SantApprentice - Season 1 (2006)

The manager of a toy shop named Lulu launches a successful media campaign to make people believe that Santa doesn't exist. Nicolas disguise as a North Pole Radio reporter and kidnaps the manager to bring him to Beatrice so that she can reconcile the manager with his childhood and Santa.

Nicholas is confronted with a dangerous rival: Pierrot, the son of the Bogey Man.

Nicholas doesn't want to become as plump as previous Santas. He tries to persuade Santa that he would be much more efficient during his rounds if he ate less. Santa won't listen - until the day he gets stuck in a chimney. Santa must go on a diet. Though Santa uses several cunning plans to dodge the diet and continue to stuff himself in secret.

Santa wants to buy the fully automatic sleigh that belongs to a bullying baron who's on safari at the North Pole. Eventually, Nicolas manages to unmask the so-called baron, a former circus lion tamer, who had set out to swindle Santa.

Santa and Beatrice go away on a holiday leaving Nicolas in charge to manage the toy factory for a week. The elves are depressed when they didn't receive morning kisses from Beatrice. But eventually, with help of Tim-Tim and Nic-Nac's mother, they cheer the elves up and they finish their work as fast as they can before Santa and Beatrice returns.

How does Santa manage to deliver all his presents in one night? Santa refuses to let Nicolas in on this secret for a moment. Frustrated, Nicolas decides to discover the truth by himself. He finds a secret map indicating a mysterious place hidden somewhere on the ice bank.

Elea Nyshearth, a spoiled little girl, says that she's not happy with her latest Christmas presents. When Nicolas falls out of the sleigh as it files over New York City, he finds himself trapped with Elea in one of these famous blocked chimneys. After Nicolas managed to climb out of the chimney with Elea, she realizes that the present she really needs is a friend: Nicolas.

During his chimney-climbing exam, Nicolas gets stuck and panics. Afterwards, he gets giddy and breaks out in a cold sweat just looking at a chimney. During the unexpected event at the toy factory, Nicolas has the opportunity to cure himself to save the Factory to pass the exam.

Recently, the ice bank has been warming up, putting Santa's Village in grave danger. Nicolas suspects that some strange orange clouds are causing the ice to melt and he follows the trail all the way back to Italy and discovers the source of the pollution: a factory that makes a "garland spray." Nicolas convinces to Pipo Grognoni to stop producing Garland Spray and stop the pollution with a help of Rufus, Afterwards, Nicolas also helps the elves to bring the factory back to the way it was.

While Santa's away, Nicolas tries to perfect his Christmas laugh - different to the traditional one. By chance, he discovers a secret door. Despite being told not to, he opens the door and lets out the Trubblies whom are these elves that have break toys instead of making them. Nicolas gives up his new laugh and with the help of Santa, he laughs the traditional Christmas one that will solve things.

Nicolas is old enough to take the test of the Golden Reindeer. In the middle of the night, he and Waldorf have to set out on a search for a mysterious tree that only grows on the other side of the ice sea. From its branches he must weave his first Christmas basket, which will be examined by the Council of the Wise Men, that is, all of previous Santas gathered together for the occasion. They will decide whether or not he qualifies for his Golden Reindeer.

Nicolas and Santa are collecting stardust from the aurora borealis. This rare and precious dust can create magic chimneys. During after school, Nicolas accidentally spills the magic dust, endangering Nic-Nac and Tim-Tim's lives. Luckily, with the help of Santa, Nicolas has more than one trick up his sleeve saving his friends and gathers more stardust for Christmases to come.

Who is this mysterious Alexandra whom nobody knows, but who has been receiving letter? Who sneaks into the Factory at night to sew beautiful dresses? Nicolas and Humphrey investigate as they discover that Alexandra and the mysterious seamstress are none other than: Beatrice Lovejoy. She is afraid she will be left all alone when Santa retires and has decided to meet Prince Charming.

