Review: Animal Tales of Christmas Magic delivers exactly what its title promises

This is likely my last review of 2025, and I'm going out on a lovely note with Animal Tales of Christmas Magic (now streaming on Kanopy in the US), a charming animated anthology film that tells you exactly what it is with the title. A variety of filmmakers came together for this project, which consists of five animated shorts featuring animal characters in various wintry and Christmasy settings. It reminded me a little bit of The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales, though this collection contains slighter vignettes. 

As is the case with any anthology film, there are highs and lows here. But the lows are not very low, and the quality of these shorts is surprisingly consistent, with one clear stand-out. The best part of this entire package is the wide array of animation styles. Each short has a completely distinct look, so every fifteen minutes or so, you're in for a new world with new visuals and a different tone, each completely beautiful to behold. Even if the stories don't grab you, the visuals likely will. 

The film starts off with its weakest vignette, about a lost stork who happens upon Santa Claus's cabin. The chunk of ice the cabin is situated on breaks apart from the mainland, leaving the stork, Santa, and a slightly grumpy fox stranded on the floe. They try to figure out how to get along and, more importantly, how to get back to land before Christmas Eve. This is arguably the most straightforward and simple of the stories, which is probably why it makes the least impact, but it at least sets the stage for what's to come, and firmly establishes the Yuletide mood. And, again, it's still super cute and enjoyable. Just not the highlight of the bunch.

Next up is a wordless barnyard-set story of a little chick who tries to take on the rooster's daily duties when the latter falls ill. This one especially put me in the mindset of The Big Bad Fox, and it's so stinking cute. The chick is a tiny puffball who obviously doesn't have the gusto, strength, etc. of the rooster, so it's adorable to watch him try to do simple tasks like turning on the light in the henhouse, collecting eggs, and waking up the other chickens. Thankfully, they all rally around him, probably relieved for the change of pace, since the rooster can be a pretty intense leader. This was one of my favorites.

The third vignette is the easy highlight of the bunch, both for its aesthetic (it kind of looks like the characters and props are cut out of paper) and its story, which feels a little meatier than the rest. A little girl and her ever-working mother set off (a bit too late) to get a Christmas tree from the nearby forest. Little do they know that there's only one tree left, and it's been duly claimed by the woodland animals, who are chagrined to find all of the other evergreens gone. 

When these animals (including a hedgehog, a pair of foxes, a petrified rabbit, a squirrel, and a hibernating bear) catch sight of the encroaching humans, they set to work protecting their tree. There are so many cute and wonderful moments, and this has such a classic Christmas special hook to it, with different characters coming together to celebrate, and making due with what they have. It's such a special vignette, one that I'll remember for years to come.

The fourth short also features an encounter between humans and animals, this time between two siblings and a tanuki in the woods. The shape-shifting creature has a Ghibli vibe to it (though no magical testicles; this is not Pom Poko), which makes this a pretty spirited affair. After the kids help the tanuki escape a bear trap in the woods, they meet a rambunctious (and barefoot!) child in the woods, who helps them go about their chores and joins them for a warm meal. It's a very cozy affair.

The final short, which features cameos from many of the other vignettes' characters, follows a young lynx attempting to follow the rest of the forest's animals to their hilltop Christmas celebration. This is one of the most visually-striking of the bunch, rendered in shades of blue, green, and orange. It's very graphic design-y, in a good way. There's a bit of a Lion King vibe happening here, with the big animal procession feeling like the march to Pride Rock, and the young lynx is reminiscent of Simba, with his perilous journey and the unlikely friendships he finds along the way.

This short culminates with a gorgeously animated celebration that is so Christmasy, complete with a beautiful song and aurora borealis. It's the perfect capper to a wonderful package.

I should also mention the fun interludes that pop up between shorts, featuring snowflake and star characters engaging in little dances and whatnot. Very cute!

Watching Animal Tales of Christmas Magic feels like reading through a bunch of nostalgic Christmas storybooks. It's so cozy, sweet, and big-hearted, exactly the kind of movie you want to watch during the holiday season. It's definitely one I'll be bringing into my regular holiday movie rotation.