MovieChat Forums > Fred Claus (2007) Discussion > One small thing that did bother me...

One small thing that did bother me...

posted 11 years ago by Coryraisa
15 replies | jump to latest

This was a wonderful, funny, cute film; I watch it every Christmastime.

One small thing I had an issue with toward the end when they were rushing to get all the gifts ready...I thought it was rather sexist and even a bit dated that they decided to give baseball bats to all the boys (what about the boys who don't like baseball? Not every boy is nuts about sports) and hula hoops (those were popular way back in the 1970's and 1980's, not today!) for the girls.

I think it would have been better for them to decide on a single, gender-neutral toy; that would have made things easier...maybe like Lego building sets for both the girls AND boys and Legos are timeless and are still popular today.

Not to mention that in the toy factory, Legos would seem very easy for the elves to make quickly.

I have lots of nieces and nephews and have often brought them Lego sets...they loved them. It's a creative toy that can keep kids amused and busy for hours at a time and they'll mostly still be playing with it years later.

Anyone agree that legos or something similar for both genders would have been much better?

[–] absolutenick 11 years ago

According to the leader elf's report baseball bats and hula hoops were the easiest toys to make given the amount of time they had left before the deadline which allowed them to get every kid a toy in time for Christmas. And the point wasnt to give every kid Legos or something that they necessarily wanted but to give every kid a toy to let them know someone was thinking about them on Christmas. They even mentioned something along those lines at one point in the movie when they were talking about how kids have super long lists now for Christmas and want everything.

Sorry Brother.

[–] Coryraisa 11 years ago

But they should have kept it gender neutral...and Legos ARE easy to make...not to mention since it would have been one single kind of toy instead of TWO kinds, it would have been even EASIER.

And still all the kids would have felt taken care of.

[–] Doc80 10 years ago

How do you know better then the elves what is the easiest thing to make is? LOL

[–] robertmichel 11 years ago

I was wondering, since Fred labeled everyone "nice", they had to give toys to every kid, including the naughty ones.
Who the hell thinks it's a good idea to give naughty kids baseball bats?

[–] Doc80 10 years ago

I guess you missed Fred's point that all the kids are nice kids.

[–] Splarne 10 years ago

They were not saying that. The message was that it is wrong to withhold the spirit if Christmas from the bad kids.

***

Go away, or I shall taunt you a second time!

[–] nikolasda 10 years ago

Please shut up, with you and your "sexist *beep* baseball is for boys.

[–] Splarne 10 years ago

Sounds like someone has been caught putting on mommy's makeup.

[–] Coryraisa 10 years ago

Yeah, I wonder...most of my nieces play baseball.

[–] helee81 9 years ago

Well, accy to Fred, the only thing that mattered was that each kid got something on Christmas that they could open so they knew that someone remembered them. It was less about getting what they wanted than it was about knowing that someone saw them and remembered them enough to give them a gift.

[–] helee81 9 years ago

*according, not accy.

[–] JohnnyCastle 9 years ago

I have felt the same but thats nitpicky to bring it up. This is just how society is...toys geared towards boys and toys geared towards girls. Calling it sexist is ridiculous and not the word you're looking for.

[–] motter25420-153-699254 9 years ago

Tell me you're not serious? When will idiots like you die off already so we can go back to having normal male/female dynamics in the world?

[–] Bilwick1 8 years ago

Through an error, Santa did give a baseball bat to a little girl once. That little girl was young Rosie O'Donnell, who used it on herself as a dildo. That caused quite a commotion when they all viewed it in the Snow Globe, and Mrs. Claus made Santa promise never to give a girl a baseball bat again.

[–] jonmac-78418 8 years ago

Wow, just wow! Have we now gotten to the point where people are offended by the lack of political correctness in movies that are clearly fantasy? What's next, being offended when there's nothing to be offensive? Have you really thought this through without realizing that you were offended by something that doesn't even exist?

Had they decided on producing only one type of gift, you'd find some reason to find it offensive. Baseball bat? That isn't fair for those who are uncoordinated, and professional pitchers playing in the American League. Just a hula hoop? Everyone could possibly offended based on what color is chosen(can only have one color, any more and you're back to a gender neutral predicament).

You know what offends me about the movie? That someone found a reason to have their feelings hurt from it while implying Santa is sexist. Is it ignorance or arrogance that allows someone to label a person for labeling others? If anything, you should cheer this movie on. It implies that having gender specific options has become as realistic as Santa Claus is.