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Parents' Guide to

The Christmas Project

By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Bully learns about kindness in holiday family comedy.

Movie NR 2016 92 minutes
The Christmas Project Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 6+

Based on 7 parent reviews

Amya11
Amya11 Parent
December 25, 2020
age 10+

Disappointed with negative messages being supported

There are number of scenes which seem to promote a toxic mentality of gender roles. As well as not holding boys and bullies accountable for what they say and do to others. Another movie that supports bullies instead of the kids being bullied. Another movie that shows kids to keep giving, keep being kind to harmful people no matter how badly people treat you. Another movie that demonstrates that decent kids who defend themselves from bullies will also pay a price and be responsible for a bullies behavior choices from schools, families etc. No matter how hard their life circumstances, it's never a reason to treat others poorly and to make them be responsible or pay the price of your choices. Some scenes were good. The good scenes were, unfortunately, not enough to out weigh the negative for me.
Dan H.
Dan H. Parent of 1, 5 and 11-year-old
December 3, 2017
age 5+

My favorite Christmas movie

Our 5-year old daughter easily gets scared or sad, but this movie did not frighten or sadden her. It does have some bullying, but hang in there till the end. Really good morals and empathy is taught. Honestly, several times my eyes teared up. Not because it was sad, but because it was beautiful. This movie teaches empathy and the true meaning of hristmas and charity.
See all 7 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In THE CHRISTMAS PROJECT, The Buckleys are a close family with four boys under 13 and a baby on the way. Matthew (Jacob Buster), second oldest, knows he's going to be a writer one day and it's his adult voice that provides narration. He daily faces a bully named Finn (Gabe White) who sometimes just grabs Matthew and dumps him in the trash. "How do you love your enemy if they won't stop hurting you?" Matthew wonders. To his frustration, the Buckley's Christmas tradition of "elving," secretly giving gifts to people who are lonely and/or needy, focuses on Finn and his family. Night after night, as they deposit gifts at Finn's rickety old door, Matthew begins to recognize that Finn might not be such a bad guy when he's at home taking care of his siblings. When Finn anonymously pulls a mean prank that humiliates Matthew in front of their class, a friend tries to expose Finn. Before that can happen, Matthew jumps up to take the blame, saving Finn. You get the sense that Matthew is learning not only empathy for those less fortunate than himself but also that he is becoming a person who believes in doing the right thing.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (7 ):
Kids say (7 ):

This movie may feel a bit generic in its opening moments but patience will pay off as it models humor, smarts, generosity, and patience as qualities kids want to embody. The story is told with warmth and through language and situations that tweens will appreciate and understand. The acting and writing of Good Luck, Charlie and other high-quality TV fare come to mind in this sweet family story. Those familiar with the classic A Christmas Story will also find echoes of that film's unsentimental view of childhood here.

A weak plot line threads throughout regarding which boy will be the first to snatch "the Christmas catalogue" (as if there were only one!) from the mailbox and thereby somehow get the best gift. That makes no sense on its own, but less so since the time frame is only days before Christmas. Still, that's a minor quibble. Overall there's much for kids and their families to enjoy in The Christmas Project.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why Matthew doesn't ask his parents for help when he is being bullied by Finn in The Christmas Project. Do you think it's better for kids to handle bullies on their own? Why is it a good idea to talk to a parent or teacher?

  • Matthew deals with unfairness in his own family. As second oldest he feels that he always comes in second. Do you think he feels differently by the end of the story? Why?

  • How do you think writing helps Matthew cope with his problems? What activity helps you work through your issues?

Movie Details

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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.

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