The Long, Dull Winter

Summary
Arthur and his friends are feeling dreary, but can't put a finger on why. It eventually dawns on them that their listless feeling is a result of the fact that there have been no major holidays in quite some time, so they decide to try inventing a new one.

Plot
It's winter in Elwood City, and time seems to be going by especially slowly. Arthur and his friends feel gloomy and wonder what's wrong. Then they realize the problem: there haven't been any holidays recently. So everyone begins trying to figure out a new holiday.

D.W. wants the holiday to be Pony Day. Grandma Thora recalls the time the Graf Zeppelin flew over Elwood City. Arthur searches on.

Buster's idea is Give Me Candy Day, where everybody gives candy to him, and then he gives the remainder of what he ate to all the little children.

Francine thinks a holiday should be about relaxing and having fun, so they should have a holiday special.

Brain's idea is Igneous Rock Day, because he thinks a holiday should be about something that lasts for all time. Binky's idea is to have 24 hours of nonstop fireworks. Muffy doesn't care what the holiday is, she just wants to sell merchandise.

Arthur says that all of their ideas are too commercial, and it's not what a holiday is all about. Afterwards, they realize there is a holiday coming up: Valentine's Day. The episode ends with Arthur finding out that D.W.'s idea, "Pony Day", was published in the newspaper. Binky mentions to Arthur he has a whole year to think of a new holiday.

Major Characters

 * Arthur Read
 * Buster Baxter
 * Francine Frensky
 * Muffy Crosswire
 * Alan Powers
 * Binky Barnes

Minor Characters

 * Sue Ellen Armstrong
 * Fern Walters
 * D.W. Read
 * Grandma Thora
 * Mary Moo Cow
 * Kate

Background characters

 * Jane Read
 * Alex
 * Prunella Deegan
 * Fletcher
 * 4th Grade Male Rabbit
 * Edwin
 * Lisa
 * James MacDonald
 * Emily
 * Kyle
 * Maryann
 * Liam
 * Amanda Hulser
 * Maria Pappas
 * Lucy
 * 3rd Grade Female Aardvark
 * 3rd Grade Male Cat
 * 3rd Grade Male Dog (Number 3)
 * Jenna Morgan
 * 3rd Grade Male Rat
 * 3rd Grade Female Aardvark (Number 2)

Songs

 * "There's Nothing To Do Today Day"

Trivia

 * In "The Play's the Thing", George was able to balance Binky on the see-saw, so this see-saw might have been frozen stuck, and Binky was tricking them.
 * Buster is drawing a picture of Arthur in the beginning.
 * This episode is the opposite of The Short Quick Summer.
 * In the movie Arthur and Buster watch, the animation of the building being demolished is recycled from "D.W.'s Baby."

Cultural references

 * The kid who got clothes for Christmas is a spoof on A Charlie Brown Christmas, as the dog is wearing Charlie Brown's shirt.

Errors

 * At the beginning in Mr. Ratburn's classroom, Prunella can be seen sitting at a desk even though she is supposed to be in fourth grade. This is the second time after Locked in the Library!.

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