Amazon's Christmas Epic Is all About the Journey, Not the Destination

A sweet tale drive by the Beatles' 'Golden Slumbers'

Amazon focuses on the journey, not the destination, in its 2026 holiday spot that dropped this week. The short film, titled “Joy Delivered,” runs two-and-a-half minutes and seeks to illustrate the spirit of giving.

New Zealand actress Kate Laidler sits glumly at the airport, her flight home canceled due to the raging snow outside. But her journey of kindness begins with an airport attendee who hands her his hat and helps her brave the storm.

Undeterred, she waits at a bus stop. A Planes, Trains and Automobiles scenario unfolds. The woman boards a bus, which hours later is parked in a snowbank. It’s here that Laidler’s character’s spirit of giving kicks in. She starts leaving labeled presents for her family with each person who has helped her on her way home. Each gets unwrapped in her presence—the Amazon boxes prominent under the paper and trim. 

Laidler meets a cast of characters, including a donkey, a penguin and a reindeer, as she traverses a cliff and rides waves on the high seas. Finally, she reaches her mother’s home, which decked out for the holidays.

The work was done in-house and was directed by Mark Molloy via Smuggler. The Beatles’ “Golden Slumbers” serves as the soundtrack.

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