By Kateryna Hryhorenko
Netflix is officially gearing up for the holiday season by partnering with global teenage phenomenon Salish Matter for her upcoming festive series, Salish’s 12 Games of Christmas, set to launch globally on Saturday, November 28th. Capitalizing on a major multifaceted development and production deal with the streaming giant, the award-winning creator and entrepreneur invites viewers into a high-stakes, snow-covered holiday mystery. The highly anticipated winter special brings Matter’s massive digital footprint—boasting a combined social following of over 50 million fans across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram—directly into a premium, unscripted streaming event designed for family co-viewing.
The premise of the show perfectly blends cozy holiday traditions with the tense, edge-of-your-seat thrills of a classic social deduction game. Set inside a winter cabin getaway, Salish invites seven of her closest friends to drink hot cocoa, open gifts, and face off across twelve festive challenges hosted by her dad and creative collaborator, Jordan Matter. But there is a dark twist to this holiday cheer: one member of the friend group is secretly designated as an impostor. Tasked with sabotaging the games and swiping the rewards, this “unhelpful elf” forces the remaining crew into a race against time to unwrap the culprit’s identity before the final round concludes.
What makes this unscripted special stand out is the exceptional versatility of the Gen Z icons joining the game. This isn’t just a casual group of creators; it is a powerhouse of young athletes and seasoned performers. The competitive lineup features Payton Delu, an elite athlete and second-degree black belt who previously crushed obstacles on American Ninja Warrior, alongside Elliana Walmsley, a brilliant professional dancer who rose to fame on Dance Moms before conquering off-Broadway musicals and Dancing with the Stars: Juniors. Rounding out the cabin crew are the charismatic comedic creator Angelo Bahu (YoAngelolo), versatile actress Txunamy Ortiz, host Markell Washington, and athlete Nidal Wonder.
“Making this show with my friends was so fun, and honestly, a little bit chaotic in the best way,” star and executive producer Salish Matter shared, teasing the unexpected twists ahead. The 15-year-old Kids’ Choice Awards winner and TIME100 Creator noted that the series is packed with mischief, ensuring that every time audiences think they have finally solved the mystery, the game shifts completely. Matter emphasized her hope that families all over the world will watch the festive deduction games together—laughing, gasping, and literally yelling at their screens as the holiday chaos unfolds on Netflix later this month.
