Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree

Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree is the twenty-sixth episode of the second season.

In the US, this episode was first released on the VHS release of Shining Time Station's 1990 Christmas special 'Tis a Gift.

Plot
It's the twenty-third of December and the final preparations are being made for a carol party to be held at Tidmouth. Thomas is sent to collect the Christmas tree, but on the way back runs into a snowdrift again and is covered in an avalanche. Donald and Douglas go to the rescue and save Thomas and the precious cargo. The tree arrives on time, and everyone is delighted when the guest of honour - Father Christmas - arrives in Harold.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Donald and Douglas
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Percy (does not speak)
 * Toby (does not speak)
 * Duck (does not speak)
 * Harold (does not speak)
 * Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
 * Edward (cameo)
 * Henry (cameo)
 * Gordon (cameo)
 * James (cameo)
 * Bill and Ben (cameo)
 * BoCo (cameo)
 * Diesel (cameo)
 * Bertie (cameo)
 * Terence (cameo)
 * Trevor (cameo)

Locations

 * Tidmouth
 * Rolf's Castle
 * Tidmouth Sheds

Trivia

 * This episode is based on the story of the same name, released alongside the series in 1986.
 * Father Christmas seems to be a dressed up model of the Fat Controller.
 * Stock footage from Thomas, Terence and the Snow is used.
 * This is the last episode narrated by Ringo Starr, and the last episode produced by Robert D. Cardona.
 * In the restored version, Thomas' eyes move at the very last second at the very end.
 * When George Carlin narrates, Thomas says "Happy Holiday, Percy; Happy Holiday, everyone!", instead of Happy Christmas.

Goofs

 * As Thomas crashes into the snow, he looks more annoyed than surprised.
 * When the engines whistle loudly Henry and Gordon are smiling and Donald has Edward's cross face.
 * When the narrator says "Then they set off once more to finish their long journey" on the left side of the screen the space between the leaves and the tree is green.
 * If Thomas was returning with the Christmas tree then it shouldn't have been possible for the twins to have come up behind him.
 * When Thomas is rescued from the snowdrift he looks cross.
 * In the aerial shot of the station when the lights come on Bertie is stationary, at the back of the shot and missing a Christmas hat. Not long after there is a close-up of him with Trevor and Terence, now wearing a hat.
 * In the aerial shot of the station, Annie and Clarabel do not have hats on, but later gain them.
 * Daisy and Henrietta were not present at the Christmas party. Diesel, for some reason, was.
 * A wire is used to hold Harold when he is landing.
 * Toward the end of the episode, a shot is inserted where the engines are rearranged: Edward is now at the platform instead of next to Duck and Thomas is now on a track next to Harold instead of in front of the station, next to Percy. Then, when Thomas talks to Percy at the very end, he is suddenly in his original position again.
 * Something can be seen in the shed when Thomas says "Happy Christmas everyone!"
 * Donald and Douglas' nameplates are missing in several scenes.
 * Duck is called "Doug" in the subtitles on the "'Tis a Gift" VHS. What's more, when this episode appeared on said VHS, all sentences mentioning the Fat Controller are edited out. This was due to Ringo Starr leaving the series before recording a US version of the episode, so the UK version is used, excluding lines from The Fat Controller.
 * A camera tripod is seen when Donald and Douglas set off to find Thomas.