I solved this in like, less than a minute after i started filling it in.
too easy.
I really think there is too much subliminal messaging. the 1 by one in the top left and symmetry in the top right are just too tempting, and lead to an easy solve if you intuitively try to minimize distance (while none of the rules necessarily lead to that intuition, it is generally a good idea for connection puzzles)
I know that the puzzles are generally easier this year (because of the "ONE LEVEL" clarification), which is good, it is more applicable for an advent calendar, but they usually still have some trick somewhere, like in the top-left of stick-stack. it's often only that one trick that's needed to solve the puzzle, but it's usually there. this one has the opposite of that, something that makes it easier.