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{{episode infobox 2
|name=Xmas Story
|no=17
|image=[[File:Xmas Story.jpg|225px]]
|season=2
|broadcast season=
|number=2ACV04
|caption=Based on a True Story
|first aired=19 December, [[1999]]
|written by=David X. Cohen
|directed by=Peter Avanzino
|title reference=
|caption reference=
|opening cartoon=Elmer Fudd in "{{w|Fresh Hare}}"
|special guest=[[Conan O'Brien's head|Conan O'Brien]]<br />[[John Goodman]]
|sponsor=
|broadcast number=S02E08
|prev ep=A Head in the Polls
|next ep=Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love?
|seasonal=1
|guest-stars=[[Conan O'Brien's head|Conan O'Brien]] as [[Conan O'Brien's head|himself in a]] [[head jars|jar]] and [[John Goodman]] as [[Robot Santa Claus|Robot Santa]]
}}
On [[Xmas]] Eve, [[Philip J. Fry|Fry]] realizes he has been a jerk towards [[Turanga Leela|Leela]] and decides to make it up for her, when they both run into Robot Santa, who is nowhere as nice as the former {{cat|children|s=no}}'s character was made up to be.

== The Story ==
{{plot-update}}

=== Act I: "He doesn't know about Santa Claus!" ===
The [[Planet Express]] crew are all on a company [[Xmas]] ski trip at [[Catskills Lodge]].  [[Philip J. Fry|Fry]] begins to feel sad, since it's his first [[Xmas, 3000|Xmas in the 31<sup>st</sup> century]]. In an effort to cheer him up, they get an Xmas tree (a palm tree, since [[pine tree]]s have been extinct for 800 years). Back at the office, everyone gets an Xmas card except for [[Turanga Leela|Leela]], and we realise that Leela is just as lonely as Fry. However, Fry doesn't, and complains rudely. Fry's moping affects Leela, and she runs off in tears.

=== Act II: "Girls like swarms of [[Stink Lizards|lizards]], right?" ===
Fry feels guilty for upsetting Leela, and runs out to get an Xmas present. Everyone warns him to be back before dark, so the ruthless killer robot [[Santa Claus]] built in the [[2800s]] doesn't get him. [[Bender]] goes to "volunteer" at a [[Booze Kitchen|Liquor Kitchen]], where he poses as a homeless robot to get free [[alcohol|booze]]. Fry goes to the mall, and winds up shopping in the only {{cat|store}} left open, [[Joe's Ark Pet Store]], where he buys Leela a [[currency|$]]500 [[Fry's Parrot|parrot]]. On his way home, the parrot escapes, and Fry starts chasing it across town. Leela returns to Planet Express and learns Fry is out buying her a present; she runs out to find him. Fry, having chased the bird up a digital clock tower, falls off only to be saved by Leela. Before they can get home, they run into Santa!

=== Act III: "You dare bribe Santa?" ===
Bender and his new homeless robot friends go caroling, as an excuse to get into people's homes and rob them. Meanwhile, Fry and Leela are chased across town by Santa until they run into Bender. When Santa confronts Bender, he tries to blame the crippled orphan robot [[Tinny Tim]]. This is so incredibly naughty, Santa immediately adds it to his list, allowing Fry, Leela, and Bender a head start. They make it back to Planet Express, but Santa is right on their heels and gets inside. Santa gives {{Zoidberg}} a pogo stick, but attempts to kill everyone else for being naughty. Zoidberg, hopping on his new pogo stick, cuts a string of lights with his claws. The loose wire falls and electrocutes Santa, knocking him back into the fireplace. They slide the blast door closed before Rudolph explodes, blasting Santa out of the building. Everyone sits down to an Xmas dinner prepared by Bender - consisting of the parrot Fry had bought for Leela. They then sing "[[Santa Claus Is Gunning You down]]", while Robot Santa threatens that he'll be back next year.

