Northpole, the magical city where Santa and his elves live and work is in trouble. Families around the globe have gotten too busy to enjoy the season together, and Northpole depends on their holiday happiness to keep running. In the hopes of turning things around, a determined young elf befriends a little boy with a lot of spirit. His skeptical journalist mom doesn’t have room in her heart for anything but the facts, so it’s going to take a little nudge from his charming teacher to create an unbeatable Christmas team to turn around this town and share the importance of the season with the whole world.
Acting
Bailee Madison commits harder than this script deserves.
Production
Northpole set design is genuinely charming, no notes.
Costume
Elf outfits that scream 'we bought these in bulk.'
Director
Douglas Barr
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was Hallmark's first attempt at a cinematic universe — they made a sequel, Northpole: Open for Christmas, with a completely different plot but same elf actress.
Released in 2014, this captures peak 'busy families need to slow down' anxiety that dominated early 2010s Christmas media — basically Elf minus the irony that made Elf tolerable.
CA
US
