Elmo's Christmas Countdown

Review

Common Sense Media says

Star-studded holiday fun for the whole family.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

Find out more

Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

Find out more

Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that young Sesame Street fans will no doubt love this holiday special's story and age-appropriate pacing, while parents will appreciate the collective talent of the musical guests. Though there are few overt learning opportunities here, it's a worry-free way to enjoy some family-friendly holiday TV time with your kids.

  • Educational value2
    Kids learn lessons about working together, but it's more about entertainment than education.
  • Positive messages4
    Promotes teamwork and a positive attitude.
  • Positive role models3
    Elmo and his friends are positive and helpful, offering good role models to kids.
  • Violence & scariness1
    A couple of character collisions that don't result in injury (SuperGrover crash lands into Stiller the Elf, for example).
CloseExpand to see more details

What's the story?

In ELMO'S CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN, the loss of a traditional magical object could spell disaster for the upcoming holiday, so it's up to Elmo and his friends to recover the pieces and save Christmas for everyone. The trouble starts when the 10 numbered boxes that make up Stiller the Elf's (voiced by Ben Stiller) tree-shaped Christmas Counter-Downer -- which ticks off time before the holiday arrives -- are scattered, and he all but gives up hope of the holiday coming at all. But for Elmo (Kevin Clash), nothing is impossible. With the help of his fairy-in-training sidekick Abby Cadabby (Leslie Carrara), Elmo sets out to recover the boxes and reassemble the Counter-Downer so Christmas can come on schedule.

Is it any good?

 

While there's little outright educational quality to Elmo's Christmas Countdown, it's still a great choice to cuddle up in front of with your kids over the holidays. With fun original songs and memorable new spins on classic holiday tunes, it's sure to put kids in the Christmas spirit. And for grown-ups, cameos from personalities like newsman Charles Gibson and Sopranos stars Steve Schirippa and Tony Sirico -- who participate in a chuckle-worthy live-action scene starring roomies Ernie and Bert -- make it more fun than the average preschool DVD. Plus, special guests like Jennifer Hudson, Sheryl Crow, Anne Hathaway, Alicia Keys, Brad Paisley, and Jamie Foxx stop by to help out with the festivities.

Sign Up Message
Sign up for our weekly newsletter
Each week we send a customized newsletter to our parent and teen subscribers. Parents can customize their settings to receive recommendations and parent tips based on their kids’ ages. Teens receive a version just for them with the latest reviews and top picks for movies, video games, apps, music, books, and more.
Please enter an email address.
Please check your email address for possible typos.
Sorry, you must be 13 or older to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Sign me up!

What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about the holidays and the spirit of giving. Which characters help Stiller and Elmo recover the lost boxes? Did they ask for anything in return? Why not? Why does it make them feel so good to help out?

  • Kids: How do you help your friends and family? Do people make more of
    an effort to help others during the holidays? Why?

  • How does it feel to
    give someone a gift? How else can you show someone that you care?

This review was written by Emily Ashby
Kid, 12 years old
April 23, 2011
AGE
2
 
Love it!!!
Most educational show I have ever seen! I watch it every December when it is time to get ready for Christmas.
Was this review useful?
Helped me decide (7) | Had useful details (8) | Read my mind (7)
Flag as inappropriate 
Adult
April 9, 2008
AGE
 
better for age 4 and up
i like it but some crashs can make litte kids sad
Was this review useful?
Helped me decide (8) | Had useful details (7) | Read my mind (5)
Flag as inappropriate 
Parent of 4 year old
November 24, 2009
AGE
2
 
Was this review useful?
Helped me decide (6) | Had useful details (7) | Read my mind (6)
Flag as inappropriate 
See all user reviews
This review was written by Emily Ashby
Studio:Genius Entertainment
Director:Gary Halvorson
Cast:Ben Stiller, Kevin Clash, Leslie Carrara
Genre:Family and Kids
Run time:60 minutes
Theatrical release date:December 23, 2007
DVD release date:October 14, 2008
MPAA rating:NR
This review was written by Emily Ashby
 

Review It

Share your review with others

Hang on! You need to be a member to post your review.
A safe community is important to us. Please observe our guidelines.
About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

Great alternatives handpicked by our editors

Other kid-friendly holiday picks
For kids who love the holidays
Browse more movies
 

vote now

Will you see Elmo's Christmas Countdown?

Won't miss it
On the fence
No way

Already seen it? What do you think?

I recommend it
It's a pass
 
More from Common Sense Media
Age-appropriate reviews
Top advice and articles

Been There? Tell us about it