Worried that Santa might take early retirement, Nicolas finds a way to taking his mind off things - sorting old letters to Santa in the attic. He discovers that for years, an adult has been pretending to be a child and is still receiving toys. Nicolas goes to the island and he found out that the impostor resembles Santa like person.

Nicolas is snowed under: between school, the Factory and his apprenticeship. If only he had a magic wand to do everything. To test him, Santa gives Nicolas a magic formula that does the work without him knowing about it. Nicolas passes the test and give up magic all by himself.

Engrossed in his favorite pastime, Santa is busy creating a new toy when his invention explodes in his face. Nicolas comes to the rescue and discovers that the shock has given Santa amnesia: he is now convinced he is eight years old. Nevertheless, Nicolas along with Waldorf, Rufus, Tim-Tim and Nic-Nac does their absolute best to get Santa's memory back.

In the middle of the storm, Santa picks up Circella, a beautiful young woman, who he finds half unconscious. Nicolas is skeptical about her identity. Beatrice Lovejoy does everything she can to discredit the newcomer. Eventually, they found out who Circella really is.

When Nicolas unintentionally sets the snow monster free, the dragon immediately unleashes a ferocious snow storm. Santa, who has set off along the ice bank to collect a delivery of spare parts, is trapped in the middle of the snow storm. Thanks to his friends and his own courage, Nicolas manages to overpower the monster and save Santa.

Letters from young parents are pouring into Santa's House, asking for the musical mobile Santa brought them when they were little. When Beatrice and Santa are hiding something, Nicolas investigates and to find out the truth.

Maurice, the son of Santa's best childhood friend, arrives at the North Pole. He's an old magician who loves his job. Though Santa hasn't the heart to tell Maurice it's time to hang up his wand.

Nicolas is keen to leave his "mark" during his time as Santa and tests the idea of breathing new life into those little details that make Christmas tradition - tree, fairy lights, costumes and the like. Nicolas his horrified to discover that without all those little details that Christmas is no longer really Christmas. Later, when Nicolas came to the fact that Christmas is really Christmas, Santa and Elves puts things back the way it was before and Nicolas invites Santa to a Sedna festival.

What if Santa were Nicolas' father? Nicolas firmly believes it. Santa chose him as a sign to be his apprentice. Santa loves him like a father as he and Nicolas challenges to a video game. Santa choses Nicolas from Australia to be his apprentice because he is the one with the highest score.

During a training session, Nicolas discovers he lacks the patience required to deal with the problems he might face later on. Luckily, Santa knows a little trick that will allow Nicolas to relax and smile when he finds himself in a difficulty. That day, some tourists made an emergency landing on the ice bank. They think they have reached their holiday destination as Nicolas relaxed, tries to make the tourists excited with his smile to find himself into.

Nicolas is on the horns of a dilemma. When he was a child at the orphanage he dreamed of having a real family. He went to Australia to convince his friend Michael to have Mr. and Mrs. Rosier adopt him. Now that Nicolas lives at Christmas House, his dream had come true. Nicolas gradually learns that Santa, Beatrice and the elves make up a family that is out of the ordinary, but a family all the same. Michael heard Nicolas's advice, he then lives with Mr. and Mrs. Rosier that used to adopt Nicolas.

Gigi, a present monster attacks Santa's toy factory and devours tons of presents. Nicolas decides to take part for action, he meets Jim inside a present monster who loves presents as Nicolas is stalking, chasing and scaring him of all sorts. Luckily, Santa and Nicolas gives Gigi and Jim an empty box so that Gigi and Jim decides not to attack Santa's toy factory and not to receive presents again.

With Beatrice's collusion, Nicolas decides to prepare a surprise present for Santa. Santa realizes that some secret scheming is going on at the factory. Thinking it was a spy, he discovered that it's Nicolas, who uses the opportunity to give him his surprise present, which he'd prepared just in time with the help of Beatrice and the elf.

