"Happy First Frost" is an episode of Strawberry Shortcake's Berry Bitty Adventures.
Summary[]
Blueberry's personal desires influence her gift choice for the gift exchange to celebrate the First Frost, and she is dismayed to discover that nobody likes it.
Episode Review[]
The Berrykin are harvesting berries while at Strawberry's Cafe, Strawberry is busy trying to make applesauce. She asks her friends if they would like to try it, but they're busy trying to wrap presents. Just then Mr. Longface comes in and sees the girls busily working as Strawberry brings him tea. He mentions that the entire town has been preparing for an event but he has no idea what is going on when Orange reveals it is "First Frost". Mr. Longface is confused because he's never heard of it, much to the girls' surprise. They explain how the holiday works as Strawberry grants permission for him to participate with them. Everyone writes its name on a slip of paper and tosses it into a hat, then they each take turn drawing a slip from the hat. The name on the slip is who they must provide a present for.
Later, Blueberry is trying to determine a good gift for Lemon when she comes across the "1000 Ways to Organize Books" book. She adores this book and realizes that it is the perfect gift, and she begins re-reading it until she forces herself to stop so that she can get it ready. She prepares to drop it off at the Salon until she hears Raspberry and Orange nearby, and takes shelter in a nearby bush so that they don't find out she was Lemon's gifter. From the bush, she watches as Lemon comes to the door to find the gift, and she happily takes it inside. Blueberry takes off while wondering if the gift she receives will be just as good.
Lemon is confused after opening the present, unsure of what to do with it. She attempts to read it but struggles to understand the contents, or why she would get a book like this in the first place since she has no use for it. She decides to re-wrap it and give it to Plum.
Strawberry, who had got Mr. Longface's name, explains to Pupcake and Custard that she's figured out what item to give him. Dressed in her climbing gear, she leaves for the nearby mountain to fetch said item.
As Blueberry did earlier, Lemon dives into the bush before Plum discovers her gift. She unwraps it and comments that while it is nice, she has no need for it either. It's also really boring, but maybe Orange will like it. She re-wraps the book and heads to Orange Mart, where she throws down the book before rushing off.
Meanwhile Strawberry is climbing a tall rock when she spots the item she was in search of, up ahead. She continues her way up onto the rocks.
Orange also finds herself displeased by the gift, so she decides to pass it on to Raspberry, who could use it as a foot stool while she works on her designs.
At the top of the rocks, Strawberry plucks the pretty pink flower she came to find. But then she sneezes, leaving the flower to look less pretty.
Raspberry asks the butterflies to help her bring the big book she was given to Blueberry's book store, since Blueberry loves books. She drops it off and quickly leaves just as Blueberry comes out having heard the noise. She's delighted by such a thoughtful gift, until she realizes that it was the exact same book that she gave Lemon. She is concerned and decides to investigate to figure out what happened.
While attempting to avoid revealing she gave the book to her, Blueberry asks Lemon about it. Lemon criticizes it and explains that she just has no use for it. Blueberry then heads off to dance with Plum, then heads off to see Orange when she learns that she got it after her. She remarks on how complicated this is while heading over to Raspberry's, and stops at the cafe to speak with Strawberry. She can't understand why nobody liked her gift. She watches as Strawberry prepares the flower she got for Mr. Longface, and she's not feeling so well today. Blueberry asks her friend why she would suffer through her allergies over something like a present. Strawberry expresses that gift giving is about thinking of the other person, and finding them gifts that fit them. This causes Blueberry to realize where she messed up, and she runs off to make things right.
Later, Blueberry returns to the salon and reveals that she was the bad gift-giver from earlier. But she wants to make it right, by giving Lemon a book about braiding techniques. Lemon is delighted, but realizes that she could have been more thoughtful as well, and she purchases Plum a new pair of ballet slippers. Plum gives Orange a pogo-stick, who goes out to buy a cute hat for Raspberry. Raspberry then ends the chain of gift-giving by getting a blue stationary set for Blueberry. Raspberry was initially worried that Blueberry wouldn't like it as much as the berry big book on book-sorting, but Blueberry insists that the new gift was even better because it really showed her that Raspberry thought about her, and what she likes. That's something that only a friend would know.
Later, the girls all meet up for nice warm drinks while showing each other the gifts they received and personally apologizing for not being more thoughtful with their original gift. Strawberry shows everyone the brand new super-duper apple smasher she got, and she gives Mr. Longface the hibiscus flower that she worked hard to get. She reveals where she hid it, and everyone shares a laugh before she wishes them a Happy First Frost.
Quotes[]
- Mr. Longface: I don't mean to interrupt you on your get together.
- Plum: You mean, gift together?
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- Plum: It's his first, First Frost!
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- Blueberry: Actually, astronomically speaking it's one of the shortest days. The days grow smaller and the sun rises quicker (slowly realizes how confused everybody is) ...being winter and all... (sighs) as you were saying...
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- Lemon: (calls out to Blueberry) Wait! You haven't been rinsed!
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- Plum: (calls out to Blueberry) Wait, where are you going? We still have the foxtrot to practice...
Lessons[]
The girls that when gifting someone, it is important to think about that person rather than themself. It's also important to be honest about how they feel regarding the gift, instead of foisting it on someone else.
Trivia[]
- It is revealed that Mr. Longface does not like applesauce.
- Lemon owns a skateboard, which she uses to transfer a gift over to Plum's.
- When it came to the gift the Berry Girls kept giving to each other, Raspberry was the only one to actually give someone something they liked, namely giving the book back to Blueberry.
- Strawberry reveals Mr. Longface came to Berry Bitty City sometime after she did.
- The idea of giving present for the First Frost is like "Secret Santa".
- Strawberry reveals Lemon likes to watercolor.
- Someone hides in a bush 3 times in this episode.
- Apparently, 137 chapters is barely a quarter of the book that Blueberry gives as a present.
- This episode reveals Strawberry's allergy to Hibiscus flowers.
Goofs[]
- Realistically, it would have been impossible for Strawberry to get a flower beneath Mr. Longface's hat without him noticing. Unless she meant that she stuck it in the hat when he wasn't wearing it.
- First Frost seems to take place around the same time as Christmas, making the name of the holiday illogical, as it should have been getting frosty in the mornings months before then.
External links[]
- Happy First Frost at the Internet Movie Database