🍿FindToWatch
Movie · Comedy, Action, Animated · 2011 · PG

Arthur Christmas: parents' guide

6+our pick

Best for ages 6 and up. Rated PG for some mild rude humor.

A fast, funny animated adventure that works well for families with kids in the early grades. Santa's clumsy younger son Arthur sets out with his grandfather on an old-fashioned sleigh to deliver one forgotten present before dawn. Expect cartoon peril rather than real danger: a homeowner fires a shotgun at them, lions corner them, and a military drone fires on the sleigh. Language is limited to one muffled hell and some name-calling, and a few jokes about whiskey and a dog humping slippers are aimed over kids' heads. Some sexist remarks come from characters the story shows to be wrong, and a few jokes lean on national stereotypes.

What's in it

Violence

Mild

Cartoon action with no injury detail: a homeowner shoots at the heroes, missiles blow up the sleigh, reindeer break loose during reentry, and an elf is caught in a mousetrap. Nobody is seriously hurt.

Language

Mild

Very mild: one barely audible hell, plus ruddy and buttocks, and insults such as idiot, moron, stupid and fatty.

Sex and nudity

Mild

No romance to speak of. Two elves kiss in celebration, and a quick sight gag implies a small dog humping a pair of furry slippers.

Drinking, drugs and smoking

Mild

No one drinks on screen, but Grandsanta jokes about quieting children with whiskey on their lips, seems tipsy, and is shown near liquor and pill bottles. A champagne cork pops.

Scary or intense scenes

Mild

Brief peril played for laughs: a pride of lions menaces the travelers, the sleigh nearly crashes more than once, and Arthur is terrified of heights. Young kids may be startled by the gunfire.

Worth talking about

Arthur insists that one child matters as much as millions. Ask why he refuses to give up when everyone else says one missed present is acceptable.

Where to stream →

On our lists

Similar picks around 6+

6+ The StarMovie · Animated, comedy · 2017 · PG Violence: mild, Language: none, Sex and nudity: none, Drinking, drugs and smoking: none, Scary or intense scenes: moderate 6+ ElfMovie · Comedy, fantasy · 2003 · PG Violence: mild, Language: mild, Sex and nudity: mild, Drinking, drugs and smoking: moderate, Scary or intense scenes: mild 7+ KlausMovie · Animated, fantasy · 2019 · PG Violence: mild, Language: none, Sex and nudity: mild, Drinking, drugs and smoking: mild, Scary or intense scenes: moderate 7+ The Best Christmas Pageant EverMovie · Comedy, drama · 2024 · PG Violence: mild, Language: mild, Sex and nudity: none, Drinking, drugs and smoking: moderate, Scary or intense scenes: mild 6+ The Santa ClauseMovie · Comedy, fantasy · 1994 · PG Violence: mild, Language: mild, Sex and nudity: mild, Drinking, drugs and smoking: mild, Scary or intense scenes: mild 7+ UpMovie · Animated, comedy · 2009 · PG Violence: moderate, Language: none, Sex and nudity: none, Drinking, drugs and smoking: mild, Scary or intense scenes: moderate

Checked October 24th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, Plugged In, bbfc.co.uk, Wikipedia. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.