Apple’s ‘A Critter Carol’ Showcases Handmade Puppetry in Holiday 2025 Spot

Overview

• The two-minute short follows woodland puppets who discover an iPhone 17 Pro and create a friendship performance before returning it.
• Apple confirms the piece was shot on iPhone 17 Pro, with behind-the-scenes footage detailing the production approach.
• Molloy says the story centers on how one act of kindness can bring different people together.
• The production leans on handcrafted puppets, miniature sets, and multi-operator puppeteering that embraces small imperfections.
• Coverage notes the analog approach contrasts with brands using generative AI this season, with Colossal citing Coca-Cola’s AI-driven holiday ad.