== Additional Info ==
[[File:Bongo.jpg|left|thumb|[[Bongo]]]]
[[File:Promo 2ACV04.jpg|right|thumbnail|[[Promo pic]] of this episode]]
[[File:December2006calendar.JPG|right|thumb|December - [[2006]] [[calendar]]]]

=== Trivia ===
{{revelations about the future}}
*[[Bongo]], the one-eared rabbit from [[Matt Groening]]'s comic strip ''{{w|Life in Hell}}'' makes a [[cameo]] appearance in the {{cat|pet}} store. The comic company that publishes the [[Comic Listing|''Futurama'' comics]] is named for him.
*The scene where Hermes and Amy give up their prized hair to buy each other hair accessories is a reference to the "Gift of the Magi," a short story by the author O. Henry.
*The idea of Robot Santa Claus was partly inspired by the infamous [[1980s|1984]] slasher film ''Silent Night, Deadly Night'', in which a young man comes to believe that he is Santa Claus, and begins murdering people who he deems to be "naughty."
*Conan O'Brien mentioning a [[war of 2012]] is a reference to the belief that the Mayan calendar predicted that [[2012]] would be the end of [[Earth|the world]]. <ref>See also ''[[3012 phenomenon]]''.</ref>

=== Allusions ===
*The palm Christmas tree tied to the top of the Planet Express Ship when flying from the lodge to the Planet Express building is reminiscent of the Griswold's car and tree in ''{{w|National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation}}''.
*The scene featuring children skating is a parody of the ''Peanuts'' special ''{{w|A Charlie Brown Christmas}}''.
*[[Dr. Amy Wong|Amy]] and [[Hermes Conrad|Hermes]] selling their hair to give someone else a set of combs is a reference to the actions of Della and James Young in {{w|O. Henry}}'s short story ''{{w|The Gift of the Magi}}''.

=== Goofs ===
*Leela uses a laser hatchet to cut the tree down, but atop the Planet Express Ship, the tree has its roots, wrapped in a burlap bag. 
*Amy shouldn't have had to sell her hair to buy combs, as she's from a wealthy {{cat|famil||y}} (though that was only done for the sake of the ''Gift of the Magi'' parody).
*Leela states that global warming actually occurred, but in "[[A Big Piece of Garbage]]", [[Mayor Poopenmeyer]] said it turned out to be a scientific fraud, just like secondhand smoke.
**It occurred in "[[Crimes of the Hot]]" (even though nuclear winter canceled it out and it apparently started again after nuclear winter subsided), so it might just have been a mistake on Mayor Poopenmeyer's part (or Mayor Poopenmeyer may be one of those people who doesn't believe global warming is real).
*After Bender serves the parrot to [[Tinny Tim]], [[Nibbler]] steals the bird and sits in the corner. If you notice there is one frame where Nibbler's nose is all black.
*Despite pine trees being extinct for over 800 years, they are clearly visible in the background when the crew is out skiing and in the background at the beginning of "[[Spanish Fry]]".
** These are most likely artificial (as the forest in that episode is called the [[Duraflame National Forest]] and [http://www.duraflame.com/about-duraflame/ Duraflame] is a {{w|firelog}}-manufacturing company), like the ones designed to respond to "Trees down!"
*In the scene where Fry climbs to the top of the clock tower to retrieve the parrot, the time clearly reads, "04:24:xx."  However, after Fry drops the bird cage off the ledge and the view zooms out, the zero is missing and it reads "4:26:xx." The clock also counts up when he is hanging off of it, going from 2 to 7.
*When the [[Planet Express attic]] is shown for the first time, there is nothing above the fireplace. However, when Bender walks out to volunteer, a row of stockings are seen above the fireplace.
**It's possible that they were being set up during the scene.
*When Bender asks to come in for some cider, his gloves are on. The next clip shows no gloves.

