What makes the Bluey episode Verandah Santa a Christmas classic?

The children’s television show Bluey, about the Heeler dog family, has become a hit among families for its funny, relatable, heartwarming, and wholesome entertainment. Available to watch on Disney Plus, the animated show consists of very short episodes, focusing on the family and everyday life.

From learning life lessons to enjoying the monotony of life, Bluey has achieved three-season status. In fact, the show has become so popular that Bluey, the main character the show is named after, had her very own balloon at this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!

It would be no surprise that a show that seems to cover nearly aspect of life, from making friends to literally death, would have a Christmas episode. Season 1’s “Verandah Santa” has the Heeler family celebrating Christmas Eve.

The family of four dogs and Bluey’s father’s side of the family, all get together in preparation for Santa. However, the children, sisters Bluey, Bingo, and cousins Muffin and Socks, become paranoid about behaving so that Santa will come and deliver presents.

What happens in the Bluey season 1 episode “Verandah Santa”?

To pass the time the four and Bluey and Bingo’s dad Bandit, decide to play Verandah Santa. This is a game where one person plays Santa while the rest pretend to sleep.

After giving everyone gifts, in the form of random items found around the house, they wake up and see what gifts Santa left them. Everything goes well until Socks accidentally bites Bluey.

Angered and upset that Socks bit her, Bluey refuses to give Socks any gifts when she plays Santa. Socks gets upset which leads Bluey’s parents to talk to her about what happened.

They explain that being nice to others should be something you should do regardless of whether Santa gives you presents or not. Bluey doesn’t realize what she had done until she sees how upset Socks is.

The episode ends with Bluey apologizing to her cousin and the whole family playing Verandah Santa while having a pillow fight. So, what makes this Christmas episode of Bluey a classic?

Aside from the lesson it successfully teaches, it portrays very common dynamics of families and children. Children often care about things that will benefit them, in this case receiving presents from Santa.

They don’t apologize for doing something wrong, even by accident, because it’s the right thing to do. They do it so that Santa won’t forget about them.

Bluey becomes understandably upset about Socks biting her, but she doesn’t realize that Socks is a lot younger than her and still learning. Instead of understanding and forgiving her cousin, she immediately gets even.

But we can’t dislike Bluey for acting as she did because she is a child and she’s learning. Bluey’s parents take initiative and teach her what she did wrong and how to make it right.

Children need to learn these things because as we mentioned earlier, they are learning. It’s always relieving to see a children’s show where children are taught and parents actually parent.

It’s reassuring to see children, even fictional, acting in such ways because there will be children, possibly even your own who will act similarly to this. But the important thing is that the problem is solved with everyone happy by the end of the episode.

Overall “Verandah Santa” is a short, sweet and enjoyable episode that could become a holiday classic for your household and family.

What do you think of “Verandah Santa”? Leave your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!

You can watch all three seasons of Bluey on Disney Plus.