The Trolls and the Christmas Express 1981

Six troublesome trolls, led by the crafty Troglo, wield their mischievous magic to sabotage Christmas by infiltrating Santa’s village disguised as elves. For a full week they cause mischief, their antics weaving a layer of chaos over the festive preparations, yet Christmas remains standing—not completely ruined, but undeniably unsettled by their pranks.

The tension escalates as the trolls come up with a devilishly clever scheme: on the day before Christmas Eve, they set the reindeer dancing and singing all night long. By morning, the poor animals are exhausted, too tired to pull Santa’s sleigh, and it looks like the entire gift-giving mission could fail.

In response, the elves spring into action with a bold contingency plan. They connect the train from Santa’s village to tracks that reach across the globe, creating a transformative idea—the Christmas Express—that can deliver toys to every corner of the world despite the hiccup in the usual sleigh route.

The trolls, feeling the pressure and growing bolder, escalate their sabotage to a breaking point, drawing the ire and attention of Santa. When he asks what troubles them most, they admit they cannot stand the jolliness that seems to shut them out. In a pivotal moment, Santa has the elves sing > Deck the Halls with particular emphasis on the word “troll” in the lyrics, revealing a surprising truth about the season.

Santa and the elves explain that the verb, “to troll”, means to sing or play in a jovial manner, and thus trolls have a rightful place in Christmas. This revelation touches the hearts of the misfit group, who are moved by the idea that their talents can belong to the holiday spirit, not oppose it. With renewed understanding, the trolls decide to make amends and commit to helping the Christmas Express complete its worldwide delivery run, turning trouble into a necessary part of the celebration.