Nicolas releases Harold, a little ghost imprisoned in a present by a previous Santa. Harold makes Nicolas' life a real pain until Nicolas manages to find the magic of Christmas that Harold missed, the Christmas music that was played by the elves as Harold loves the music that takes him to the afterlife.

Nicolas receives a letter from a boy named Gaspard: his little sister was born on December 25 and he's no at all happy with his present. Nicolas takes Josephine to the North Pole, though eventually that Gaspard loves his little Sister after all and wants her back.

A teddy bear, a mislaid Christmas present dating back 25 years ago, is returned to Santa in the post. Nicolas is determined to find its owner. With a little magic, Nicolas manages to reconstruct the story of the lost bear and finally deliver it to its owner Charles who was grown up with his children.

Grandma Nicole, a retired pilot, decides to hand out presents to children every single day. She becomes a major competitor for Santa, who doesn't seem the least bit worried. Of course, we have to trust in the magic of a Christmas present. But Nicolas, confronted with Tim-Tim and Nic-Nac's excitement, decides to take action. He discovers a very sweet old lady with an irresistible smile.

The time has come for Nicolas to design his first toy. He has to invent it and produce it himself. He has three days to do it and may not get help or borrowing anything from the toy factory. Eventually, Nicolas decides to make a teddy bear, using Rufus as model. Rufus tries to go into hibernation, though he helps Nicolas complete his first toy before he sleeps.

It's medical check-up time at Christmas House. Although everybody is in perfect health, Beatrice is worried about Santa's sleigh, which hasn't been very reliable lately. They will have to put it through some tests. As Nicolas overhears the conversation and tries to revise it. Eventually, with a little help from Santa, Nicolas tries to have fun just like Santa to succeed the test.

Nicolas discovers a meteorite on the ice bank. It fell from the sky the previous day. He starts daydreaming and gets exited about this rock from a distant galaxy. When Nicolas brings the rock home, everybody, including Beatrice, the elves and Santa, stars acting more and more strangely. The next day as Nicolas is in school, it's back to normal. Nicolas and Rufus gets rid of the rock as they throw it back to the ice for everyone at Christmas House go back to normal.

All of Santa's reindeer except Waldorf accidentally lose their antlers. To proud to be seen bareheaded, they refuse to work. Nicolas offers to fetch it with Waldorf. On the way, they meet Rufus, Tim-Tim and Nic-Nac, who are being hunted by a wolf. As Waldorf rescues Nicolas' friends, he loses his antlers in the process as Nicolas using the magic antler flute to put the wolf to sleep. Nicolas finds the ideal solution to restore the reindeer's lost pride as their antlers will grow back.

Nicolas meets Marco, a pal from the orphanage who hasn't been as lucky as Nicolas. Marco's adoptive parents are tyrants and they smash his toy horse. Marco is fascinated when he discovers the life that Nicolas is leading. He persuades Nicolas to invite him to Christmas House for a new toy horse. At first Marco felt guilty for being so lucky so with the help of Santa, Marco got a new toy horse that doesn't break and Marco lives with his new parents that are Inuit Eskimos.

Nicolas is impatient to become Santa at last. He starts to suspect that toys prevent children from growing up faster. So Nicolas takes Santa's advise and suggests that he start by replacing the toys in his room. The next morning, the toys have turned into real things and Nicolas soon regrets the transformation when he is playing with Tim-Tim and Nic-Nac. Later, Santa and Beatrice takes Nicolas and his toys back to his room and he was delighted to have the toys back.

Beatrice's mother, Jackie, comes to visit. Beatrice finds her mother that she is a tattooed, heavy-metal biker. She influences Nicolas, who adopts this fascinating granny's far-from-academic language. Jackie gives a Factory a Halloween-style makeover but then Beatrice and Nicolas come to the terms and apologizes to Jackie and turns everything back to normal before Santa arrives.

