Yogi's First Christmas... Worries?!?

We ended yesterday with Yogi and Boo Boo's door and a sign telling us not to disturb them until April. Underneath the sign lie unopened bottles (presumably of milk) and unread newspapers which I guess Yogi forgot to cancel over the winter months. I'm not sure what Jellystone newsagents are like but I certainly would've thought that any shop that knows their customer is a bear would be familiar with the concept of hibernation. Of course, the milk man and the paper boy are not without blame here. They obviously haven't realised the folly of their ways and thought to themselves "You know I could save a lot of time by not making this redundant journey, through the deep snow, through blizzards and to a door where I am blatantly littering a national park and thus committing a crime!" No, obviously the only thought going through their heads is "There's three dogs and a pink lion on that snowmobile in the distance and I'm making a delivery. IF THEY SEE ME, I'M FOR IT!!!!" I guess we could let them off in this case. Still, when Yogi wakes up there is going to be an awful stench of bad milk.

Anyway, our five snowmobile-riding friends continue their sing-song as they get ever closer to their destination; Jellystone Lodge. Now I don't remember ever seeing Jellystone Lodge in the original Yogi Bear cartoons though admittedly I haven't seen any in years so my memories of the particulars of locations are vague. That is to say, I mostly just remember all the smarter than the average pic-a-nic basket theft! The lodge appears to host an annual Christmas event where they invite people to enjoy the festive season in the company of friends. I'm sure they probably hike up rates to rip people off but luckily we're not talking about people here, we're talking about talking animals. My experience of lodges or shacks or similar looking buildings in films and television is one of trouble. I know that if there's a shack at winter time, it won't be long before I am seeing the Abominable Snowman, the survivors of a mountain top air crash or a murder mystery where the occupants of the lodge will inevitably be stuck until "the weather clears", hoping with their every breath that Jessica Fletcher will solve the case before they become the next unfortunate victim of some winter-themed serial killer.

Let's just pause for a second to sum up things so far. At the moment I'm watching a children's film (which I've now seen quite a few times) where I am suggesting that the Abominable Snowman is about to appear and commit several murders. The victims may include a littering paper boy, a pink lion and a sleeping bear but not to fear! A retired crime writer is on her way to solve the case! Diagnosis: Crazy. One might suggest that I am going to be disappointed if I continue to watch this film. Perhaps, they might say, I am adding an ominous atmosphere where there is none. Only time and having watched the film several times in the past will tell.

Doggie Daddy takes a moment to tell us all that the Jellystone "winter" Lodge is his "favourite Christmas hang-out". Personally I don't even have one "Christmas hang-out" but apparently Doggie Daddy has tried enough to offer us his preferred seasonal retreat. Since this is a dog who buys his own presents I'm not sure whether to trust him here but Snagglepuss agrees, adding that "'tis the season to be jolly... in Jellystone!", so I'll accept the Lodge as a happening place. Snagglepuss also suggests that they've got a whole week of "gaiety galore" to look forward to. Huckleberry Hound picks this moment to point out that it's a shame that Yogi and Boo-Boo have to miss out on all the festivities with Augie commenting that "bears never get to have any Christmas fun". The typically negative Ranger Smith says "Thank goodness Yogi's hibernating, we had enough trouble here last year without him." Trouble, you say? Daddy explains a little "You mean all them scary things that were happening all the time." WOAH THERE! Beyond the fact that I was right about the ominous bit earlier, there's something more important hidden here. If this Lodge is Daddy's favourite but had lots of scary things happening last year, then what the hell are all his other Christmas "hang-outs" like? Some things, as they say, are best left to the imagination...

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