Your Tiny Noel

In this holiday-themed addition to the Child Smart library of repetitive, lackluster children's educational programs (see review of Your Tiny Jungle Tot in VL-11/02), young viewers are introduced to Christmas customs worldwide. Starting in the U.S. (signified by the cartoon Statue of Liberty in the background), this formulaic program finds Murray the Monkey riding his sleigh to similarly decorated houses where puppets aimlessly frolic, a holiday tradition is briefly mentioned, a festive song is played, and clips of cute, though mostly unfocused, toddlers are trotted out. Barely straying from this formula, the tape fleetingly examines cultural rituals (such as setting out milk and cookies, filling shoes with goodies, and 12th Night cake) and characters (such as Italy's Befana and "the French Santa"), while relying heavily on random shots of Christmas items (snow globes, ornaments, etc.) and scenes of little kids opening presents and eating cookies while wearing somewhat vacant expressions. Also "traveling" to France (recognized by the Eiffel Tower), Italy (the Leaning Tower of Pisa), Mexico (palm trees) and Germany (the German flag--guess they ran out of identifiable buildings), the puppets end up back in the U.S. for an agonizingly uninspired Christmas medley. Very optional. Aud: P. (J. Williams)