Mr. Director fires a department store Santa named Gerard, who is frustrated because he doesn't lead the life of his illustrious model, decides to go to the North Pole and surreptitiously takes Santa's place. The impostor sends the real Santa out and gets a splitting image of Santa himself, steps into his "boots." Nicolas, through his instinct and tenacity, manages to find the real Santa and overthrow the usurper.

Santa assigns Nicolas to obtain an "Elf Certificate." Nicolas spends couple of days living and working with the elves, learns to disappear and reappear at will. Nicolas accidentally disappears and appears back in his old orphanage in Australia. Managing to perform disappearing and reappearing with the help of his friend Christopher, Nicolas sends a letter to Santa. Luckily, Tim-Tim and Nic-Nac delivers the letter and Santa with Humphrey, saves Nicolas from the orphanage and Nicolas earns his "Elf Certificate" back at the North Pole.

The great day arrives: Nicolas is going to become immortal, like every Santa before him. But to do that he has to find the last living mammoth and gather its magic breath. This animal hibernates under the ice bank and wakes up every century to change shelter and eat a few leaves. Nicolas sets out to find it with Waldorf who assists Nicolas.

Nicolas discovers an elf hibernating in the ice bank. Santa is positive it's Melvin, who left for his native land more than a hundred years ago to find the secret recipe for Melvinelf juice - and never came back. At first, Santa is delighted: at last he will discover the only Christmas secret that has escaped him so far. As Nicolas receives a recipe to make Melvinelf juice, Humphrey tastes it and the juice is awful and the other elves knew that Beatrice's kisses is much better.

The Toy Factory has a power cut during a storm. At the same time, Nicolas is given the delicate task of compiling a list of children who haven't been good. He invites Brenda, who was the rowdiest and greatest prankster from the orphanage, up to the North Pole in the hope that she can redeem herself during her stay.

For the first time in the history of Christmas, a child named Chris, managed to stay awake during Santa's visit and take a close-up photo without Santa noticing. Nicolas has to visit Chris in question to find out what happened and to tell Santa and previous Santas the truth about why the child managed to bypass the security system that makes children fall asleep.

Nicolas discovers one of Santa's best-kept secrets - he offers the trees a second life. But one of the trees regains too much vitality after a blunder by Humphrey. The tree came to life and starts haunting the Factory in search of that Christmas thrill that brightened one evening of its existence.

Nicolas has to face another test as part of his apprenticeship: he has to design a "present with the color of a smile." The problem is that he just doesn't know where to begin. Meanwhile, Santa is inconsolable: this year, yet again, he hasn't managed to make Margaret, a little Canadian girl, happy. Nicolas discovers an adorable little girl who has lost the use of her leg, but is a great ice hockey fan. Nicolas gives an idea to Santa and invites Margaret to play Reindeer hockey at the North Pole. Margaret loved playing Reindeer hockey as she with Nicolas, Tim-Tim and ...

Nicolas is not sure what the date is. Santa offers him an Advent calendar, but with all the work in the factory just before Christmas. Nicolas is not sure he opened the windows correctly.

Santa asks Nicolas to search for a sign that will prove for sure that it is the 23rd and not the 24th of December - a star with seven points. Nicolas goes on a hunt to find a star with seven points and he founds it on a snow cloud and tells Santa that Christmas Eve is tomorrow.

Continued from the last episode. In a few hours it will be the big night: Nicolas is finally going to get practical experience when he accompanies Santa on his rounds delivering toys all over the world. Unfortunately, just as he's climbing into the sleigh, Santa accidentally breaks his leg.

Nicolas decides to deliver the presents alone. Alone? Not really, because Tim-Tim and Nic-Nac reveal themselves during the trip as they complicate Nicolas' task to make the best Christmas of all. Amazingly, Nicolas completes it and Santa and the Elves congratulate Nicolas and earns his first diploma with high honors. What a happy day for Nicolas as he feels like a full-fledged Santa.