The 7 best moments from The Christmas Chronicles

The Christmas Chronicles starring Kurt Russell finally hit Netflix on November 22nd. Here are the best moments from the festive feature film.

With Thanksgiving officially in the rear-view, we can move full steam ahead to the Christmas season. The holidays could get pretty hectic so it’s important to take time to wind down and recharge. What better way than to sit back and catch your favorite Christmas movies? Sure, you probably have your list of traditional titles that you watch each year but there are some new movies that shouldn’t be missed. At the top of that list is Netflix’s most recent original film, The Christmas Chronicles.

From the mind that gave us Home Alone comes another holiday tale perfect your family’s holiday binge. The Christmas Chronicles is a comedy wrapped around a sweet heartfelt message about family and the importance of believing. When Kate (Darby Camp) and Teddy Pierce (Judah Lewis) set out to catch Santa Claus on camera, they get involved in a Christmas adventure that they will never forget. Kurt Russell plays the role of Santa Claus and this isn’t your typical old St. Nick. This version of Santa puts all others to shame with his suave demeanor and updated aesthetic.

As Kate and her older brother get swept into Santa’s mission to save Christmas (after they accidentally caused him to crash the sleigh), they learn a number of valuable lessons. There are some heartwarming revelations centering around the sadness from losing their father within the past year. The siblings also learn about the spirit of Christmas while having some fun along the way.

Here are the best moments from The Christmas Chronicles (spoilers below):

1. Setting up the Santa trap

While watching old Christmas videos from years past, Kate realizes that the camera caught a glimpse of Santa throwing a gift under the tree. After she convinces Teddy through some blackmail, the two set up the a trap to catch him on camera. They hide the camera while constructing a jingle bell alarm to catch the big guy. Kate also prepares for footsteps by the chimney, something she “saw on Ghost Adventures.”

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As they await Santa’s arrival, Kate and Teddy eat a ton of junk food as they pull an all-nighter. They both eventually fall asleep until the jingle bells go off announcing Santa’s arrival. The two chase a lightning fast Santa outside where they’re met by his sleigh and reindeer.

The astonishment on their faces says it all. It’s an excitement that any kid to relate to as they grew up hoping to catch a glimpse of Santa. Even as we got older and learned the truth, that magical feeling is still extremely relatable.

2. Santa’s crash landing

Kate and Teddy are hiding in the back of the sleigh when Santa jumps into the driver seat to head to the next city. While flying through the air, Kate taps on Santa’s shoulder and scares him half to death. Santa can’t control the sleigh and loses his hat, bag, and reindeer in the process. When they eventually wake up on the ground, Kate and Teddy realize this isn’t the Santa they thought they knew.

The skinnier, red-leather wearing Santa has no time for devious children. He claims that the “ho, ho, ho” thing is fake news but the man is still dedicated to saving Christmas. He calls Teddy a “lost believer” and vows to put the Pierce kids on the naughty list for life for how they ruined his Christmas rounds. Without his magic hat, bag, and reindeer, time is running out to his job.

At first, you might think Santa is being a little harsh but looking back, he handled it the right way. He had his magic all along but used the situation to teach the kids about the repercussions of their actions. In doing so, they went along a journey of a lifetime.

3. Santa takes the wheel

It’s certainly one thing to see Santa ride on the roof of a bright red muscle car but to see him behind the wheel is something you truly never see. The Christmas Chronicles took Santa to a new level as he evades cops as he speeds through the streets of Chicago. Maybe Kurt Russell learned a few things from his time of The Fate of the Furious?

Teddy and Santa take the police on a chase as a way to buy time for Kate to find the reindeer. Santa assures Teddy that he isn’t Yoda so he can’t Jedi mind trick the cops away. Instead, Santa uses the car to go airborne before crashing into a snow pile. The cops are instantly on their tail and order them out of the car but not before Santa begs Teddy not to tell Mrs. Claus.

4. A Christmas concert behind bars

When Santa’s interrogation at the police station doesn’t go too well, he gets put in a jail cell. He promises that with Christmas spirit dropping, the crime rate will go up which will make for a busier night for the cops. Santa sure is correct at the cells start to fill up. With the Christmas spirit down, Santa decides to cheer everyone up with some music.

Santa gives the men in his cell some instruments and the place transforms into a Christmas version of jailhouse rock. Santa pops a few buttons on his shirt and dons some black shades as he performs Elvis Presley’s “Santa Claus Is Back in Town.” The ladies in the cell over serve as backup singers as Santa puts on a concert. His swagger level even increases as he performs a piano solo, even the cops can’t help but applaud the man.

5. Army of elves

Santa is still locked up as Kate and Teddy find themselves in a new mess. Kate goes into Santa’s bag where she gets transported to the North Pole. Meanwhile, Teddy gets captured by a group of thugs that take him and the bag to a warehouse full of criminals. As the men try to open the packages from the bag, they only find coal since they are obviously on the naughty list.

The elves jump out of the bag and attack the bad guys in a hilarious and fast-paced sequence. Pool balls are thrown, men go flying, and even an elf wielding a mini chainsaw appears. They set their sights on Teddy before Kate intervenes.

The animated elves add another level of comedy to The Christmas Chronicles. They are animated little creatures that sort of resemble a Mogwai from Gremlins. They are goofy but very feisty when it comes to anything involving Santa. They also only speak elvish which deems the use of subtitles.

6. Teamwork makes the dream work

The elves fix the sleigh but Santa has a very limited amount of time before sunrise. The trio comes up with a plan inspired by the Pierce family motto to work together so Santa can work faster. Teddy gets to fly the sleigh as Kate throws out the presents for Santa to jump from house to house. Santa impressively moves from the roofs of the houses like a wild acrobat, even dunking the presents down chimneys. He has certainly proved that a Santa who spends time in the gym is a more productive Santa.

With time ticking down, they call on the army of elves to parachute down and deliver the last of the gifts. As Santa checks the list twice, he realizes they missed one delivery but the trio’s determination and teamwork gets the job done. With their belief in one another, and within themselves, they raised the spirit of Christmas for others.

7. Mrs. Claus cameo

With a family-friendly movie like The Christmas Chronicles, it was safe to assume there would be a happy ending. Kate and Teddy come together as siblings with a bond stronger than ever. Teddy finally comes to a realization about his recent behavior and is given a special ornament so that he can see the image of his dad again. The happy ending for the Pierce family is a touching moment but there is one last surprise at the end of the movie.

Santa is back at the North Pole putting Teddy’s name in the book of believers. Mrs. Claus walks in and is played by Russell’s real-life wife, Goldie Hawn. The movie is certainly a family affair as Doug Pierce was played by Hawn’s son and Russell’s stepson, Oliver Hudson. The movie is genuinely a family affair, even for those in front of the camera.

What were your favorite moments from The Christmas Chronicles? Tell us in the comments!