Disney Christmas ad tells story of a doodle looking for a mouth

Disney has released its 2025 Christmas short, following the story of a doodle that comes to life. 

Created by Adam & Eve/DDB, “A Disney holiday short: best Christmas ever” opens with a young girl called Molly doodling a little, scribbly character on her Christmas list.

She rips out the page from the book containing her list and places it on her mantelpiece, addressed to Santa, not realising that she has also accidentally ripped off the piece of paper carrying the doodle.

When Molly comes down to the living room on Christmas morning, she is surprised to see one of her presents moving and making noises. It topples over and a bigger version of her doodle falls out of the box. Doodle goes to say hello but realises he doesn’t have a mouth. The little girl is delighted with her unexpected present and hugs him tightly.

Set to a piano version of Randy Newman’s You've Got a Friend in Me, the film shows the pair spending quality time together throughout the year, focusing on the moments where Doodle becomes frustrated that he doesn’t have a mouth. He tries but fails to brush his teeth, eat an ice cream, blow up an inflatable and go trick or treating with his friend.

When the next Christmas rolls by, he becomes excited about a group of carol singers arriving at the family’s front door. When he tries to join in, the singers look at him and are confused by his muffled noises. Embarrassed, Doodle runs upstairs and dreams of having a mouth, picking up a toy Stitch from Disney film Lilo & Stitch, placing it in front of his face and moving the character’s jaw. 

Molly witnesses Doodle’s sadness and comes up with a plan to fix it. She rushes downstairs to add something to her Christmas list, and places the list on her mantelpiece as she did the previous year.

On Christmas Day, she opens a present to reveal a Mr Potato Head toy from Disney’s Toy Story and takes his detachable mouth off. She places it on Doodle’s face, finally giving him a voice. Actor John Goodman, who also played Disney characters James P. “Sulley” Sullivan from Monsters, Inc. and Pacha in The Emperor’s New Groove, provides Doodle's voice.

It ends with Doodle, Molly and her mum in a spinning tea cup at Disney World as the sentient drawing talks their ears off. It ends with the line: “Make someone’s holiday magic.”

The film was directed by Taika Waititi through Hungry Man and created by Sali Horsey and Zoe Nash.

Joanna Balikian, senior vice-president, brand management at Disney, said: “Disney stories have always been a source of togetherness, wonder, and joy, especially during the holidays.

“With ‘A Disney holiday short: best Christmas ever’, we sought to capture that timeless spirit of friendship, family, and imagination that brings generations together and makes the holidays magical.”

Walt Disney Animation Studios animator Eric Goldberg, the creator of Disney characters such as Genie from Aladdin, acted as an advisor on the animation of the short in collaboration with Untold Studios, Hungry Man and Adam & Eve/DDB.

Waititi added: "What makes this story uniquely Disney is the fact that it's set in the world of a kid. It's a kid and her new best friend, navigating the complex world together, and doing it just with the power of friendship and imagination.”

The short film was released on Disney+ and online.

Goodman said: “I’ve always loved being part of Disney stories because there’s a timelessness to Disney’s storytelling – it's fun, it’s heartfelt, and it reminds families of what really matters. This wonderful short captures that same spirit perfectly.”

“A Disney holiday short: best Christmas ever” follows last year’s short, also directed by Waititi and created by Adam & Eve/DDB, “The boy & the octopus”.

“The boy & the octopus” follows the friendships between a young boy and an octopus that got stuck to his head on a family holiday.