The Merchants of Joy

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The Merchants of Joy

2025

1h 30m

Documentary

Holiday

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9 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

In the city that never sleeps, five families hustle each winter to turn sidewalks into holiday outposts. The Merchants of Joy follows these Christmas die-hards as they source, sell, and safeguard a family tradition at risk. It's a warm, grounded portrait of pride, grit, and the joy they bring--one tree, one customer, one season at a time.

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Glenn Kenny

New York Times

Dec 2, 2025

Aniskovich has the wit to do a homage to the stop-motion stylings of the television classic “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” She also offers up zesty character studies of the ostensible Big Five of New York City tree vendors.

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Collin Souter

RogerEbert.com

Dec 1, 2025

3/4

In the end, the film has a tried-and-true message: stop working overtime to make a few bucks, slow down, and appreciate what you have

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Stephen Silver

The SS Ben Hecht

Jan 9, 2026

A fun documentary about the surprisingly competitive, but not as cutthroat as you might think, Christmas tree industry in New York City.

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Erik Childress

Movie Madness Podcast

Jan 7, 2026

There have been so many lovely Santa-based documentaries about Christmas that it is about time we had one dedicated to the (competitive) world of tree sellers dedicated to putting a bow on your enjoyment of the season – as well as self-preservation.

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Jennifer Green

Common Sense Media

Dec 9, 2025

3/5

What starts out as a very niche business documentary gradually becomes a surprisingly touching personal story and an ode to New York City and the Christmas spirit.

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John Serba

Decider

Dec 2, 2025

The film is quietly an ode to the freedoms and stresses of self-employment in family-owned businesses.

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Robert N.

@rnormfoto Dec 20, 2025

A surprisingly direct, candid and warm portrayal of five families that basically own and run the Xmas tree market in nyc. Yeah, there’s some bickering - but in the end it’s shows the power of family - whatever that means to YOU!

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Rebecca W

@85howard Dec 16, 2025

Terrific heart warming movie. Makes you appreciate all that goes into getting a lovely tree and all the people who work hard to make the magic of Christmas. Good plug to avoid big box stores and artificial trees. Thumbs up!

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Ranny L

@RT68152916 Dec 10, 2025

Merchants of Joy is an inspiring film about a Christmas tree lot owner’s journey through the Christmas season. I love this film because it depicts a real life situation. It shows how hard the seemingly easy things can be. I also like that it shows how your past doesn’t make you who you are today. The storyline follows five families who all run Christmas tree stands in New York City. They all have unique backstories and unique ways of running their stands. This film lets the viewer know there is more to running a stand than just getting some trees and standing out in the cold. This is a wonderful film, although it did take me a while to get into the story. There is such a diverse cast. Each tree lot owner is very different from the others. Some of these owners have criminal records; while others have been in the business for a long time. My favorite part when I realized that selling a Christmas tree is more than just selling a tree – it is selling joyful moments in time.

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Celia Aniskovich

Director

Owen Long

Screenwriter

Celia Aniskovich

Producer

Zoe Vock

Producer

Arthur Spector

Producer

Joshua Davis

Producer

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Synopsis

In the city that never sleeps, five families hustle each winter to turn sidewalks into holiday outposts. The Merchants of Joy follows these Christmas die-hards as they source, sell, and safeguard a family tradition at risk. It's a warm, grounded portrait of pride, grit, and the joy they bring--one tree, one customer, one season at a time.

Director: Celia Aniskovich
Producer: Celia Aniskovich, Zoe Vock, Arthur Spector, Joshua Davis, Joshuah Bearman
Screenwriter: Owen Long
Distributor: Prime Video
Production Co: Amazon MGM Studios, Dial Tone Films, Artists Equity
Genre: Documentary, Holiday
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 1, 2025
Runtime: 1h 30m

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