Apple has traditionally showcased their holiday spirit by releasing a new ad every December. Apple often doesn’t rely on advertising. Everybody knows their products speak for themselves. But their annual holiday video ad is where Apple takes the chance to spark discussion. It’s their chance to create something truly memorable during an already chaotic season. From two strangers finding love to a woman making amends with her grumpy boss during the holiday season, Apple uses their holiday ad to uniquely show how their products are the center of human connection.
This year, Apple released “A Critter Carol.” After a man hiking through a snowy forest accidentally drops his iPhone 17 Pro in the snow, a group of woodland critters discover it. The animals gather around the strange device and break into an original holiday tune sung entirely in a cappella.
“Friends love together, friends sing together,” the critters sing. Raccoons, bears, deer, owls, foxes, and squirrels all join in, filming this moment of connection on their newfound iPhone. The ad uses this playful “critter carol” to show how a diverse group of characters, even non-human ones, can come together in a moment of joy and connection.
“For me, it was the story of how one act of kindness can bring people together,” said director Mark Molloy in Apple’s A Critter Carol behind the scenes video.
One of the unique features of this year’s ad is its use of puppets. Instead of turning to CGI, Apple used puppet designers to create hand-built, tactile animal puppets. Their wide, soft eyes and subtle facial movements give the ad a quaint and cozy storybook feel.
The forest set is also entirely real, with miniature trees and snow. It’s a reminder that while Apple’s products push the boundaries of innovation, they’re still deeply connected to human creativity. It both enables the idea of possibility and makes Apple technology appear more accessible to the everyday individual.
“Anyone can shoot this ad on an iPhone,” said Joost van Gelder, A Critter Carol’s cinematographer.
Apple captures just that. While the critters are the focus of the ad, it’s the iPhone 17 Pro that brings them together. At a glance, Apple’s iPhone features look simple. But as the ad unfolds, we see the complex possibilities and nuance added with the addition of a zoom-in feature. Once again, Apple showcases its product as the tool that makes this shareable moment possible.
Compared with last year’s highly emotional Heartstrings, A Critter Carol takes on a lighter, more playful tone. The ad leans into the kind of warmth that reminds us of a nostalgic Christmas animation. The simplicity of this ad is part of its strength. In under two minutes, Apple delivers a holiday message that’s fun, unexpected but familiar, and good for all ages to enjoy.
Where Heartstrings and Fuzzy Feelings held more emotional weight, A Critter Carol offers up a delightful, quick break from an otherwise busy holiday season. Though Apple was less creative with its storytelling this year, they took the chance to create something meaningful in a different way: to show the value of simplicity. Sometimes all it takes is a simple hike through the woods and a few notes of a Christmas carol to spark connection.