A Princess Christmas: Exploring Disney's Advent Calendar Countdown

Considering it's the Christmas Season...and that this is largely a nostalgic, wistful blog...I thought it only fitting to have some holiday fun with an Advent calendar I can open day-by-day up until the 25th. And thanks to my local Ollie's Discount Store, I found the perfect vehicle for my December trek--a Disney Princess Advent Calendar filled with twenty-four miniature books featuring the likes of Ariel, Belle, and Snow White all enjoying a unique, solo adventure. I intend to review these teeny tomes at about four or five at a time, offering the Internet a place where these tiny tales can be discussed and documented. Of course, for those plucking through their own Princess Calendars, this blog is a pot of spoilers. If you want to be surprised, wait until January before perusing these reviews!

A Christmas Frolic Through Disney's Countdown of Dreamy Damsels

The calendar opens like a book, revealing a collage of pockets--24 individually-wrapped booklets all containing a unique tale. Surprisingly, these stories are rarely holiday themed, focusing rather on a random adventure or experience in their respective gal's life.

Disney's Princess Advent Calendar Dec. 1-5

Day one begins with a dance...a tambourine dance. Ariel, newly wedded to Prince Eric and still unaccustomed to being human, lacks the dexterity and grace to dance along with the maidens performing in her town's public market. But, after a pep talk from her friends and some further practice, the princess' first performance is a resounding success. The Moral: Practice makes perfect; never give up!

The story is cute and, beyond the obvious moral, offers an interesting glimpse into Ariel's early post-mermaid life as a princess fascinated, but often befuddled, by the human world. That she's still a little awkward on her feet is a believable twist for a girl who has spend her first sixteen years underwater. Notably, the artwork is excellent, offering a maiden both glistening and winsome.

December 1st

December 2nd

Day two offers an adaption of Disney's 2009 film, The Princess and the Frog. In truth, the movie is a bit too complicated to be easily squeezed into an incidental booklet, leaving the story feeling a bit convoluted when placed next to Ariel's more focused tale. Nevertheless, it's still a fine, pocket-sized edition of one of Disney's final hand-drawn films. The Moral: Hard work can achieve one's dreams, but true happiness comes from a family's love.

December 3rd

Day 3 is a unique story that sees Mulan entering a competition to win the "prized scroll," a treasure she hopes to offer her father on his birthday. And everything goes well, the spritely warrior winning every competition until, during the final round, the unexpected happens--her friends Mushu, Little Brother, and Cri-Kee inadvertently fall into the ring. She makes a desperate dive to save their lives, but accidentally steps beyond the boundary in the process, losing the match. Saddened, her father reminds her of the greater deed. The Moral: Honor comes not from victory, but compassion and mercy.

December 4th

December 5th

Honor for Father is a rather predictable, boilerplate tale with an obvious message and dubious conclusion. Did it have to be Mushu who foils Mulan's chances? Why not have Mulan fail by her own efforts, which is a reality everyone faces on occasion...even the greatest. Indeed, there's always someone faster, bigger...better. Learning to lose with dignity against a superior opponent is the hallmark of life, and is what makes an athlete truly honorable.

Day 4 adapts the classic fairy tale Cinderella, offering a condensed retelling of the Disney classic while still retaining most of its significant beats. Fans of the movie won't find anything surprising here, but at least the story is a clean, easy read without the odd plot complications of The Princess and the Frog. One is a timeless fairy tale, the other a calculated, over-engineered screenplay. Moral: Faith and kindness outshine the harshest darkness. Never lose hope and love will someday come.

Day 5 seems to precede Beauty and the Beast, depicting Belle and her father, Maurice, traveling to the French National Library in France. Along the way, they meet a woman named Sophie who's traveling by means of her newfangled invention--a hot-air balloon that allows her to view familiar sights from incredible new perspectives. Sophie offers them a ride, but after a heavenly flight, a freak storm literally casts the trio back to Earth. Fortunately, they're able to fix the balloon and reach the library after all...with Belle now keenly interested in studying the world and its many wonders. Moral: Life is a matter of perspective. Even the most mundane can surprise and entertain.

Not much happens, really, in Belle's Flight...not even an obvious moral. Belle meets girl. Belle rides balloon. Belle reaches library.

Perhaps, had more focus been placed on the joys and journey of the flight itself, this little tale could have compelled. Instead, it's just an inexplicable experience the heroine supposedly had long before she met the Beast. The real message is, probably: Women can (should) invent things, too!