Year: 2012
Runtime: 83 mins
Language: English
Director: Richard Rich
Princess Odette, Prince Derek, and their woodland companions celebrate their first Christmas together in this animated adventure. As the kingdom prepares for the holidays, the evil Rothbart schemes to ruin the festive season. With the help of music by Anna Graceman, known from America’s Got Talent, the friends must band together to thwart Rothbart’s plan and save Christmas for everyone.
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Princess Odette (voiced by Laura Bailey) and Prince Derek (voiced by Yuri Lowenthal) are on their way to Queen Uberta’s castle to celebrate their first Christmas together. Unbeknownst to them, the evil sorcerer Rothbart has returned and teamed up with a mischievous cat known as Number 9 (voiced by David Lodge). Number 9 lures Derek into a cellar and forces him to open a chest marked with an R. When Derek departs, Rothbart rises from the chest as a ghost, initiating a scheme to ruin the kingdom’s Christmas spirit—the very thing that stands strongest against his Forbidden Arts. As a ghost, Rothbart can cast small, sly spells that push people toward petty feuds and gloom, and his influence spreads until the entire town feels mischief and discord creeping into their days.
Odette and Derek first discover Rothbart’s resurgence when wind chimes echo the timeless tune Far Longer than Forever, revealing him and making him momentarily visible and immobile. In response, the pair hastily set up protective wind chimes around the castle grounds. Yet Rothbart isn’t acting alone; Bridget (voiced by Christine Lakin), his former hag henchwoman, re-enters the picture and helps remove the wind chimes so that the sorcerer’s magic can regain its footing.
The royal Christmas festivities at Uberta’s court begin to feel strained as Uberta (voiced by Jennifer Miller) and Lord Rogers (voiced by Joseph Medrano) take the stage for musical performances. Odette, who is crafting her own song, invites the children to perform Christmas is the Reason, a moment that momentarily weakens Rothbart’s hold over Uberta and Rogers. This act of goodwill nudges the mood back toward warmth, and Odette follows it up by encouraging Uberta and Rogers to give gifts and food to the poor. The generosity lights a spark of kindness that begins to lift the spell over the entire kingdom.
Rothbart’s last chance to shatter the holiday spirit comes when he tries to sabotage the royal Christmas tree. He sends Number 9 to steal one of the Christmas lights, using a spell on it to threaten the tree’s destruction. Derek learns of the plan with the help of Bridget, who has now turned against her old master and traps Rothbart inside a set of giant chimes. Derek races back to the Christmas Eve party to intervene, but he arrives too late—the enchanted light bulb shatters the tree and its ornaments, setting them ablaze. Rothbart regains mortal form, seizes Uberta’s crown, and transforms it into his own, then teleports Odette to Swan Lake.
At Swan Lake, Rothbart repeats the same transformation on Odette, turning her into a swan again and imprisoning her in a cage of roots. Speed (voiced by Doug Stone), Puffin (voiced by Gardner Jaas), and Jean-Bob (voiced by Clayton James) arrive to aid in the rescue. Puffin attempts an attack but is turned into a Christmas ornament by Rothbart. He then casts a moonlit spell that would permanently seal Odette’s wings as a swan-shaped ornament when touched by moonlight.
Derek arrives to save Odette, but Rothbart powers up, transforming into the Great Animal. The ensuing battle leaves Derek gravely wounded, and Rothbart appears assured of victory. Odette’s voice rises in a hopeful moment with The Season of Love, a song whose pure, luminous message weakens Rothbart until he bursts into flames, vanquished for good. Odette returns to her human form, and Puffin regains his normal shape. The crisis passes, and the spirit of Christmas breathes life back into the kingdom as the royal tree is revived.
With the crisis averted, the Christmas celebration resumes, and a renewed sense of unity spreads through Uberta’s court. In a final act of honor, the kingdom places a new ornament on the tree to commemorate Derek and Odette, celebrating their courage, love, and the enduring power of community that saved the day.
Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 10:35
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Festive celebrations are threatened by villains, but the spirit of the season prevails.If you enjoyed The Swan Princess Christmas, explore more movies where Christmas magic triumphs over evil. These films feature a festive setting, a clear villain, and a heartwarming story where love and holiday spirit save the day, perfect for family viewing.
The narrative follows a predictable yet comforting arc: a joyful holiday preparation is interrupted by a magical antagonist's scheme. The heroes, often a united community or a central couple, use the inherent power of the season—love, music, generosity—to directly counter the dark magic, culminating in a festive victory.
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