The Invisible Horse gives a boy an unexpected Christmas companion
Paddington in Peru director Dougal Wilson’s Disney holiday short launches Make the Holidays Magic with a story about a boy who thinks he has outgrown Christmas.
The short answer: Paddington in Peru director Dougal Wilson’s Disney holiday short launches Make the Holidays Magic with a story about a boy who thinks he has outgrown Christmas.
Jack thinks he has outgrown the magic of Christmas. Then a creature he cannot see enters his life, drawing him into an adventure that rekindles his imagination and brings him closer to his family. That encounter is the starting point for A Disney Holiday Short: The Invisible Horse, directed by Dougal Wilson.
The film opens Disney’s global Make the Holidays Magic campaign, announced November 9, 2026. The short is available on Disney+ and online, and Disney’s campaign announcement includes a video link. Beyond the film, the initiative brings together seasonal entertainment and activities supporting children and families.
From Paddington to an invisible companion
Wilson directed Paddington in Peru, but his experience with compact stories stretches back through music videos and commercials. His credits include Christmas ads for British retailer John Lewis and a Three commercial featuring a Shetland pony dancing to Fleetwood Mac. An unusual animal companion is not entirely new territory for him.
Speaking to The AU Review in January 2025 about Paddington in Peru, his first feature, Wilson described the background he brought to the film:
I was coming from a short-form background. Music videos and commercials and short films, that sort of thing. Dougal Wilson, The AU Review, January 21, 2025
In that interview, he explained how precisely he planned his storyboards and how much more detail he had to manage when moving from short projects to a feature. The Invisible Horse puts him back in the shorter format, with Jack’s changing relationship to Christmas at the center of the story.
There is a connection to Disney’s musical past, too. Industry publication shots reports that Roger Miller’s “Oo-De-Lally,” from the animated Robin Hood, leads into the film’s score. The publication also credits creative agency adam&eveDDB/TBWA on the short.
Holiday viewing and ways to give
The campaign extends to holiday viewing across Disney+ and Hulu. New seasonal specials include Mickey’s Home Alone and Dasher, alongside returning holiday movies and new festive episodes. The Invisible Horse introduces that wider celebration without requiring a feature-length commitment.
For U.S. readers, the campaign also offers a practical way to contribute. Disney.com/HolidayMagic provides routes to donate to Make-A-Wish or give a toy to Toys for Tots through Disney Store. Disney’s holiday page specifies that toys purchased through this initiative will be delivered to Toys for Tots in the United States. Other campaign activities include granting wishes and creating special moments for military families with partners such as Blue Star Families.
The toy drive continues a much older connection. Disney’s holiday page dates its relationship with Toys for Tots to 1947, when Walt Disney and his animators designed the organization’s original train logo—a design still in use today.