whoa, slow your role, there. It's time I just came right out and said it. Mort and I are not having the bestest Christmas ever. In fact, this is one of the worst. We are going to go join the others for Christmas. Feel free to join us when you realize your mistake," Maurice said sternly. He turned and began leaving the habitat.
"Oh, okay, Maurice. You be that way. Go then! Be a traitor! Mort and I will continue having the most wonderfulness Christmas! Right, Mort?" He looked down at little Mort, who hung his head in disappointment. "Mort! Not you too!"
Mort looked up at him with sad eyes. "Remember when the Skipper penguin asked you what the true meaning of Christmas was?"
"Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?"
"You said it was when everyone got what they want for Christmas. All I want is to spend Christmas with all of my friends," Mort admitted.
Julien turned his back on him. "Then go! Be with your better friends! I will have Christmas all by myself!" he said, crossing his arms.
Mort looked at him with moist eyes. He was about to say something, but instead turned and started walking away. At the last moment he turned back and said, "Merry Christmas, King Julien," and then continued walking.
Julien wanted to be angry, he wanted to be furious. But despite his efforts, his face fell in sorrow. He sat down in the snow and looked at the snowman that he'd named Sunny.
"You're enjoying your Christmas, right, Sunny?"
A moment later, Sunny's arm, which was made from a broken twig, fell slightly, making Sunny appear to have his hand on his hip. Julien sighed.
— § —
". . . and a happy zoo year!" Roger finished the carol he'd written and the animals applauded. It had started to snow a while ago and seemed to be coming down harder by the minute.
"All right, everyone! It's Private's turn! Let's hear that story you wrote," Skipper ordered.
"Okay!" Private cried happily. He took his place in front of everyone. "Long ago, on a cold December night, children all around the world were getting ready in delight. For the very next day, on Christmas Eve, Santa was getting ready to say farewell to his elves and leave. To deliver the presents to the children of the earth, to thrill and delight the hearts of children of worth. Though one child in particular was unsure of his fate, he wasn't the nicest of the lot and wasn't sure which side of the list he'd made. He was bossy and cruel, and wasn't much different in his life in school."
Everyone listened intently to Private's story, although it became hard to hear when the wind picked up. Mason leaned a little closer to Skipper.
"Skipper, I think we should go inside. This snowfall is turning into a blizzard!" he whispered.
"Good call, simian. Hold on there, Private! Let's finish this in the Zoovenir Shop before we're chin-deep in snow," Skipper ordered. Everyone began to file toward the Shop, and the larger mammals picked up the children as they migrated. When they entered the Shop, Skipper looked over everyone to see if anyone was missing.
"Is everyone here?"
Maurice stepped forward. "What about King Julien? He's still in our habitat! He'll freeze to death!"
"Rotten candy canes! Why didn't he join us like you did?" Skipper asked.
"Oh, he's still mad because no one let him play Santa Claus," Maurice explained.
Skipper rolled his eyes. "All right. Roll out, men!" he ordered, sliding out of the Shop, the other penguins followed behind. They stayed close together so no one would get lost. When they reached the lemur habitat, Julien was huddled in the corner of his habitat, shivering, and humming his favorite Christmas song, 'Santa Claus Is Comin' To Madagascar.'
"Ringtail! You need to come with us before you freeze to death!" Skipper ordered.
"No! I am having the bestest Christmas ever all by myself!" Julien insisted.
"Julien, if my calculations are correct, if you exceed a half hour of this weather, you'll get hypothermia!" Kowalski warned.
"I don't know what this hypo-thermo is, and I don't care! I'm not going!" Julien insisted.
"Well, we tried, let's go," Skipper said, turning to leave, but Private grabbed his flipper and gave him a hard stare. Skipper sighed and turned back. "Look, Ringtail. You are probably the most stubborn, stuck up, selfish, mean, hotheaded, lousy—"
Kowalski elbowed him. "Get to the point!" he muttered.
"The point is no matter what, everyone deserves a Christmas. And it doesn't matter who you are or what gifts you receive—all that matters is that you're with people who care about you. Your, um—'subjects' care about you, Ringtail. They want to spend Christmas with you. And something tells me that the feeling is mutual."
Julien looked down for a moment. Then he looked over his shoulder at the penguins and sighed. "Fine. But only because I am freezing my fur off over here," he said, getting up and walking over to the penguins.
Once they returned to the Zoovenir Shop, Mort trotted up and hugged Julien's feet.
"King Julien! I knew you still loved us! I knew you wanted to spend Christmas with us! You are the bestest king ever!" he cried happily.
Julien tried to push Mort off. "Now, that's not exactly what I—"
"You're just in time to hear the rest of Private's story, your majesty! I'm glad you decided to join us. I was starting to feel bad about leaving you alone like that," Maurice said.
"Really? You—missed me?"
"I missed you!" Mort cried, making Julien realize that he was still clinging onto his feet.
"All right, Private, continue your story," Skipper ordered.
"Okay. Now where was I? Oh, yes! So, on Christmas morning, he woke with a yawn. He looked out on the horizon, at the sun bringing the morning dawn. He went down the stairs and looked under the tree, but was very unhappy with what he'd seen. There was not a one present in sight that was meant for him, and his heart flooded with guilt, not believing his luck was so dim. But later on that day, while walking through the snow, he saw a family making a snowman, their hearts full of glow. The sight of the happy children made him discover something new, it didn't matter how many presents you received—it was a matter of the people who loved you. He ran straight home to his brothers and sisters and enjoyed the time with his family, not a care in the world about the lack of presents for him there would be. He learned an important lesson that day, a lesson that would impact his life in every way. It wasn't about the amount of presents that would be given to you, it was the love that you gave to others, and the love that was given back to you. The End."
The zoosters applauded for Private's story. As for Julien, he was starting to feel guilty for the way he'd been acting all day. While the other animals became busy with the gingerbread house, Julien went into a corner and sat down, trying to be isolate himself from everyone else. A moment later, a possum child came up to him holding a piece of gingerbread and held it out to him.
"Merry Christmas!" he said with a smile.
"What is this for?" Julien asked.
"You looked kind of upset. No one should be sad on Christmas."
"But I thought everyone was mad at me."
"Well, I think everyone should have a good Christmas. Why don't you come join us? We're having lots of fun over there."
"No, I think I'm fine being over here by myself."
"Oh. In that case, I'll stay over here with you."
"Why?"
"No one should be alone on Christmas either," the child said, sitting down next to him.
Julien thought for a moment, feeling slightly awkward in this situation. Then he looked over at the other zoosters. Skipper was chasing some kids around the room for taking his Santa hat, most of the larger mammals were either socializing or playing games, and Mort was busy chasing his tail. Everyone was laughing and having a good time, and he started to feel jealous when he finally admitted to himself that he wasn't.
"You know what? I'll bite. Let's go join the others."
"Really? What made you change your mind?"
"I was thinking, you have better things to be doing than to let me bring you down on Christmas."
"You weren't bringing me down. I was happy as long as I made you happy."
Julien's heart skipped a beat. No one had ever said anything like that to him before. He smiled.
"You're a good kid," he said, poking his stomach. The kid laughed.
"Hey! I'm ticklish!"
"Are you now?" Julien smiled deviously.
"No!" The kid cried as he got up and started running away, with Julien chasing him.
Now that Julien had realized the true meaning of Christmas and was having fun with the others, he really was having the bestest Christmas ever.