Santapprentice
About Santapprentice
Every 163 years, the time comes to find a new Santa Claus for according to the rules, he has to retire after 178 years of good and loyal service. Fifteen years before he leaves, the Christmas elves go out to find the ideal replacement: an orphan called Nicolas, who has a good and pure heart. This is how Nicolas Barnsworth arrives at the North Pole from Australia. He has 15 years to get used to and learn the tricks of the "Santa Claus" trade: learning how to get down the chimney flues, driving the sleigh. Old Santa proves to be a wonderful teacher, and Nicolas will get to share quite funny experiences with Humphrey the chief elf, Randolph the reindeer and Rufus the little polar bear.
Episode guide
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What If It's Not Me?
It's not so easy to learn Santa's job. Nicolas realises this and doubts whether he is up to this huge task. What if Santa simply made a mistake when he chose his successor? Nicolas' doubts…
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Nicolas' Present
Nicolas is depressed because he thinks that he'll never receive Christmas presents anymore. In fact, Santa is preparing a surprise, but the present is an old-fashioned toy that Santa seems…
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A Long Night
Nicolas hears that the new Headmistress of his orphanage is tormenting his old friends. That night he goes to Australia to sort the situation out himself. The headmistress refuses to let hi…
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He Doesn't Exist
The manager of a toyshop launches a successful media campaign to make people believe that Santa doesn't exist. Worried children no longer write letters and orders decline sharply. Kidnapped…
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Nobody's Perfect
Nicolas is confronted with a dangerous rival: Pierrot, the son of the Bogey Man. Pierrot uses all his powers of seduction and his fledgling talent as a magician to charm all of Nicolas' ent…
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Plumped Up For Christmas
Nicolas 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 da…
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Santa's Whim
Santa wants to buy the fully automatic sleigh that belongs to a bullying baron who's on safari at the North Pole. Like a child with a new toy, Santa won't listen to Beatrice, who thinks the…
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Nicolas In Charge
Santa and Beatrice go away on holiday, leaving Nicolas to manage the toy factory for a whole week. Nicolas is delighted but he's soon disillusioned when he sees that the elves don't have th…
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The Greatest Secret
How does Santa manage to deliver all his presents in one night? Santa refuses to let Nicolas in on this secret for the moment. Frustrated, Nicolas decides to discover the truth by himself.…
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Never Happy
Elea, a spoiled little girl, says that she's not happy with her latest Christmas presents. If Nicolas doesn't find one that she really likes, she threatens to get her father who manufacture…
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First Hat-Bell Exam
During his chimney-climbing exam, Nicolas gets stuck and panics so much so that afterwards he gets giddy and comes out in a cold sweat just from looking at a chimney. If he can't overcome h…
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Garland Spray
Recently, the ice-bank has been warming up, putting Santa's Village in grave danger. Nicolas suspects that some strange orange clouds are causing this and he follows the trail left by the c…
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The Secret Door
While Santa's away, Nicolas perfects 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 t…
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The Big Exam
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…
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A Real Family
Nicolas is on the horns of a dilemma. When he was a child at the orphanage he dreamed of having a real family. And now that he lives at Christmas House his dream is coming true: his file wa…
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Blushing Beatrice
Who is this mysterious Alexandra whom nobody knows, but who has been receiving letters? Who sneaks into the Factory at night to sew beautiful dresses? Nicolas and Humphrey investigate.and d…
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And Afterwards?
Worried that Santa might take early retirement, Nicolas finds a way of taking his mind off things- sorting old letters to Santa' in the attic. He discovers that for years an adult has been…
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Snowed Under!
