Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 1/25

Caught up in a supercell squall line, Santa and his son Banta and pet reindeer Canta are snatched from the North Pole in a Polar Vortex and deposited unceremoniously down under. Transitioning, without warning, from 0 °F to 100 °F, and catching Rick O'Shade by surprise in the process!

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 2/25

When Rick O'Shade asks Banta to explain who they are and where they have come from, the twin cookies Davo and Macca wander over to take a gander. Banta, like most young Cheerlings, still believes in magic, and says he was daydreaming about seeing sunlight during a big storm, and suddenly here they were...! But where, exactly, IS here?

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 3/25

So the twins look at each other in enquiry, wondering if this could possibly be the real Santa? You know, the one that delivers PRESENTS!

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 4/25

When the twins discover that this IS the real Santa, who is a long way from home and quite inappropriately dressed for the tropical climate down under, they raid their father's wardrobe to provide Santa with their father's favourite garishly colourful holiday Harry outfit, of boardies, a singlet and a pair of pluggers (aka flipflops).
So while Santa is slipping into something more comfortable (or is that sipping into something more comfortable?), the twins offer Banta some of their own summer clothing, but Banta declines, because he is VERY attached to his own red suit, which is actually his fur, and not removable clothing!

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 5/25

Canta volunteers to look after the sleigh, which is stowed in the twins' father's barn, while Boomer Kangaroo and Jack Donkey, who are more accustomed to the sweltering heat, help the twins to take Santa and Banta on a once in a lifetime tour of the tropics, complete with a wagon load of Chrissie pressies to deliver en route.

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 6/25

The tour group's first port of call is the aptly named Flamingo Island, where Boomer's mob resides. Kangaroos have excellent hearing, so it is no surprise that Boomer's cousins hear on the grapevine that Santa is coming, giving them plenty of time to put out their Christmas lights!

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 7/25

The tour group moves along to Palm Cove, surprising the locals, in the middle of decorating their Christmas trees!

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 8/25

While Rick O'Shade takes the opportunity to do a spot of snorkelling at Palm Cove, with a sigh of contentment, Santa sips into something more comfortable, appreciating the importance of staying hydrated in the tropics!

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 9/25

The next port of call for our tour group is Thong Beach! There is a Thong Beach on every planet. A special place where the Trade Winds and Prevailing Currents wash all of the lost thongs (aka flipflops) ashore, and the locals use said thongs to decorate their Christmas Tree!

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 10/25

While Boomer and Jack pull the cartload of gifts from Thong Beach to Castaway Island, Rick O'Shade, Santa, Banta and the Twins decide to take a dip, swimming from one beach to the next, using Wilson brand beach balls as floatation devices!

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 11/25

The twins hurry their tour group right along, keen to reach the refreshment stand at Urchin Beach in time for Happy Hour!

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 12/25

Although the tour group reaches Sunset Beach in perfect time for a spectacular sunset, the unaccustomed heat seems to have exhausted Rick O'Shade, Santa and Banta, who stretch out on the beach to sleep. Having missed their own afternoon siestas, the twins, Boomer and Jack are only too happy to join them, while a family of local bandicoots raids the cartload of pressies...

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 13/25

As the sun rises over the horizon, the twins lead their tour group to Shark Bay. Knowing how much Santa likes cookies, they plan to catch some gingerbread fish for his breakfast!

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 14/25

The twins direct the team inland for an unscheduled stop at the Blue Lake, which looks decidedly pink in the early morning sunlight! Rick O'Shade is fascinated to learn that this lake, nestled inside an extinct volcano, is believed to be bottomless. While Santa takes a quick bath, Rick O'Shade helps Boomer and Jack to load all of Santa's pressies into a row boat, to transport them across the lake.

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 15/25

The next port of call for the team is Paradise Island, where Santa hires a bungalow for the team to relax and take a load off for a few hours, before delivering gifts to the local chicks and bucks.

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 16/25

Rick O'Shade and the tour group take a stroll around Paradise Island, finding what would have been an idyllic deserted beach, if the prevailing currents hadn't washed ashore so much hooman ocean and beach debris! Unable to leave any beach in this condition, the pets set about restoring it to its pre-hooman pristine state!

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 17/25

Hearing loud cheers from a neighbouring island, Rick O'Shade wants to investigate, hoping that it's the annual cane toad races! Wouldn't that really be something for Santa and Banta to tell Mrs Santa about?

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 18/25

The tour group enters Santa's cartload of toys in the annual pageant, waving happily to the cheering spectators, and giving out the occasional pressie while they are at it. However the twins are a wake up to Rick O'Shade! "No, Rick O'Shade!" They admonish, "We know you are not really a spectator, so you won't be getting another pressie just yet!"

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 19/25

When the tour group reaches the bandstand, the emcee quickly pulls them all up onto the stage. She thrusts music books into their paws, imploring them to lead the singing for Carols by Candlelight! Fortunately most of the spectators are tone deaf, so they won't be too terribly offended if Rick O'Shade's singing resembles a wolf howling at a full moon!

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 20/25

All that wonderful singing clearly inspired our intrepid tour group, who floated along on their success to the Opera House where they could immerse themselves in world class petformances of all of the classics!
But the petformance is interrupted by an urgent announcement, warning all pets to take shelter inland, because Tropical Cyclone Scaredy, forming off the coast, is likely to sweep up everything in its path!

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 21/25

So the tour group hurries ashore, heading inland, to ensure Canta and the sleigh are battened down and safe from Tropical Cyclone Scaredy. And so begins a great race across the country, tour group vs Tropical Cyclone Scaredy, but who will get there first?

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 22/25

The great race across the country is a dead heat, with the tour group and Tropical Cyclone Scaredy arriving at the red centre at the same time! Rick O'Shade quickly grabs Santa, promising to keep in safe!

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 23/25

Rick O'Shade proudly shows off his new house to the tour group, inviting them to come inside to shelter from Tropical Cyclone Scaredy.

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 24/25

Santa grabs up his presents and points to Tropical Cyclone Scaredy, wondering if TCS might be the local equivalent of a Polar Vortex, capable of picking up the whole tour group and whisking them across the seas to the North Pole?

Rick O'Shade is questing! Episode 25/25

Santa gives Rick O'Shade a sock of gold to finish distributing pressies to the local pets. And with a cheerful wave and hearty "Ho Ho Ho" Santa leaps into the eye of the cyclone, sbouting back: