Chick-fil-A Brings Heartwarming Charm and Pixaresque Storytelling To Their Restaurant-Going Customer

If you've visited the popular fast food chain Chick-fil-A this holiday, you may have seen the advertisements that lead you to a website to see a festive little film with a charming story, called Stories of Evergreen Hills. It may be just the kind of heart-warming story you need this Christmas season.

The Spark Tree can be seen on their site. https://www.evergreenhills.com/spark-tree

I saw this recently after my wife visited the restaurant and sent me a pic of the ad, asking if I knew anything about this... I said no. I, then, soon discovered on the other end of their website this family-friendly series of short films which are building into a kind of mythology. It's like this yearly-visited good-feeling tale of a girl who meets an old man named "The Time Keeper" at "The Time Shop" who inspires her to do good acts in her neighborhood.

There's a Pixaresque classic Disney vibe surrounding the story of this little girl named Sam, and her relationship with her family, which becomes enhanced through the wisdom of this grandfather-type patriarch who lives in a make-believe clock shop that appears to exist beyond time.

Some could say the animation isn't the very best, but I think it's still pretty decent, especially considering it's obviously going to be better than Disney's latest "Wish" which has massive flaws. The story is what really seeps through the cracks here, though. It leaves a mark that stays with you, asking you if this kind of community can really exist in the real world. Maybe it can, if we have hope.

This is like a metaphor for a sort-of collected knowledge of ages shining through a girl's relationship with a wisened old man. Does he really exist? Is he like Santa Claus? Is he a Christ-like figure? Is he like her grandfather? These are all questions that can be presented, but in a way we realize that it doesn't necessarily matter, because this example of wisdom can be found in many places for kids, but typically they are found in the old harmless man and woman who contain great wisdom for us if we seek it out. They could be found in the timeless wisdom of classic books, or philosophers, or religious leaders who set out to accumulate knowledge that transcends the temporary, and momentary thoughts of our time.

The timeless wisdom of the Bible that tells us to treat others as we would like to be treated (the golden rule) is the kind of solutions this girl comes to, as she builds into relationships with her brother, Zack, and with her parents and friends. She learns to give unselfishly, regardless of how she is treated, and learns to look deeply at the needs of others.

Who doesn't want that? Who doesn't want that for their kids?

These can be viewed from the Evergreen Hills site above, as well as from a link on their corporate Chick-fil-A website, and also directly on YouTube here.

A full series of short movies has been build upon since 2019, including the stories The Time Shop (2019), The Spark (2020), The Whoopsery (2021), The Snow Globe (2022), and the latest, The Spark Tree (2023). These existing narratives could easily combine to create an entire series or feature film for families to enjoy.

I'd say that regardless of the political thoughts and situations that a large corporation like Chick-fil-A can find itself embroiled in, these kids of stories of hope and kindness can help to build a legacy of community, giving, and kindness, and this is a perfectly appropriate message for your kids to learn from this holiday!

Enjoy them here and tell us what you think of them! Should Chick-fil-A turn these short films into a longer animated feature film or series to bring this message of warmth to a larger fanbase? I'd say, "yes."

Did you enjoy this article? Did you know that Chick-fil-A was building this series of shorts for the last few years? What do you think of them? Let us know on our socials or down below (with subscription).