Common Sense Media Review
By Tracy Moore
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Christmas tale uplifting and sweet but has heavy premise.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
Emery Elizabeth (Chera Bailey) is a very sick kid, and her brother Landon is determined to give her a reason to fight her illness -- and to cheer her up. He invents the story of a cool snowman named Snowden who comes to life and takes the two on an adventure to the magical kingdom of Princess Electra, where children play all day long and no grown-ups are allowed, and, with each installment of the story, he helps his sister eat better and get rest.
Is It Any Good?
MAGIC GIFT OF THE SNOWMAN has a pretty intense premise: A young boy's sister is dying of an unspecified illness. But the film isn't fixated there and, instead, spends its time showing her brother's valiant efforts to care for her, get her to rest, and cheer her up.
For kids who enjoy snowmen and Christmas cheer, it's an entertaining-enough short film. For parents who are comfortable with the premise of illness and the promise of positive thinking trumping disease, it offers some sweet lessons about sibling love, caring, and the importance of attitude.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about illness. Have you ever been sick? What made you feel better? What sorts of things can we do to help others feel better when they're sick?
The snowman teaches Landon and Emery how important attitude is in determining how we feel. Can you think of a time when having a good attitude made you feel better about something you didn't want to do or something that hurt?
Have you ever been too scared to try something new? What was it? What happened?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : September 23, 2003
- Cast : Chera Bailey , Nathan Aswell , Tony Ail
- Director : Toshiyuki Hiruma Takashi
- Studio : GAIAM
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Holidays
- Run time : 47 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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