The Three Christmases of Max Goof Part 1

“And now this gift holds a story both wondrous and rare. About a father and a son, and the love they both share.”

Max Goof has appeared in three Christmas stories. A GOOF TROOP CHRISTMAS (1992), MICKEY'S ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS (1999), and MICKEY'S TWICE UPON A CHRISTMAS (2004). By their release date, these specials span the 12 years of Max Goof’s existence in the Disney world. Unlike other Disney Christmas specials, which only change the setting and situation but never the ageless Disney characters, the three Max stories are not so consistent. Each story present Max at three different ages: As a child, as a pre-teen, and as a young adult. Historically, the stories are also defining pieces in Max’s existence. MOUaXMAS is Max at his youngest while M2UaXMAS is Max at his oldest. Likewise, MOUaXMAS is the last portrayal of the young Max, M2UaXMAS is Max’s last appearance to date.
Most importantly, each story holds a different portrayal of Max’s relationship with his father Goofy. Based on GOOF TROOP, A GOOFY MOVIE, AN EXTREMELY GOOFY MOVIE, HOUSE OF MOUSE, and the two Christmas movies, the relationship of Goofy and Max can be categorized in two phases: Max’s childhood years where father-and-son were unwaveringly close, and the rebellious adolescent years where distance comes to the duo because of Max’s issues toward his father. MOUaXMAS portrays the first phase, M2UaXMAS happens in the second phase, with AGTXMAS happening in between.
Although GOOF TROOP introduced Max, it is better that the story ‘A Very Goofy Christmas’ from MICKEY'S ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS be given the lead in discussion. The Max portrayed here is younger than his GT age. Although old enough to ride a bike, he is shorter than his GT self. Plus, there is one scene where Goofy lifts his son and holds his hand. Nevertheless, this story has posed confusion for many fans. As a pre-GT story, it features the family living in a house instead of a trailer, as shown in the introductory GT episode “Everything Coming Up Goofy”. Furthermore, the appearance of Pete contradicts the history that Max was introduced to him when he moved to Spoonerville in the aforementioned episode. This writer’s answer to this continuity problem is based on the movie itself. MOUaXMAS is portrayed as a presentation, with adaptations of established stories (“Christmas Everyday” and “The Gift of the Magi”), ending with the cast presenting themselves in an encore or curtain call. ‘A Very Goofy Christmas’ is actual canon in the Max era, but this movie presents it like a Hollywood treatment with all the glossy trimmings (And we all know how accurate Hollywood is with source material!). Pete is just a usual anachronism in a Hollywood adaptation of a canonical story.
The story begins with Goofy and Max’s efforts to get a letter to Santa Claus to the postman. Missing him at the house, father and son trail the mailman by bike. This leads to a misadventure in the Mall on route, but Goofy manages to get the letter through. Returning home, Goofy and Max shovel the snow off their driveway (with Max excited about getting a one-of-a-kind, carbon-fiber, torque-rod, snappy-flex, tip-to-tail, rail-to-rail, wooden core,twin-directional snowboard with adjustable, forward-lean, high-backed, skid plate, scooper toe, step-in binding), an effort ruined by Pete’s snowblower. Pete then shocks Max: there is no such thing as Santa Claus!
So far, the story is faithful to the spirit of GOOF TROOP. In the beginning, Goofy and Max were one tight father-and-son duo. Their relationship at times comes off like a partnership. They work together and support each other. In Max’s case, his support has little to do with keeping his dad from making embarrassing goof-ups. He really wants to help his dad like any adoring son would. Although he acknowledges his dad’s clumsiness, Max never lets it affect his devotion.
Also evident is Pete’s threat to this relationship. Several times in Goof Troop, Pete has hurt Max in his self-esteem and his love for Goofy. In ‘Good Neighbor Goofy’, Pete’s angry tirade about Goofs puts Max to tears. In ‘Meanwhile, Back at the Ramp,’ his scream that Max is a Goof sends the kid in despair. In ‘Educating Goofy’, Pete informs Max that Goofy’s enrollment to his school is based on some tough-love punishment (when in truth, Goofy is trying to set an example for Max to not neglect his schoolwork). And we all know the monkey-wrench Pete will throw in A GOOFY MOVIE!
