That Christmas
That Christmas
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Watch-outs
What this film brings
Content barometer
Violence
1/5
Mild
Fear
2/5
A few scenes
Sexuality
1/5
Allusions
Language
0/5
None
Narrative complexity
1/5
Accessible
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
That Christmas is a British animated family film set in the charming coastal town of Wellington-on-Sea, carried by a warm and festive atmosphere typical of Christmas tales. The story follows several children facing emotionally charged situations, including parental divorce, anxiety, loneliness, a sense of abandonment, and worry about parents stranded by a snowstorm, all themes that may resonate deeply with young viewers. These elements are handled with gentleness within a reassuring family narrative framework, without major violence or frightening content, but the emotional tension surrounding the parents' car accident and their overnight absence represents the film's most intense moment. Parents are encouraged to accompany younger children who are sensitive to family separation or anxiety, and to use the film as an opportunity to discuss emotions around Christmas, solidarity, and resilience.
Synopsis
It's an unforgettable Christmas for the townsfolk of Wellington-on-Sea when the worst snowstorm in history alters everyone's plans — including Santa's.
Difficult scenes
The parents of several children, stranded on the road by a violent blizzard, lose control of their car and slide off a bridge on Christmas Eve. Although they call their children to reassure them, the incident creates real and prolonged emotional tension around parental absence and uncertainty about their fate, which may cause anxiety in children sensitive to separation or fear of losing their parents. Danny, the main character, is dealing with his parents' divorce and experiences a strong sense of abandonment when his mother leaves for work without warning and his father fails to show up as planned for Christmas. These scenes, though handled with restraint, may deeply affect children who have experienced or are living through a similar family situation, bringing up difficult emotions. A scene where Danny's teacher, Madame Trapper, shows visible melancholy as she returns home alone after an otherwise joyful day, combined with Danny's loneliness woven throughout the film, creates an emotionally heavy tone that may surprise children expecting a purely festive Christmas story. Charlie secretly decides to rescue turkeys meant for the Christmas Eve dinner from a shady farmer, generating mild tension around the animals' fate and a disagreement between the two sisters. While the scene remains light, children who are particularly sensitive to animal welfare may feel worried about what happens to the birds.
Where to watch
No verified platform for the US market yet. We keep this section updated as availability changes.
Availability checked on Apr 01, 2026
About this title
- Format
- Feature film
- Year
- 2024
- Runtime
- 1h 35m
- Countries
- United Kingdom
- Original language
- EN
- Directed by
- Simon Otto
- Main cast
- Brian Cox, Bill Nighy, Fiona Shaw, Jack Wisniewski, Jodie Whittaker, India Brown, Guz Khan, Lolly Adefope, Zazie Hayhurst, Sienna Sayer
- Studios
- Locksmith Animation, DNEG
Content barometer
Violence
1/5
Mild
Fear
2/5
A few scenes
Sexuality
1/5
Allusions
Language
0/5
None
Narrative complexity
1/5
Accessible
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
That Christmas is a British animated family film set in the charming coastal town of Wellington-on-Sea, carried by a warm and festive atmosphere typical of Christmas tales. The story follows several children facing emotionally charged situations, including parental divorce, anxiety, loneliness, a sense of abandonment, and worry about parents stranded by a snowstorm, all themes that may resonate deeply with young viewers. These elements are handled with gentleness within a reassuring family narrative framework, without major violence or frightening content, but the emotional tension surrounding the parents' car accident and their overnight absence represents the film's most intense moment. Parents are encouraged to accompany younger children who are sensitive to family separation or anxiety, and to use the film as an opportunity to discuss emotions around Christmas, solidarity, and resilience.
Synopsis
It's an unforgettable Christmas for the townsfolk of Wellington-on-Sea when the worst snowstorm in history alters everyone's plans — including Santa's.
Difficult scenes
The parents of several children, stranded on the road by a violent blizzard, lose control of their car and slide off a bridge on Christmas Eve. Although they call their children to reassure them, the incident creates real and prolonged emotional tension around parental absence and uncertainty about their fate, which may cause anxiety in children sensitive to separation or fear of losing their parents. Danny, the main character, is dealing with his parents' divorce and experiences a strong sense of abandonment when his mother leaves for work without warning and his father fails to show up as planned for Christmas. These scenes, though handled with restraint, may deeply affect children who have experienced or are living through a similar family situation, bringing up difficult emotions. A scene where Danny's teacher, Madame Trapper, shows visible melancholy as she returns home alone after an otherwise joyful day, combined with Danny's loneliness woven throughout the film, creates an emotionally heavy tone that may surprise children expecting a purely festive Christmas story. Charlie secretly decides to rescue turkeys meant for the Christmas Eve dinner from a shady farmer, generating mild tension around the animals' fate and a disagreement between the two sisters. While the scene remains light, children who are particularly sensitive to animal welfare may feel worried about what happens to the birds.