Parents' Guide to

Little Spirit: Christmas in New York

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Boy's magical travels are holiday fun for the whole family.

Movie NR 2008 60 minutes
Little Spirit: Christmas in New York Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

age 3+

Based on 4 parent reviews

age 3+

New Christmas Favorite!

My family absolutely fell in love with little Spirit!!! It was adorable, the whole family enjoyed, it was nice to watch a holiday cartoon with my son & neither of us get bored! As far as the 'commercialism' in it, it's pretty true to life actually, it was nothing a kid doesn't see if you take the holiday shopping with you! We don't get into the 'commercialism' of Christmas, so we were able to look past it & see the adorable story of Spirit!! We can't wait for the holidays to come so we can watch it again!
age 2+

Crass Commercialism At Its Worst!

Christmas in New York is the personification of gross consumption, materialism; and crass commercialism where prioritization is set on christmas depriving intrinsic worth out of a Macy's bag. In, short, the story is devoid of traditional holiday merriment in favor of consumerism; and processes involved in shopping to find the perfect expression of holiday sentiment.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4):
Kids say (1):

It's rare to find a holiday special that entertains both kids and their parents, but Little Spirit fits the bill: It's full of holiday cheer and joy that the whole family will love. Viewers will be drawn in to the story by the endearing characters, whose need for a little holiday magic comes from relatable, real-world issues like uncertainty over a major life change or worries about parents' troubled relationship.

The story's messages of hope and joy are heartwarming; viewers familiar with the Big Apple will be particularly entertained by the show's inclusion of landmark New York sights like crowded city streets, Central Park, Macy's, and the Rockettes. Even NBC newsman Brian Williams lends his voice to the story as roaming reporter Rock Granite.

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate