Shrek the Halls


Shrek the Halls is an American animated Christmas comedy television special that premiered on the American television network ABC on November 28, 2007. The thirty minute Christmas special was co-written and directed by Gary Trousdale and produced by DreamWorks Animation. Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and Antonio Banderas reprise their roles from the feature films. This Christmas special takes place after the events of Shrek the Third. It grossed $16 million in home sales.
The title is derived from the title of the Christmas carol, Deck the Halls.
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Plot

Sometime after the events of the third film, Shrek is living in his swamp with his family while Donkey constantly makes early Christmas announcements, much to Shrek’s annoyance. When the Christmas season arrives, Shrek reluctantly promises Princess Fiona a special Christmas surprise under Donkey’s urging. Shrek goes to a bookstore in Far Far Away to try to find a present for Fiona, but because he does not actually know what Christmas is about, the shopkeeper gives Shrek a copy of Christmas For Village Idiots, a guide to celebrating the holiday. Shrek proceeds to follow the book's advice by decorating the house and finding a tree so he can spend a quiet Christmas Eve with his family, but Donkey brings the entire "family" to the swamp, ruining Shrek's plans.
When Shrek tries to recite "The Night Before Christmas", Donkey, Puss in Boots, and Gingy interrupt and each tell their own Christmas story. Donkey tells of a Christmas parade passing by the swamp and licking an animatronic Santa Claus that is made of waffles, and absentmindedly starts licking Shrek. Puss' story ends with playing with the tassel on Santa's hat, while in reality he is playing with a bauble. Gingy tells a story about how his girlfriend, Suzy was eaten by Santa Claus. When Donkey finds Shrek's book, a fight breaks out over the book and Shrek's dinner is destroyed. After lighting his butt on fire, Shrek loses his temper and kicks his friends out of his house.
With their Christmas spirit ruined, Fiona is upset with Shrek's behavior and leaves with the ogre triplets to apologize. Shrek, remorseful at what he has done, catches up with his friends and apologizes for lashing out at them. When he reveals that he has never celebrated Christmas or anything, Donkey starts to feel remorseful for disturbing him and jeopardizing his first Christmas. They return to the swamp where Shrek’s friends are getting ready for bedtime. When they beg Shrek to tell them a bedtime story, he tells his version of "The Night Before Christmas". Soon, they hear bells and go outside to see Santa and his reindeer, although Gingy, still afraid of Santa, runs back inside. The special ends with Santa using magic to put ogre ears on the moon.

Cast

Production

Shrek the Halls was produced by DreamWorks Animation and Pacific Data Images. David Ian Salter and Mark Baldo directed the special during the pre-production, but they were later replaced by Gary Trousdale. The film was produced by Teresa Cheng, Gina Shay and Aron Warner and was written by Bill Riling, Theresa Cullen, Gary Trousdale and Sean Bishop.

Release

Broadcast

Shrek the Halls premiered on the American television network ABC on November 28, 2007. ABC held the exclusive domestic rights to the special until it moved to NBC in 2023 following NBCUniversal's 2016 acquisition of DreamWorks Animation; it first aired on that network on November 30 that year. In 2025, the special aired on Warner Bros. Discovery's holiday program blocks, TNT's Christmas Maximus and TBS's All I Watch for Christmas.
In the UK, it premiered on December 24, 2007, on BBC One. The special was repeated on BBC Three on December 23, 2011, along with Shrek: Once Upon a Time and Shrek.

Reception

On Metacritic, Shrek the Halls holds a weighted average score of 73 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating "generally favourable reviews".

Ratings

The rating info is courtesy of Your Entertainment Now and ABC Medianet.

United Kingdom viewing figures

AiringViewers
December 24, 20077.9
December 24, 20086.92*

*6.32 million + 0.60 million = 6.92.

Home media

Shrek the Halls was released on DVD in the United States on November 4, 2008. Originally the special was available by itself, or in a bundle pack with Shrek the Third. The special was released on iTunes on November 2, 2008, and on Blu-ray and DVD on October 30, 2012, as part of compilation titled Dreamworks Holiday Classics. The special was re-released on DVD on October 1, 2013, along with Merry Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda Holiday, Dragons: Gift of the Night Fury, and The Croods. DreamWorks Holiday Classics, available on Amazon, features Donkey's Caroling Christmas-tacular and does not feature Shrek the Halls.
HarperFestival also published a picture book version of Shrek the Halls, authored by Catherine Hapka and illustrated by Michael Koelsch. Koelsch had previously illustrated a picture book for Shrek 2 in 2004.

Music

The score of the special was composed by Harry Gregson-Williams. The special, like the films, also features the following Pop culture and Christmas songs:

ICE!

In July 2011, as part of a strategic partnership between DreamWorks Animation and Gaylord Hotels, Shrek the Halls was presented as the theme of the ICE! exhibit at Gaylord's hotels in Texas and Florida. In this presentation, the plot of the film is told through a series of ice sculptures that visitors walk past.