Parents' Guide to

Elmo's Christmas Countdown

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 3+

Star-studded holiday fun for the whole family.

Movie NR 2007 60 minutes
Elmo's Christmas Countdown Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 4+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Lebron12James3
Lebron12James3 Parent
December 18, 2021
age 7+

Somewhere beyond the sea

Lowe's man
Lowe's man Adult
November 17, 2013
age 2+

fun for all

12/19/15 Now that I just bought the dvd and watched it very recently, I can update my review. It's even better than I remembered. It's all about cooperation, teamwork and working together toward a common goal. Seeing Elmo and Abby Cadabby always stick together is very touching. (But again Abby steals every scene she's in. She's just so darn cute! And very nice too. Even sweet.) The whole show is so well-written, and its pacing is neither too fast nor too slow- it's just right. And very sentimental too. It's so nice to see all the characters helping Elmo and Abby find all the boxes for the Christmas Counter-Downer. The best, most touching part is the scene that Elmo has alone with Alicia Keys. Viewers will think that they're the ones sitting next to Alicia Keys. The song at the end that Santa Claus sings with all the characters is great too. The set, while having the same looks as the normal Sesame Street set, has some differences, but that adds to the special's greatness. The set there is just like the set that will be found in the live shows at the Sesame Street play park in Philadelphia- a great set! (I would imagine that similar sets are used for the Sesame Street shows at Sea World and Busch Gardens.) This special's plot is simple enough for preschoolers to understand but sophisticated enough for adults to appreciate. A must-watch! If broadcast rights to Elmo's Christmas Countdown have not expired, let's see if we can convince PBS to bring it back.
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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?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (4 ):

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.

Talk to Your Kids 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?

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