Christmas is coming soon, and the one thing Rupert wants more than anything else is snow, as the weather in Nutwood is still as clear and sunny as the height of summer. It turns out he's not the only one. Santa Claus has gotten so many letters this year asking for the same thing that he's decided it's time to look into it, but of course he doesn't have the time, getting ready for Christmas, so he sends his old friend Rupert to ask Rupert's old friend the Clerk of the Weather where all the snow has got to this year.
The Clerk of the Weather isn't in, and his assistant Will refuses to believe anything is wrong with the weather until Rupert notices his alarm system isn't plugged in. It's then that he discovers that all the clouds that are supposed to fly to the North Pole, retrieve the snow, and deliver it around the globe are trapped at the North Pole. A quick flight to the top of the world reveals it's because the North Pole (you know, the candy cane-striped, barber shop-style pole) is gone. Now it's up to Rupert and Will to find out who's stolen it, with a little help from one of the locals — Rupert's Uncle Polar.
First appearance of Santa Claus and first mention of the Clerk of the Weather.
This episode provides examples of:
- Dreaming of a White Christmas: So many kids are writing letters of this nature that Santa calls in Rupert to find out why no one has any snow.
- Famed In-Story: Santa Claus calling on Rupert for help is the first indication we get that Rupert has a reputation around the world and/or among the Magical Underpinnings of Reality for helping solve problems.
- Female Monster Surprise: When she begins speaking, the previously genderless Monster Whale is shown clearly with Tertiary Sexual Characteristics and a mature female voice.
- Furry Reminder: When the trio gets stranded on an ice flow drifting out to see, Rupert's Uncle Polar simply jumps in the icy water and pushes it.
- Heads I Win, Tails You Lose: Rupert's convinced it's not going to snow in time for Christmas. His father challenges him to a bet that it will, and the loser has to do all the snow shoveling. Rupert instantly realizes that if he wins, his dad won't have any snow to shovel...
- Never My Fault: Will insists that the problem was caused by the fact that he doesn't have an assistant to make sure the Central Weather Monitoring System was working properly.
- No Antagonist: There's a mystery to solve, but no opponent to outwit, escape, or defeat. The lack of snow was a complete accident caused by an innocent whale and a loose plug.
- Painting the Frost on Windows: All weather like snow and sunshine is made, delivered, and maintained by the Clerk of the Weather.
- Photographic Memory: This Santa memorizes every letter he receives.
- Pungeon Master: The Monster Whale loves to make many lame whale/ocean puns. Problem is she's so huge, her laughs shake and distress the trio.
- Swallowed Whole: Narrowly averted. The trio accidentally end up in a whale's mouth (she was interested in the ice flow they were on). She nearly swallowed them by accident as she was suffering from a terrible toothache, for mistaking the North Pole for a piece of candy. They escape to find she's really quite sweet and friendly. She remarks it was fortunate to have met them all, though Polar informs her it was very nearly unfortunate. She sincerely apologies before making many bad whale-themed puns.
- Weather Dissonance: Winter is late this time, not just in Nutwood but all over the world.