Goofy tells his son otherwise about the existence of Santa, but Max is still skeptical. They visit an impoverished family of six, where Goofy has brought them a lavish dinner. He appears as Santa to the unaware children and Max. But the beard comes off, revealing Goofy. Max is shocked and hurt at this trickery, running back home. Goofy follows to see his son in an angry mood at him (sadly, not the last). He presents the milk and cookies for Santa. Max is unmoved. Dad shows him the stuffed teddy bear he got a Christmas ago. But Max is too mired in what he sees as a lie, angrily engaging his dad into a tug of war that breaks the bear’s arm. But Goofy is undaunted. He will prove to Max that there is a Santy Claus. “I promise.” Goofy says it without glee but in seriousness. It sounds like the same tone he gave to Pete in the Hot Tub scene in AGM. He has good reason. It’s not just Max’s belief in Santa that is being threatened; his ability as a father is also at stake. Goofy builds a watch-tower to spot Santa on Christmas night. Max is still pessimistic. When Santa doesn’t arrive, Goofy’s spirits drop. What hurts him is not the skepticism of Santa. What breaks him is the realization that he failed Max.
Indeed, Max always brings out un-Goofy-like behavior in his dad. Personally, the addition to Max was a great thing for Goofy. Some have felt bothered by the ‘Goofy had sex?’ question, but this writer really doesn’t care (it’s funny no one brings that up in the George Geef shorts of the 1950s). Max gives out a new dimension to Goofy, showing a side of him besides the ‘A-yuck!’ comedy. There are many stupid fathers in animation, but Goofy is different from most of them because it’s clear he loves his son and has never been a deadbeat jerk to him (unlike Homer Simpson or Peter Griffin). It is apparent Max is the center of his world; the sun rises and sets on him. Thus, Max’s problems have the power to trouble Goofy. His sadder moments in GOOF TROOP are centered on his self-perceived failure to be a better father to Max. His motivation in A GOOFY MOVIE is to straighten out his son via the road trip. Even the betrayal Max gives him doesn’t change that goal. If one follows the novelization, Goofy’s uncommon anger toward Max has nothing to do with disownment but a realization that he will have to reject love out of the equation and discipline his son in the same mean-and-tough way Pete rears his kid.
Back to the movie: Goofy returns to the house utterly bereaved. And this bothers Max. He repeats his father’s earlier attempt to please him before, but to no avail. He has to do something. Despite being ignorant at times, Max understands that his father will move heaven and earth just to please him. The son is touched by his father’s love to return the favor. In the GT episode ‘Meanwhile, Back at the Ramp,’ Max is disappointed by his dad. Goofy decides to impress his son by doing some incredible public stunt in skateboarding. However, his skill with a skateboard is much to be desired. Nevertheless, Max is no longer disappointed. He wants to help his dad by doing the stunt disguised as him. The same case happens here: Max decides to play Santa Claus, impressing his dad. Even though his disguise is blown, Goofy is very pleased. “I may have let you down, but you never let me down.” In truth, he never failed to show Max how much he loves him.
And then Santa arrives, giving Max his gift. But what about Goofy? He says he wishes the same thing, and always gets it.
“What’s that?” Max asks.
“Your Happiness.” In short, animation is full of stupid fathers, but Goofy is a class of his own.
The movie ends with the cast making a curtain call. Max and Goofy join in dressed in Victorian outfits, singing ‘Deck the Halls.’ This is to show Max has gone beyond the Disney Afternoon. Unlike Webby or Launchpad or other TV additions to classic characters, Max Goof is now part of the Mickey Mouse cast, as important to Goofy as Donald’s nephews and Mickey’s Pluto are to their respective characters.

To be continued in the Board for A GOOF TROOP CHRISTMAS