SpongeBob's Road to Christmas

"" is the 272nd episode of SpongeBob SquarePants, and also the series' third official Christmas episode.
==Summary==
As Christmas Eve has once again come to Bikini Bottom, SpongeBob leaves a present under his tree for Santa Claus. After he goes to bed, Santa arrives, having to shrink himself down in order to get into SpongeBob's house. However, as he leaves SpongeBob's present under the tree, he unknowingly kicks the gift SpongeBob left for him behind the sofa.
Seven months later, SpongeBob is vacuuming his living room and lifts up the sofa when he suddenly notices his present for Santa and realizes that the big guy never got it. SpongeBob is devastated about at the fact that his gift to Santa is 212 days late and cries immensely about it when suddenly Patrick arrives and applauds his performance. After SpongeBob explains that Santa never got the gift he left for him, Patrick suggests that he deliver it to Santa himself. SpongeBob, however, knows that the North Pole is too far to walk to... so he and Patrick decide to take turns playfully pushing and shoving each other all the way there. The two goofballs do not get very far before running into (or rather, landing on) Plankton, who, after learning what they're up to, complains that he's been on Santa's naughty list ever since he got his "born to be naughty" tattoo. However, Plankton then realizes that if he goes to the North Pole with them, he can hack into Santa's mainframe and put his name on the nice list so that Santa will have to give him the Krabby Patty secret formula. Therefore, he decides to accompany SpongeBob and Patrick on their journey, using his rocket-powered vehicle consisting of a fishbowl with skis and treads ("I built it to fly and run over bodies during the zombie apocalypse, but it'll work on snow too"). That night, as they're flying to the top of the sea, Plankton becomes curious about what SpongeBob's present for Santa is, but the sponge says it's a secret.
When Plankton wakes up the next morning, SpongeBob and Patrick inform him that they've already reached the North Pole, much to his confusion. However, as the vehicle comes in for a landing, it's made apparent to the viewers that the trio has actually landed at Christmas Land, a very run-down amusement park. Patrick, having taken control of the vehicle, lands it right in front of a sign pole, which causes a crack in the fishbowl and wrecks the navigation system. As the trio gets out to explore their surroundings, SpongeBob and Patrick express complete wonder at what they think is the North Pole, while Plankton is the only one of them who notices something's not right about the place, specifically pointing out the warm weather and the presence of smog. SpongeBob then finds a arrow sign saying "Meet Santa Claus", and the group follows it, despite Plankton's suspicions. Plankton is soon surprised to see what appears to be Santa Claus, napping in his chair. When SpongeBob and Patrick get up on Santa's lap, he wakes up and recognizes them, saying that he's SpongeBob's biggest fan. SpongeBob, flattered by the compliment, clarifies that actually Patchy the Pirate is his biggest fan... at which point "Santa" removes his costume to reveal himself as Patchy! Patchy explains to the trio that they're actually in Encino, Los Angeles, and playing Santa at this amusement park is his side job. Since the GPS on their vehicle is busted, Patchy gives the trio a map and a compass to get with which to get to the North Pole.
One map-traveling montage later, SpongeBob, Patrick, and Plankton arrive at the real North Pole and walk up to the front door of Santa's workshop. The elf who answers the door mistakes them for four-months-early trick-or-treaters dressed as spacemen (due to their fishbowl helmets). When SpongeBob explains that they're here to see Santa, the elf tells him that Santa and Mrs. Claus are on vacation in Aruba right now and gives hims and Patrick candy canes; during this conversation, Plankton puts fake elf ears on his fishbowl helmet and sneaks inside the workshop. After noticing that Santa's elves are partying and goofing off inside (and that Plankton snuck in and isn't going to help them), SpongeBob decides that he and Patrick should go down the chimney like Santa. They do so and find themselves in Santa's office with his own Christmas tree. But right as they approaching the tree, an alarm is set off and the elves now think the "trick-or-treaters" are crooks trying to steal the toys, forcing SpongeBob and Patrick to climb up into the tree.
Meanwhile, Plankton is looking for Santa's mainframe when he's suddenly confronted by the very muscular reindeer, led by a blue-nosed one referred to in the credits as Bludolph. The reindeer each kick Plankton around like a hacky-sack before suddenly hearing the alarm that SpongeBob and Patrick set off. The reindeer come in to help the elves, but one of them gets caught in the line of fire and the reindeer and elves get into an all-out brawl, to SpongeBob's dismay. During all the ruckus, Plankton manages to find Santa's computer and successfully adds his name to the nice list. However, just as Plankton thinks his plan is a success, Santa suddenly returns, having been alerted by his silent alarm, and asks what caused this mess. SpongeBob sheepishly says hi to Santa, who calls him a menace (like he did the last time they met) but is willing to forgive him. SpongeBob then presents Santa with his 213-days-late, one-of-a-kind gift, which Santa is flattered by since not even his elves or reindeer give him presents. Plankton sees Santa opening the gift and sees that it appears to be the Krabby Patty formula, so he promptly snatches it from Santa, surely putting himself back on the naughty list. However, when Plankton looks at the scroll of paper inside the bottle, he finds that it's actually a simple thank-you note that SpongeBob wrote for Santa. SpongeBob then admits to Santa that he and Patrick (who's currently feasting on the tree's candy canes) wouldn't have been able to make it here without Plankton's help, saying "he's really not that naughty."
Five months later, at the Krusty Krab's Christmas party, Plankton has been receiving boxes of coal from all the other partygoers. SpongeBob then gives him a gift, but to Plankton's surprise, it's not another lump of coal; it's a photo of himself, SpongeBob, Patrick, and Patchy, signed "Merry Christmas to Plankton! One day you will destroy us all!" Plankton is touched by SpongeBob's note... and then starts feeding his mountain of coal to a killer robot he brought with him.
==Home video releases==
;DVD
* SpongeBob SquarePants: The Complete 13th Season
==See also==
* SpongeBob SquarePants
** "Christmas Who?"
** "It's a SpongeBob Christmas!"
* Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years: "The Ho! Ho! Horror!"
* The Patrick Star Show: "Just In Time for Christmas"
==External links==
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Category:Christmas productions