Animators love hiding “Easter eggs,” hidden references to inside jokes, in their films. In this film, some of the gifts that were given to children in the Real World are nods to earlier Tim Burton films. The striped Christmas tree-eating snake is reminiscent of the sand worms in 1988s Beetlejuice, while the shrunken head being pulled out of the box by the little boy is from the afterlife waiting room from the same film. The flying cat toy is a nod to Shreck’s department store from 1989s Batman, while the evil quacking duck toy made an appearance in 1992s Batman Returns as the Penguin’s vehicle of choice. There is even a hidden Mickey on one girl’s nightgown when the toys begin to attack!

A low-maintenance pet that won’t eat the Christmas tree, this striped snake can be a cozy snuggling companion or tucked at the base of a door to block wintery drafts. Worked from the tail up in the round, simple increases and jogless striped can be worked as long or short as desired, stuffing as you go. Split into two parts at the head and decreased similar to basic top-down sock construction, a simple i-cord forked tongue and safety eyes are added on to give your snake some perssssssssssonality.