Maggie O'Donnell (Ashley Williams) is a second grade teacher with a dormant passion for painting. She plans to spend Christmas alone--an opportunity to accomplish various tasks and reorganize her guest house as an artist's studio-because daughter Ellen (Kayden Magnuson) is spending Christmas with her father and his new wife. However Maggie's plans have to be adjusted when she "accidentally" meets Lucas Cavelli (Niall Matter), an architect from out of town.
This is one of the better Hallmark holiday romances. First of all, the actors are terrific. Special credit goes to Ashley Williams and Kayden Magnuson, who are very convincing as mother and daughter; I missed the daughter during the time she was away at her father's.
Secondly, the romance is believable and heartwarming. Matter plays a guy who is cool to all things Christmas, but warms to the sentiment of the season due to Maggie's enthusiasm and kindness.
This is a very ambitious film, but it does not overextend. Besides the standard romance plus Christmas format, it also deals with self-fulfillment and patriotism of the best kind. Finding the job that makes one truly happy is a recurrent theme in Hallmark films, and Lucas re-examines every aspect of his life accordingly. At the same time, he and Maggie contribute their time to enriching the lives of children whose parents are in the military and stationed overseas during the holidays.
All the child actors in this film are fun to watch. And there are plenty of tender moments to make this a wonderful viewing experience.
This is one of the better Hallmark holiday romances. First of all, the actors are terrific. Special credit goes to Ashley Williams and Kayden Magnuson, who are very convincing as mother and daughter; I missed the daughter during the time she was away at her father's.
Secondly, the romance is believable and heartwarming. Matter plays a guy who is cool to all things Christmas, but warms to the sentiment of the season due to Maggie's enthusiasm and kindness.
This is a very ambitious film, but it does not overextend. Besides the standard romance plus Christmas format, it also deals with self-fulfillment and patriotism of the best kind. Finding the job that makes one truly happy is a recurrent theme in Hallmark films, and Lucas re-examines every aspect of his life accordingly. At the same time, he and Maggie contribute their time to enriching the lives of children whose parents are in the military and stationed overseas during the holidays.
All the child actors in this film are fun to watch. And there are plenty of tender moments to make this a wonderful viewing experience.