It's a shame the Pikachu Winter Vacation specials weren't dubbed (that I'm aware of, chances are I'm very wrong about this particular one I just couldn't find it dubbed), but even if one could only find these raw, because the dialogue is so few anyway, just by watching can one figure out what's going on. The episode's only nine minutes long, and yet it managed to fit in a nice little story with a Christmas theme and spirit. The special has the Pokémon doing cute little antics, but unlike the Pikachu shorts these days, the antics happen because the Pokémon were more-or-less just curious about where they were. Ash and the others had them stay to look after the house while they went to go get a cake, and naturally, the Pokémon would roam and check things out.
I was a bit surprised how the Pokémon, while still acting like themselves, had some trouble-making tendencies to them. It actually reminded me a lot of mischievous pets who end up breaking something when the owner's not looking because they don't really know any better. But Pokémon are smart, and they do know better--after things happen, anyway. Squirtle and Bulbasaur cause the biggest accident due to a bit of a misunderstanding, or because Bulbasaur's trying to punish Squirtle, whichever makes the most sense, but it is Psyduck that inadvertently gets them into the most trouble. While Squirtle and Bulbasaur are running around and nearly knock the tree down twice, Psyduck had shook open a bottle of cider (I think it's cider due to the characters being underage, so I doubt it's champagne) and the cork knocks over Pikachu whom was trying to keep the tree from falling over.
Actually, now that I think about it, it's Pikachu who inadvertently gets them into the most trouble, as in his anger, he accidentally cuts the power. Oops. They know they're going to get in trouble from their trainers if they were to come home that moment. But that leads to a very quiet scene where they become regretful for what they did, and Pikachu opens a music box and they sit and listen to it. It's a very touching moment in which the only sound we hear is the music box playing a tune I swear I've heard somewhere before, but can't put my finger on where. Once it's done, Pikachu gets an idea, and we end on one of the sweetest moments I've seen in a long while, giving us a genuine Christmas feel in terms of camera angle/panning, lighting, and atmosphere. It just leaves a warm and fuzzy feeling inside.
So nine minutes was a perfect time for this short, even though more could always been added to it if they so wished. The story may have been simple, but all that really mattered was the atmosphere and Christmas spirit it was presenting, and that helps complete the silly antics going on earlier. And I enjoy moments like that when done right.
10/10