The Christmas Toy

"A nostalgic trip. Rewatching this for the 2024 holidays brought back so many childhood memories, and while I still enjoyed it, I’m not sure it would resonate the same way for someone without the rose-tinted glasses of nostalgia. The songs are just okay, and the production is decent enough, but without the fond memories of watching it as a kid, I’d probably find it a bit boring. Some of the puppetry feels surprisingly amateur compared to other Jim Henson productions, and a few of the puppets themselves look unintentionally creepy—almost to the point of being humorous. While I personally love this movie for what it means to me, I’ll admit it doesn’t quite hold up to today’s standards. That said, I’ll continue to revisit it every year for the nostalgia, the short runtime, and its heartwarming message about kindness and acceptance. If you decide to check it out, I’d recommend having it on in the background and tuning in and out rather than giving it your full attention—it works better that way."