A Princess Christmas Part 2: More Fairy Tales and Hardworking Girls

Disney's Princess Advent Calendar Dec. 6-10

Sleeping Beauty adapts the Disney movie of the same name, and does a fair job recounting the basic story--Maleficent, that evil fairy, intends to kill the fair Princess Aurora by pricking her finger on the poisonous spindle of a spinning wheel. Her plan ultimately fails, however, thanks to three courageous fairies and the heroic Prince Phillip.

The movie is one of Disney's best from its golden age, and the book, though lacking the film's funny antics and nuances, is still just as timeless. Moral: Love, courage, and loyalty are the ingredients for peace, and the bane of all evil.

December 6th

Aladdin is peculiar in that, well, despite being the story of Aladdin, it's Jasmine flying solo on the cover. Such such is the problem of highlighting a princess who, unlike Snow White or Ariel, never received a film in which she was the starring lead. And so, in this tale featuring Aladdin but highlighting Jasmine, the street rat and the princess soon find love thanks to a genie's magical antics. Like the other film adaptations, much of the humor is lost in what's essentially a summary of events, but it does what it needs to do. Moral: Friendship is the true treasure, the greatest hope, the highest wish.

December 8th

Day 8 brings a unique tale centered on Moana, who, along with a small group of kids, treks into the jungle to fetch some extra sugar cane. Along the way, they suckle coconuts and play games until--uh oh!--one of the children gets lost. The grateful boy is soon found, however, and as they head back to the village, he pays Moana the greatest of compliments: "When I grow up, I want to be just like you!"

December 9th

December 10th

December 9th provides a peculiar sequel to Day 6's Sleeping Beauty. With Prince Phillip away traveling, the normally angelic Princess Aurora gets her hands dirty...deciding that it's only natural she take his place at a jousting tournament. So, in full armor and no official training, the maiden competes against professional, lifetime knights and, somehow, takes fourth place. Even the most elegant and quintessential Disney princess hides a dangerous bite, apparently. At least she didn't shave her hair.

Tiana's tale is a simple one: An incidental sequel to The Princess and the Frog, the story sees Tiana wanting to expand her culinary repertoire by growing her own vegetables--primarily, a "ghost pepper" indigenous to India. Her enthusiasm eventually entices Prince Naveen, bestie Charlotte, and gator pal Louis to do the same. And together, they develop the perfect rooftop garden.

Tiana's Growing Experiment is another slice-of-life story that's cute if a little dull. Tiana wants to begin gardening...so she does. And she's good at it. The End. The tale's real value might come in its messaging, as there's probably more than one moral to learn here. Moral 1: Hard work and patience equals success. Moral 2: Working together lessens the burden and furthers the friendship.

December 7th

A Day with Moana proves to be a rather uneventful one. Less a story than a list of events, even the climax--someone's lost!--is rectified without much emotion or concern. A sequel to this, perhaps, could be Washing Laundry with Moana, or, Having Lunch with Moana Before Doing More Chores. This is a tale without a tail--an itinerary that ends with the sunset. Moral: Hmm...Volunteering is virtuous, but doing so with a happy heart is what really makes the difference.

An Amazing Team is, frankly, amazing nonsense--a non sequitur of a story that sees Disney's storied princess playing prince in a maiden's gown. It's completely contrary to Aurora's nature and station...to the point where one wonders if she was somehow bodyswapped with Phillip at an earlier date, the man now jousting from within her golden form. A ridiculous thought, yes...but still more believable than this, a story too intent to teach a lesson that, in this case, doesn't really work: Girls can do whatever guys can do! Moral: Not always. Not this time.

Next blog: December 11 - 15