Strawberry's Perfect Present is the 22nd episode in airing order of Season 3 of Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City. It premiered on December 2nd, 2023.
Summary[]
It’s Winter Swirl and Strawberry is excited for the Secret-Swirl Gift Exchange until she draws the names of two berries that are impossible to please.
Plot[]
The episode begins with Strawberry explaining to her friends her favorite winter swirl activity, the Winterswirl gift exchange. Strawberry passes a beanie with names in it around to her friends and warns her friends to not worry. She eventually passes Cherry and Cheese and Cherry asks when they can eat the paper. Strawberry responds telling them that's not a part of the exchange, much to their dismay. She then goes on to explain how it works, that being the name on the paper is who you get a gift for. Once Every berry opens their paper Strawberry opens hers and gasps. Strawberry gives a sad look to which Orange notices. Orange asks if she's okay and in response Strawberry reveals she got Cheese and Cherry. Strawberry expresses she has no idea what to get them and lowers her head in sadness. Orange comforts her friend by telling her that she's the best giver ever. In a cutaway Strawberry explains that in order to find what they like she must follow them around.
Cherry and Cheese are on a bench staring deeply into each other's eyes. Strawberry and Orange walk up, curious what they are doing. Strawberry asks what they're doing but before she can finish Cherry quiets her. Cherry guesses Cheese is thinking of little fish in ballerina outfits. Cheese replies no before Spicy runs in front of them chasing a rat with a stolen hot dog. Cherry then guesses that he's thinking of a rat with a hot dog and Cheese replies yes. He expresses that they are psychic and the two high five. The two run off in sync much to Orange and Strawberry's confusion. In a cutaway Strawberry admits that it's going to be impossible. Out in the park the two dance to a recording of construction work and whale songs. Strawberry and Orange observe from a bush and Strawberry prepares a pen and paper. Before she can finish Cheese turns off the music and they both admit that it was boring. Next, the two open a jar of sauerkraut and admire the scent. Once they bond over the fact the sauerkraut smells like home they run off, in sync. Cheese and Cherry paint in the park and start complimenting their artwork. After It is revealed that they each painted their canvas completely gray, the two express hatred and run off. From afar Strawberry throws papers in frustration. In another cutaway Strawberry reveals that the only thing she might have gotten is that they enjoy sauerkraut.
Orange walks up to Strawberry and asks what she came up with. Strawberry sighs and pulls out a tin of hideous and malodorous sauerkraut cookies. As Strawberry talks about her perfect gift giving streak being over a rat jumps into the container. From afar the gift giving ceremony begins and Strawberry dejectedly puts the lid on the container, unaware of the rat. Every berry is gathered around the tree and is talking to one another. Strawberry finds Cheese and Cherry and presents her gift. The two take the container and after opening it they both let out loud screams. Strawberry sighs and tells them to at least try to act like they like it. The two point the container at Strawberry revealing the hot dog rat, who has eaten all the sauerkraut cookies. Strawberry panics before they express their gratitude. They pull the rat out and decide to name him Wilhelm Sauerkrat. Cheese thanks Strawberry and the two walk off. Strawberry tells Orange that she's still the best at gift giving. She starts dancing and says all you have to do is trust your gut. The episode ends with Strawberry realizing she gave them a street rat and warning the two to stop by the vet.
Cast[]
- Ana Sani as Strawberry Shortcake
- Bahia Watson as Orange Blossom
- Tabitha St. Germain as Cherry Streusel
- Erik Gow as Cheese Strudel
- Andrea Libman as Lemon Meringue
- Vincent Tong as Spicy Crust
- Stock Audio Effects as Pizza Rat/Wilhelm Sauer-krat
Non-Voiced Appearance[]
- Blueberry Muffin
- Lime Chiffon
- Huckleberry Pie
- Raspberry Tart
- Bread Pudding
- Sour Grapes
Trivia[]
- If one pays attention to the Berry Besties when Strawberry gives her gift to the twins, it can be seen who was each other's Secret Swirl partner.
- Blueberry Muffin and Raspberry Tart
- Bread Pudding and Huckleberry Pie
- Orange Blossom and Lemon Meringue
- Lime Chiffon and Sour Grapes
- Cherry Streusel and Cheese Strudel were seen individually picking papers at the beginning of the episode, suggesting one of them should've had a different Secret Swirl partner than Strawberry. However, given they put both their names on one of the papers, it's entirely possible that one of those papers didn't count afterward.
- Cheese Strudel and Cherry Streusel are fleshed out more in this episode, establishing that they have a strange way of thinking, odd interests and incredibly short attention spans. They also show genuine appreciation for Strawberry's "gift" and apologize to her for making fun of her hat, suggesting they have a less mean side to them than they've previously let on.
- It's also confirmed that the twins are originally from Germany, as they say a jar of sauerkraut "smells like home", and sauerkraut is a German dish.
- The credits list Vincent Tong as having voiced Spicy Crust, but the episode features the dark-skinned variant of Spicy's character model, rather than Spicy Crust himself. Either both of these men are named Spicy Crust, or that is the name given to the type of character model used.
- The Pizza Rat is adopted by Cherry Streusel and Cheese Strudel in this episode, and is given the name "Wilhelm Sauer-krat".
- Notably, Ana Sani is the writer for the episode, making it the first time a voice actor in the series also serves as a writer.
- Strawberry's notepad is reused from Lemon Meringue's in Lemon's Name in Lights, specifically the part that's covered in scribbles and "AAAAA"s, as can be seen from Strawberry's last confessional cutaway segment.
Continuity[]
- Strawberry Shortcake considering herself an excellent gift giver comes back up from Berry Merry Melody, though this episode briefly wavers her confidence due to not knowing Cheese and Cherry as well as she does her friends.
- This is the second gift exchange the Berry Besties participate in, with the previous being from Berry Merry Melody. Though the last one was just a general gift exchange where everyberry gave each other gifts, while this one is a Secret Santa-like version.
References[]
- The "Secret Swirl Gift Exchange" is based on the "Secret Santa" Christmas tradition, where people are randomly assigned another person to give a gift to, with the identity of the gift givers remaining secret from one another until the presents are exchanged.
Errors[]
- When Bread Pudding and Huckleberry Pie are picking the names of their Secret Swirl partners, Bread's coat is missing the argyle pattern on its sides.
Video[]
Gallery[]
Click here to see the gallery of the episode