=== Quotes ===
{{q|
<poem>'''Bender''': Ah, let's face it: Comedy's a dead art form. Now, tragedy... ''[He laughs.]'' ''That's'' funny!</poem>
<poem>'''Fry''': All right, bird, you thought you could beat me in a game of wits, but you just met your equal.</poem>
<poem>'''Fry''': Leela! Oh my God! You saved my life! I'm going to get you so many [[Stink Lizards|lizards]]!</poem>
<poem>'''Farnsworth''': Good thing I got us out of that one.</poem>
<poem>'''Farnsworth''': Good lord! He doesn't know about Santa Claus!</poem>
<poem>'''Robot Santa''': I'll be back, back when you least expect it...''NEXT'' XMAS!</poem>
}}

=== Alien Language Sightings ===
{{q|
<poem>'''Time''': 05:24
'''Location''': Sign
'''Language''': [[Alien languages#AL1|AL1]]
'''Translation''': disposable office temps</poem>
<poem>'''Time''': 12:24
'''Location''': Sign on shop's shutter
'''Language''': [[Alien languages#AL1|AL1]]
'''Translation''': joyeux noex</poem>
}}

=== Appearances ===
{{chars}}

==== Characters ====
{{chars-begin|note=no}}
*'''Debut''': [[Alien Overlord & Taylor Clerk]]
*[[Amy Wong]]
*[[Bender Bending Rodriguez|Bender]]
*'''Debut''': [[Bender's mother]]
*'''Debut''': [[Bongo]]
*'''Debut''': [[Conan O'Brien's head]]
*'''Debut''': [[Electric Snail]]
*[[Philip J. Fry|Fry]]
*'''Debut''': [[Fry's Parrot]]
*[[Hattie McDoogal|Hattie]]
*[[Hermes Conrad|Hermes]]
*'''Debut''': [[Kid with glasses and a black afro]]
*[[LaBarbara Conrad|LaBarbara]]
*[[Turanga Leela|Leela]]
*[[Linda]]
*'''Debut''': [[Max Weinberg's head]]
*[[Morbo]]
*[[Nibbler]]
*'''Debut''': [[Pet Store Clerk]]
*[[Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth|Professor Farnsworth]]
*[[Raoul]]
*[[Reverend Lionel Preacherbot]]
*'''Debut''': [[Robot Santa Claus]]
*'''Debut''': [[Stink Lizards]]
*'''Debut''': [[Tinny Tim]]
*[[Unknown Homeless Robot]]
*[[Dr. John Zoidberg|Zoidberg]]
{{chars-end}}

==== Places ====
{{chars-begin|note=no}}
*[[Alien Overlord & Taylor]]
*Andromeda Chuckle Hut {{miso}}
*'''Debut''': [[Catskills Lodge]]
*Galilee {{miso}}
*'''Debut''': [[Joe's Ark Pet Store]]
*[[Mom's Friendly Robot Company]] {{misato}}
*[[Moon]]
*'''Debut''': [[Cookieville Minimum-Security Orphanarium|Orphanarium]]
*'''Debut''': Our Motherboard of Mercy Liquor Kitchen
*Pakistan {{miso}}
*[[Planet Express attic]]
*[[Planet Express conference room]]
*[[Planet Express hangar]]
*[[Planet Express headquarters]]
*[[Sun]]
*Zion {{miso}}
{{chars-end}}

=== Themes ===
* The [[Fry-Leela relationship|romance]] between Fry and Leela is explored in this episode.

== Episode Credits ==
<!-- replace the unknowns and add any other voice actors. -->
{{credits-begin}}
*'''Writer'''
**[[David X. Cohen]]
*'''Director'''
**[[Peter Avanzino]]
*'''Special Guest'''
**[[Conan O'Brien's head|Conan O'Brien]]
**[[John Goodman]]
*'''Voice Actors'''
**[[Billy West]]
**[[Katey Sagal]]
**[[John DiMaggio]]
**[[Tress MacNeille]]
**[[Phil LaMarr]]
**[[David Herman]]
**[[Lauren Tom]]
**[[Frank Welker]] {{small|(uncredited)}} <!-- In case there's ever a dispute, I know because he voiced Fry's Parrot. -->
{{credits-end}}
{{navigation bottom
|prev ep=A Head in the Polls
|next ep=Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love?}}

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:A plots focusing on Fry]]
[[Category:A plots focusing on Leela]]
[[Category:B plots focusing on Bender]]
[[Category:Media featuring singing]]
[[Category:Media featuring sports]]
[[Category:Media wherein characters run away]]