Sidekicks and companions in Christmas media are great complimentary pieces to the main characters, sometimes even taking center stage. In this article I will go over the Top 6 Christmas sidekicks and companions.
#6 Sam the Snowman-Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (1964)
Okay I’m technically somewhat cheating with this one. Sam the Snowman is a protagonist in the movie but he’s also the narrator. However, he did tell Hermey and Yukon Cornelius where to find Rudolph in the North Pole. How he knows where exactly Rudolph is in the North Pole is unknown. He also has a great design that differs quite a lot from other snowmen in Christmas media but also shares identical features. The coal black eyes, being made almost entirely of snow and the classic top hat remain. However he has a frosty mustache, an umbrella, a green flannel and even a banjo he plays throughout the film.
#5 Miss Jessica-Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (1970)
Miss Jessica is your average school teacher in Sombertown until she met Kris Kringle, who was delivering presents to good children all over town despite Burgermeister Meisterburger’s new law explicitly stating toys are banned after an accident he had with a Toy Duck. Jessica originally condoned Kris’ dangerous actions at first due to how dangerous it was giving out toys in a toyless town. But once Kris Kringle gave Jessica a China doll, she develops a crush on him and realizes how asinine Burgermeister’s law is.
She even saves Kris, his penguin buddy Topper, the Winter Warlock and the rest of the Kringle family after being caught in Burgermeister’s trap.
#4 The Conductor-The Polar Express (2004)
The Conductor is a light hearted character in the movie and provides valuable life lessons for the young kids aboard The Polar Express and generally is a welcoming presence whenever he’s around. He’s almost always on time to get the eager kids to meet Santa Claus and radiates a very positive energy. The Conductor also takes pride in his job’s work and is rarely negative about anything. Definitely a conductor I’d be happy to have a board any train.
#3 Max-How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
Max is the loyal dog to the main antagonist of the film, the Grinch, who wants to make the City of Whoville as miserable as he is. The Grinch concocts a nefarious plot to steal every Christmas belonging in Whoville. He disguises himself as Santa Claus and disguises Max to look like a Reindeer.
Blinded by his ambition, the Grinch has Max pull his sleigh and even uses a whip to push Max to his limits. Once he succeeded in stealing every last Christmas present and decoration, the Grinch once again further abuses Max by having him climb all the way up the mountain with the heavy luggage. Max surprisingly does manage to climb all the way up the mountain, where the grinch is about to dump the entire sack of stolen goods into a ravine.
But something bizarre happened. The Grinch heard happy singing from the citizens of Whoville instead of the sobbing and outrage he expected. It hit the grinch like a brick had been thrown at his face. He realized while he could steal Christmas belongings he couldn’t steal the Christmas spirit.
The Grinch then stops his mischievous plan of dumping the Christmas belongings and
does a complete 180. A newly motivated Max, happily runs down the mountain along with the Grinch and the Christmas belongings and even partake in the Christmas feast.
#2 Yukon Cornelius-Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (1964)
Yukon Cornelius definitely has a more commanding presence than most Christmas characters. He’s strong, kind, a thick brown beard accompanied by a twirly mustache, and is an extremely accomplished silver and gold miner. Yukon is the first character who doesn’t discriminate against either Rudolph for his shiny nose or Hermey’s career choice of being a dentist. He is an awesome friend who sticks by his pals no matter who they are or who they want to be.
Later in the film he helps Rudolph and Hermy escape from the Abominable Snow Monster or “Bumble” as he likes to call him. Yukon and Hermy come up with a plan to end the Abominable Snow Monster’s rampage once and for all by luring him into a trap as the mighty yeti gets knocked out by a precisely timed boulder drop by Yukon. Hermy then plucks all of Bumble’s teeth out, rendering the once imposing monster much less threatening. Yukon even befriends the monster at the end of the film and becomes Yukon’s sidekick.
#1 Santa Claus-Rise Of The Guardians (2012)
Santa Claus has had numerous depictions in Christmas movies throughout the years and his depiction in Rise of the Guardians is one of the best in my opinion. Saint Nicholas has never been known for having an imposing presence and while he still is very festive and jolly, he also has a commanding presence that persuades Jack Frost to become the newest member of the guardians in their fight against Pitch Black.
Santa Claus wasn’t kidding when he was ready to fight Pitch Black. He is a towering mountain of muscle mass, has excellent swordsmanship skills, is a great fighter and wears a mix of his iconic red attire mixed with a Russian-esque winter jacket. Try getting that out of your head
For more from Northern Lights Gazette click here