Alien Xmas (2020) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Christmas Town is located on Earth and serves as the hub where Santa and his elves operate during the holiday season. It blends old-fashioned holiday charm with high-tech elements like Santa's advanced sleigh and the robot SAMTU, creating a snowy, festive environment that feels both magical and modern.

• christmas town
• earth
• setting
• santa's workshop
• location

The events unfold during Christmas, beginning on Christmas Eve when the alien X arrives and continuing through Christmas morning. The entire crisis resolves by dawn on Christmas Day, giving the story a tight, single-night timeframe that heightens the urgency of saving Christmas.

• christmas eve
• christmas morning
• time period
• timeline
• holiday

Klepts are an alien race driven by greed, sent to steal Earth's resources and 'stuff.' Their leader Z commands them to use a device called the Gyrotron to drain Earth of its resources. X is initially sent as a scout to carry out this mission of theft.

• klepts
• aliens
• greed
• stealing
• space

X's transformation is triggered by the kindness and generosity he experiences in Christmas Town. After being mistaken for a Christmas gift by Holly, he witnesses the warmth and compassion of the elves and Santa. This awakens empathy in him, leading him to abandon the original mission and instead help fix Santa's sleigh.

• x character
• transformation
• redemption
• kindness
• compassion

The Gyrotron is a machine built by the Klepts that can drain Earth's resources and destroy the planet's gravity. Z plans to use it to steal Earth's 'stuff' and leave the planet devastated. The device poses an existential threat to both Christmas Town and all of Earth.

• gyrotron
• machine
• threat
• destruction
• weapon

SAMTU is a Semi-Automatic Multi-Tasking Unit that assists both X and the elves during the conflict. It helps build the Gyrotron initially but later defends Christmas Town. SAMTU is destroyed during the battle to stop the Gyrotron, sacrificing itself to help save Christmas.

• samtu
• robot
• death
• sacrifice
• machine

The three themes weave together through X's arc and the community's response to the crisis. X's redemption comes through acts of generosity, the elves and Santa give kindness freely, which transforms him. Meanwhile, Obie's workaholic strain on his family highlights that family bonds need attention. The resolution shows that generosity and family love can heal divides between different beings.

• themes
• redemption
• generosity
• family
• connection

Obie is a skilled elf and the lead mechanic responsible for maintaining Santa's high-tech sleigh. His dedication to his work creates distance from his daughter Holly and her mother Noelle. During the crisis, he reconnects with his family while leading the technical efforts to save Christmas.

• obie
• elf
• mechanic
• santa's sleigh
• father

Holly is Obie's daughter who longs for her father's attention. She forms a bond with X after receiving him as a supposed Christmas gift. Her warmth and hope catalyze X's transformation from a greedy alien to someone who chooses to help Christmas Town. She embodies the spirit of holiday wonder and family.

• holly
• daughter
• hope
• spirit
• family bonds

Z is the Klept Supreme Leader who orchestrates the plan to steal Earth's resources using the Gyrotron. She manipulates X into carrying out her bidding and is driven by pure ambition and greed. However, the warmth and generosity of Christmas Town ultimately undermine her authority, leading to her defeat.

• z
• villain
• leader
• greed
• ambition
• klept supreme