A Vision of Sugar Plums - Bewitched

Now let's see how a witch (from one of my favourite old TV shows) celebrates Christmas

gif by me

A Vision of Sugar Plums originally aired on December 24, 1964 (and repeated a year later on December 23, 1965) in Bewitched's first season. 

We open on Samantha returning from some last-minute Christmas shopping. She tells Darren that she also bought a Christmas tree, and he tells her that he'll get dressed and bring it in. 

She yells after him not to bother, that she can handle it...

And voilà! No way was Samantha going to pay for the $5 delivery fee. 

The real story begins after the opening credits, with Gladys and Abner Kravitz (Samantha and Darren's next door neighbours, in case you're not familiar with the show) heading to the local orphanage to bring home a kid for Christmas. 

Gladys: I've never been a mother before!
Abner: Don't get any ideas.

They meet Tommy, a little boy who's excited for Christmas and believes in the magic of Santa. 

But while they arrange to take him home, he gets into a scrap with another boy, Michael, who tells him it's stupid to believe in Santa. When Tommy calls him a liar, Michael ends up punching him in the face, giving him a black eye.

Gladys: We'll get you a steak.
Abner: What's wrong with cold cuts? 

Samantha and Darren have also shown up to bring home a child for Christmas as well. They're going to take Michael, and while Darren signs the necessary paperwork, Samantha talks with Michael. 

Michael says he didn't mean to start a fight but Tommy called him a liar for saying that Santa's not real. Samantha asks if he really believes that, and he replies, "Christmas is a lot of bunk and so is Santa Claus."

He also warns Samantha that Darren's probably being told how difficult he is, and that Darren's probably going to encourage her to find another kid to take home. 

Darren: Mrs. Grange tells me that Michael's been a problem around here. He's a troubled child if you know what I mean.

Samantha: Yes, I can see that.

Darren: No, it's serious, Sam. A couple adopted him. Twice they had to bring him back. Mrs. Grange is of the opinion that he's not a child who would enjoy or appreciate spending Christmas with us.

Samantha: I'm sure that Mrs. Grange means well, but I think that Michael is exactly the sort of child that has to spend Christmas away from here with people like us.

So they bring him home and try to give him the full Christmas experience. Samantha even tucks him in with a bedtime story and Darren dresses up like Santa for Michael to catch him. 

Michael sees right through it, and calls him Mr. Stephens instead of Santa. Darren tries to play it off...

...and asks him if he wants to see what Santa brought. "I don't care what you've brought me, and I'm not your son," Michael says, running back upstairs to his bedroom. 

Darren's exasperated. They've been trying to connect with Michael all night but he's a tiny Scrooge. Samantha still isn't ready to give up on him yet, so she goes upstairs to check on him. 

Michael: You don't have to treat me like a kid.

Samantha: What do you mean?

Michael: I told you, there ain't no Santa Claus.

Samantha: Why do you say that?

Michael: Because I know.

Samantha tells him that she can confirm that Santa's real and wants to know what he thinks of that. He tells her to prove it. 

Samantha: I can take you to the North Pole to see.

Michael: The North Pole?

Samantha: Like that, practically.

Michael: No one can do that.

Samantha: A witch can. So I can. Because I am a witch.

Michael: I don't believe you.

Samantha: I suppose you want me to prove it?

So she stands in front of him and changes into a black robe right before his eyes. 

Then he asks where her pointy hat is, so she conjures it. Then he asks about her broom, so she conjures that as well. 

And now that Michael's believing, they're getting ready to go to the North Pole. Only problem: Darren walks in and sees Samantha dressed as a witch. 

Samantha: I can't take him back tomorrow as unhappy and disillusioned as he was when he came.

Darren: What are you gonna do?

Samantha: Take him to see Santa Claus.

Darren: Another one?

Samantha: The real one.

Darren: The real... Are you telling... Are you trying to tell me that he's real? 

Darren finally agrees to go along with them to the North Pole, and just as they're taking off on Samantha's broom... 

...Gladys looks out the window and sees them flying away. She tries to tell Abner what she saw, but he thinks she's pretending that she saw Santa and his reindeer.

Meanwhile, the Stephenses and Michael land at the North Pole. 

And when they get to Santa's Workshop, Samantha tells the elf to tell Santa that she's here. He may be busy, but he'll make time for her. 

Michael's starstruck, and so is Darren, for what it's worth. 

Michael wants to make sure though, that there aren't any pillows under his suit, so he asks Santa. Santa tells them it doesn't matter what we can see at Christmas, it's what we feel inside. 

Santa: We all grow older and our eyes get weaker, but what we've seen with our hearts remains forever a thing of joy and beauty.

And as he gets ready to go and deliver presents, Santa tells Michael to truly think about what he wants for Christmas, to take something from the workshop if he finds something he likes, and that "the real happiness of Christmas isn't found in what we get but what we give."

And then we pan out to find that Darren and Michael are curled up on the couch sleeping, presumably dreaming of their trip to the North Pole. 

He tells Samantha about his dream, and she tells him that it sounds like it was a fun time. 

The next morning, Christmas morning, Michael goes next door to apologize to Tommy and to give him a present. They talk for a while, and Michael makes him promise not to say anything before he reveals that Samantha took him to the North Pole to see Santa on her broom. 

Guess who was listening in? Gladys, that's right. She calls for Abner and they go outside, and she tries to get Tommy to repeat what Michael had told him about the North Pole. He plays dumb despite her incessant prodding, and when Abner takes off back into the house, Gladys follows him.

"When a fella crosses his heart, what can a fella do?" Tommy says once he's alone again. 

Back at the Stephens' house, Tommy and Darren are playing with a toy when Mrs. Grange from the orphanage shows up. 

She's brought the Johnsons with her. They're interested in adopting Michael and they wanted to meet him. They give him a present, and Michael gives them a present, too. 

Michael gives them a toolbox with a bunch of tools inside, and says, "I bet if we could find wood, we could build a whole lot of great things."

Mr. Johnson asks if he really would want to do that together, and Michael nods. 

Then they get on the floor and start playing together, and we know that they're going to adopt Michael and that he's going to live a happy life with his new parents. Before he goes, he winks at Samantha, promising to keep her secret. 

THE END!