The Insects Christmas - A Wonderful Example of Stop Motion Animation

And so begins The Insects Christmas. This short film is a wonderful, early example of stop motion animation. The Insects Christmas was filmed in Russia in 1913 by Ladislaw Starewicz. It is a sweet, charming film which reflects a simpler, more innocent, and less commercial view of Christmas that no longer seems to be present in today's world.

This enchanting film makes a wonderful addition to your collection of Christmas movies! It is a "must see" for children and the young at heart!

At the beginning of The Insects Christmas, a small Father Christmas ornament magically comes to life and climbs down from a beautifully decorated Christmas tree. While climbing down, be accidentally knocks an ornament off and breaks it, waking a sleeping doll, who simply looks a bit annoyed and then rolls over and goes back to sleep.

Father Christmas then goes to the forest where he magically creates a beautiful little tree for the insects the celebrate Christmas.

After the tree is in place and all preparations have been made, he goes and gathers all of the insects to celebrate. He has sent invitations to the ladybugs, beetles, dragonflies, and even a frog who enthusiastically gives him a great big hug! Many of the small bugs are so excited, they joyously do somersaults as they come out of their homes.

Father Christmas then has gifts for all of the children of the forest. The gifts are followed by skiing, ice skating, and joyous celebration. The frog, however, gets into a tug-of-war with one of the insects for a gift.

Father Christmas then returns to his place on the Christmas tree, again disturbing the sleeping doll as he climbs back up.

Ladislaw Starewicz was born on August 8, 1882 in Moscow, Russia. He was a pioneer of stop-motion animation. He was also an entomologist, which explains why so many of his films contain insects!

After the October Revolution of 1917, Starewicz and his family immigrated to France where he continued to make animated films into the 1950s.

The Insects Christmas wasn't the only insect inspired film made by Starewicz. The 1911 film The Cameraman's Revenge features a bug riding a bicycle and a married insect cheating on their spouse.