Mater Saves Christmas

**Mater Saves Christmas** is a book. Written by Kiel Murray, it was published on September 28, 2009.

## Synopsis

There's a fuel bandit on the loose in Radiator Springs. Not only does this mean that the cars will soon be running on fumes, but it also makes it impossible for the town's postal trucks to deliver everyone's Christmas letters to Santa Car! Mater's determined to get his letter to Santa, though. Luckily, Fillmore has just enough of his special Christmas gasoline for Mater and Lightning McQueen to make the trek to the North Pole, while the rest of the town investigates the mysterious missing fuel. But when Mater finally meets Santa Car, he learns that Christmas might actually need to be cancelled this year...unless Mater and McQueen can save the day! This 48-page picture book with foil stamping and embossing on the cover is sure to become a Christmas classic!

## Plot

One morning, Mater was driving through Radiator Springs to deliver his letter to Santa Car. He meets Chick at the mailbox, who teases him for believing in Santa. Lightning witnesses this and suspects that Chick is up to mischief. Things get worse when Sheriff reports that gas stations down Route 66 and at the post office are being robbed of their fuel, which is preventing mail trucks from delivering Santa's letters. This makes Mater start to worry about Christmas being ruined, so he decides to go to the North Pole to deliver the letters himself, but when he tries to refuel at Flo's, he and Flo find out that they were robbed too. Luckily, Fillmore still has a little of his Christmas brew left and decides to give it to Mater. Lightning, not wanting him to go alone, gets suited up with snow tires from Luigi and Guido and other snow gear from Sarge so he could accompany Mater on the journey. When the two cars were ready, they started their trip through the mountains, singing Christmas carols along the way.

Back in Radiator Springs, Sheriff devises a plan to catch the thieves. Luigi and Guido would spy on them with, Sally in charge of maps ,while Fillmore continues to make fuel. However, they find out that Fillmore was also robbed, so Sarge comes up with a back-up plan, where he and Fillmore would share their remaining fuel with Luigi and Guido.

After a long and exhausting journey, Lightning and Mater make it to the North Pole, which they find beautiful. They meet up with Santa Car and deliver the letters. However, Santa announced that he might have to cancel Christmas as the reindeer that fly him around the world using a secret flying fuel were stolen. Mater suddenly remembered seeing Chick and his friends acting suspiciously at Flo's, and he and Lightning conclude that Chick stole the reindeer to give himself an advantage in races. Santa came up with a plan where Mater and Lightning would have their tanks filled up with the flying fuel and fly him back to Radiator Springs.

In Radiator Springs, Luigi and Guido spot Chick and his friends making fuel with Fillmore's supplies, with Santa's reindeer trapped in a cage. Boost and Snot Rod capture them, and tie them up in front of Chick, who tells them his plan of using the flying fuel to stop losing to Lightning in the Piston Cup. At that moment, Mater, Lightning, and Santa arrive back as Chick flies away with Lightning chasing after him. The residents of Radiator Springs also show up to free Luigi, Guido, and the reindeer. As Chick continued to fly, he takes a turn too fast and crashes into the cactus patch. Mater arrives with Doc, who tells Mater to tow Chick out and to the impound.

Everyone goes back to Flo's to celebrate the capturing of the fuel thieves. Before Santa leaves, he offers Mater the opportunity to help him with his Christmas run, which Mater gladly accepts.

## Die-casts

### 1:55 scale

#### First released 2009

* Christmas Cruiser Ramone
* Decked Out Doc Hudson
* Holiday Hotshot Lightning McQueen
* Holiday Spirit Sheriff
* Snow Day Sally

#### First released 2010

* Snowplow Lightning McQueen
* Whee-Hoo Winter Mater

#### First released 2011

* Christmas Guido
* Christmas Luigi
* Fuel Tide Cheer Fillmore
* Reindeer Mater
* Santa Car

### Mini Racers

#### First released 2022

* Christmas Cruiser Ramone
* Fuel Tide Cheer Fillmore
* Snow Day Sally