Parents' Guide to

Elf Pets: Santa's St. Bernards Save Christmas

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 5+

Heartwarming tale emphasizes compassion, generosity.

Elf Pets: Santa's St. Bernards Save Christmas Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

age 3+

Based on 1 parent review

age 3+

A cynical guilt trip made to sell toys

This was absolutely terrible. Half the time it was a heavy handed morality play, bemoaning how we all buy things. The other half of the time it was showcasing their newest product, with cuts to the brand logos and how to use it. And showcasing the other elf toys. The animation and acting were bad, too, and they got in a weird scene with a church when it's not an explicitly religious movie. It just felt really manipulative and gross. My five year old loved it and wouldn't let me turn it off.

This title has:

Too much consumerism

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (2):

This sweet story is full of all the right feels for the holiday season. It opens with the magic of Santa's headquarters and legions of busy elves, then cuts to the home and business of a well-meaning family doing selfless work on behalf of others. Unfortunately, their ability to do so relies heavily on the kindness of others, and that's in short supply at present. Their predicament represents the broader shortage of Christmas spirit that worries Santa and the elves.

What stands out in Elf Pets: Santa's St. Bernards Save Christmas is who inspires the change that brings the townspeople's priorities -- and the North Pole's magic -- back into balance. It's not an adult, but four children who give of themselves and inadvertently inspire others to do the same. It's a seemingly small factor in the overall scheme of things, but its message of kindness won't be lost on young viewers who watch.

TV 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