The premise is probably a knock on Cold War-era Marxist Communist society, particularly as practiced in the former Soviet Union.
Apparently life on Mars has changed from what it once was. Children are no longer allowed to BE children; but are raised in a society where all they do is learn how to be adults --- no play-time, no toys, no fun. Oddly enough, in such a controlled and oppressive society they're allowed to watch Earth television broadcasts which apparently are corrupting them (not unlike Western culture was accused of corrupting teenagers in the former Soviet Union and Communist China).
The children want what they see on television and are depressed when they cannot have it. As a result, they lose all desire to eat and (I think it's inferred) to live.
Alarmed by the situation Kimar, the Martian king, seeks the counsel of wise, old Chochem who tells him that Martian children need a chance to BE children. They need to have fun, they need to play and they need a Santa Claus. Without articulating it as such, Chochem is telling Kimar that the Martians NEED Christmas.
Thus begins the mission to abduct Santa with the hope of bringing Christmas to Mars.
Does it work? I'll let you watch the movie and see for yourselves...
Meanwhile, it gives me opportunity to share how I believe the Santa-myth fits into the true story of Christmas.
Christmas, Santa Claus and the Giving of Gifts
Gifts are one of the best things and one of the worst things about Christmas. The giving of gifts can either be a revelation of God’s mercy and grace or a stumbling block to receiving the Gospel.
The problem is when we teach our children: "You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I’m telling you why"…and "he sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake, he knows if you’ve been bad or good so be good for goodness sake!"
Those words are supposed to describe Santa, but do those words also describe God?
The Psalmist wrote: "You know my wanderings: You put my tears into Your bottle: are they not in Your book? When I cry unto You…this I know…God is for me." (Psalm 56:8-9)
And St. Paul says: "God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
The Real Santa Claus
A little history lesson: The jolly man in red is based on a real person - Saint Nicholas of Myra. Of all the legends (like St. Nick putting fruit and nuts in children’s shoes), the most attested to is the story of how Nicholas helped a poor man who was about to surrender his three daughters to prostitution because he had no money for their dowries. The story goes that on three separate occasions Nicholas passed by their house and tossed a bag of gold through an open window (or down the chimney). He gave them a gift, freely and with no strings attached. He didn’t say to them "Why don’t you come over to my house and weed my garden, cut my grass, wash my windows and clean my floor and I’ll see what I can do in exchange." ---Not at all! He gave to them freely because he saw their need and loved them as God loved them.
Gifts vs. Rewards
One of the worst things about Christmas is that we have taken the concept of GIFT and made it synonymous with REWARD and as a result lost the true miracle of Christ’s entrance into our world. When we say to our children "you better behave, or you’re not going to get your Christmas presents" or "if you don't stop doing that you’re getting a stocking full of coal" why should we be surprised when God's mercy confuses them? And why do so many grown-ups think that they have to earn God’s grace or do good works to be worthy of His unconditional love?
A gift is a gift is a gift! A gift is not a reward or compensation or a wage! "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23) My reward for all that I've done is death, but by God's mercy I receive the gift of forgiveness, righteousness and eternal life!
The True Miracle of Christmas
This is the miracle of Christmas…far more amazing than a child born of a virgin…God sent us His own Son as a gift because He saw our need and because He loves us. We couldn’t even begin to work off our debt to God, so He provided what we needed (righteousness - a clean slate - personal holiness) freely and with no strings attached. All we do is receive it and say "Thank you"…… that's it - that's ALL there is to it.
God's gift to you this Christmas is Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son: humbly born in a stable that He might be nailed to a cross for YOUR sins...and for MY sins... only to rise victoriously from the dead and ascend into heaven where He waits to join us for eternity.
The gift is worthless to you unless you personally claim it for yourself as yours.
If you want Christmas, no...if you NEED Christmas, then receive for yourself the best gift of all. Then, and only then, will you really be able to share Christmas with others. Because He loves you, you can love others. Because He forgives you, you can forgive others. Because He shares all things with you, you will be able to share with everyone else unconditionally and with no strings attached.
And if that's what Christmas is really all about - this concept which the real Santa Claus believed it was really all about - then this world really would be a better place because of Christmas.
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