Nicolas is snowed under: between school, the Factory and his apprenticeship, he doesn't have a moment to himself anymore. If only he had a magic wand to do everything. However, magic is onl…
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Memory Of Christmas
Engrossed in his favourite 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 amnesi…
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Santa's Fiancée
In the middle of a storm, Santa picks up Circella, a beautiful young woman, who is semiconscious. Nicolas is sceptical about her identity. How did she get to the North Pole? Especially as C…
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The Infernal Goatskin
Nicolas unintentionally sets the snow monster free. At once, the dragon unleashes a ferocious storm. Santa, who has set off along the ice-bank to collect a delivery of spare parts, is trapp…
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The Mobile
Letters from young parents are pouring into Santa's House, asking for the musical mobile Santa brought them when they were little. Nicolas is impressed by the success of this toy but surpri…
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The Old Magician
Maurice, the son of Santa's best childhood friend, arrives at the North Pole. He's an old magician who loves his job so much he won't face the facts: his show doesn't crack any ice and he's…
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All Those Little Details
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 traditional (trees, fairy lights, costume…
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Father Christmas
What if Santa were Nicolas' father? Nicolas firmly believes it. Santa chose him from amongst thousands of others: it's a sign. And Santa loves him like a father. Finally, in Father Christma…
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Santa Playa Club
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…
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Stardust
Nicolas and Santa are collecting stardust from the aurora borealis. This rare and precious dust can create magic chimneys. Nicolas accidentally spills the magic dust, endangering Nic-Nac an…
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The Present Monster
Every year a monster attacks Santa's toy factory and devours tons of presents. Every year Santa drives the monster away by making it swallow a mysterious present. This year Nicolas plays a…
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Santa's Surprise
With Beatrice's collusion, Nicolas decides to prepare a surprise present for Santa. But Santa soon realises that some secret scheming is going on behind his back and he's convinced that a t…
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Ghost Of Christmas
By chance, Nicolas releases Harold, a little ghost imprisoned in a present by a previous Santa. Harold makes Nicolas' life a real pain until Nicolas succeeds in sending him back to his own…
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The Unwanted Present
Nicolas receives a letter from a boy named Gaspard: his little sister was born on December 25 and he's not at all happy with his present. He demands that Santa take her back. Nicolas tries…
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The Lost Bear
A teddy bear, a mislaid Christmas present dating back 25 years, is returned to Santa in the post. The orphan bear looks so sad that Nicolas is determined to find its young master. But Santa…
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Grandma Nicole
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 worried, however - we have t…
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The First Toy
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 from anybody else. Nicolas decides to make…
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A Test! What Test?
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 p…
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The Meteorite
Nicolas discovers a meteorite on the ice bank. It fell from the sky the day before. He starts daydreaming and gets excited about this rock that comes from a distant galaxy. When Nicolas goe…
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The Reindeer's Secret
All of Santa's reindeer - except Waldorf - accidentally lose their antlers. Too proud to be seen bareheaded, they refuse to work. But the mail can't wait. Nicolas offers to fetch it with Wa…
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So Lucky!
Nicolas meets Marco, a pal from the orphanage who hasn't been as lucky as Nicolas (his adoptive parents are tyrants and they smash his toys). Marco is fascinated when he discovers the life…
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Real Toys
Nicolas is impatient to become Santa at last. As he wonders why time passes so slowly, he starts to suspect that toys prevent children from growing up faster. You have to give children real…
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Metal Granny
Jackie, Beatrice's mother, comes to visit her daughter, who is rather ashamed of her. Jackie is a tattooed, heavy-metal biker and influences Nicolas, who adopts this fascinating granny's fa…
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They've Changed Santa!
A department store Santa, frustrated because he doesn't lead the life of his illustrious model, decides to go the North Pole and surreptitiously takes Santa's place. Once he's got rid of Sa…
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Elf Certificate
It's impossible to become a Santa one day and be worthy of the name if you don't have your Elf Certificate . In order to obtain it, Nicolas has to spend several days living and working wit…
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The Test Of The Mammoth
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 hiber…
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The Melvinelf
Nicolas discovers an elf hibernating in the ice bank. Santa is categorical: it's Melvin, who left for his native land more than a hundred years ago to find the secret recipe for Melvinelf j…
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Practical Joker
The toy Factory has to deal with a power cut caused by an electrical storm. At the same time Nicolas is given the delicate task of compiling a list of children who haven't been good. He inv…
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Santa's Fan
For the first time in the history of Christmas a child managed to stay awake during Santa's visit and took a close-up photo of him without Santa being aware he was there. How did the child…
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O Christmas Tree
What happens to Christmas trees after Christmas? Do they really end up with all their needles gone and in the gutter among the trashcans? Nicolas discovers one of Santa's best-kept secrets…
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A Present For Margaret
Nicolas has to face another test as part of his apprenticeship: he has to design a present the colour of a smile . The problem is that he just doesn't know where to begin. Meanwhile, Santa…
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The Day Before Christmas
Nicolas is not sure what date it is. Santa offers him an Advent calendar, but with all the work in the factory just before Christmas, Nicolas is not sure he's opened all the little windows…
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Christmas Peeve
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…