The title episode will remind readers most of "The Great Honey Hunt," where father and son (bear and cub?) go out to refill the family's honey pot. Mother advises them to stop by the store, but Father is determined to show his son how to track down a bee and obtain honey closest to the source. This results in a series of misadventures and lots of aches for Father, who eventually learns a lesson. The Berenstain Bears: Christmas Tree is all about Father dragging his cub out to the wilderness in search of the perfect tree. Hi-jinks ensue and it finally boils down to a lesson about how selfish desires during the holiday season have a way of backfiring. Hardly as dark as "A Christmas Tale," this lesson is learned through wry humor and Father's buffoonery, a staple of The Berenstain Bears. Kids love to laugh at their parents acting goofy, and Brother Bear is no different.
Additional episodes on the disk include, "The Ice Monster," "Learn About Strangers," Forget Their Manners," and "Get Stage Fright." Other than "The Ice Monster," all these episodes pull from the later Bear Family period, where the thrust was toward teaching kids life lessons. "The Ice Monster" is a silly but sweet look at a large (and we do mean large) misunderstanding that happens during the winter carnival, when it falls on Brother and Sister to sort things out. This episode and the Christmas special are products of the '70s where the others are '80s or newer. All the lessons contained here for kids are important, and The Berenstain Bears have a way of presenting the information in an entertaining, balanced fashion. Episodes like "Learn About Strangers" are completely relevant for a contemporary audience, even if the animation is a bit dated. Kids won't care about the animation, as long as the storytelling is strong. The Berenstain Bears: Christmas Tree is a concise little collection that isn't going to win over kids already sold on flashier entertainment, but it will meet with parents' approval and serve as a great source of edutainment. The release of The Berenstain Bears: Christmas Tree in advance of the holiday season is a nice touch, when this type of thing makes for a great stocking stuffer.
