Looking to Review Your Christmas Products in 2025!

 

Photo credit: freepik

Being a lover of all things Christmas and as someone who has been reviewing products since 2007, I am looking to help you spread the word about your seasonal book, family-friendly movie, home decorating, or cooking/baking products.

Here is a short list of what I'm most interested in, but I'm open to other inquiries:

Books

• Picture books
• Chapter books
• Clean romance novellas

Movies

• Animated 
• Drama
• Clean romance
• Clean comedy

Decor and Storage Items

• Cottagecore
• Modern farmhouse
• Traditional
• Country/Rustic
• Indoor and outdoor
• Holiday storage products

Cooking/Baking

• Supplies--specialty pots and pans, utensils, cookie cutters, aprons, tools, etc.
• Ingredients
• Cookbooks

If you would like me to help spread the word, please reach out to me at ccmal(at)charter(dot)net, replacing at and dot with the appropriate symbols. Please put "Christmas Product Review" in the subject line of your email. 

Below are the stats from personal social media accounts as of January 14, 2025. Books might be cross-posted to The Book Connection or The Children's and Teens' Book Connection, so I am including that information as well.

Facebook friends 2.3K
Author page followers 590
Twitter/X followers 3,570
LinkedIn Connections 2,190
Instagram followers 1,444

Pinterest followers 228

Goodreads Friends - 789

The Book Connection - Average Monthly Visits 16,673

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection - Average Monthly Visits 265

Christmas Year Round blog - Average Monthly Visits 1,096

Christmas on TV: Scouting for Christmas (Hallmark Channel, 2024 Premiere)

 

If you are looking for sweet, funny, and romantic, then you need to watch Scouting for Christmas, starring Tamera Mowry-Housley and Carlo Marks. 

Scouting for Christmas is another new premiere for this year's COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS. It features Mowry-Housley as a real estate agent and single mom of Brooklyn (Audrey Wise Alvarez). Always on the run, she is often late in getting her daughter to and from scouts, which irks the perfectionist troop leader. Divorced from Dakota, a paleontologist out on his latest adventure, Angela has finally settled into her post-divorce life, even if it is hectic. 

When it is time to decide on who to cater the troop's annual holiday event, Brooklyn suggests her mother work with local bakery owner William (Marks) to pitch his ideas to the other moms. Angela and William grow closer as they work together, but Angela isn't ready to jump into romance again. Then, Dakota returns unexpectedly, hoping for a happy reunion with his family. Angela is forced with the unenviable choice of making a decision that will impact Brooklyn no matter which man she chooses.

Scouting for Christmas is such a sweet movie. Here is poor Angela trying to do it all and making a good life for Brooklyn on their own, when her world is suddenly turned upside down. She isn't ready to welcome William into her life as more than a friend, and then Dakota arrives to set her once orderly life even more off-kilter. 

As for William, played wonderfully by Carlo Marks, he loves his bakery, and he is hoping for a fresh start with Angela. There is pressure from his ex to take the bakery in a different direction, so William will have other decisions to make other than hoping for a future with Angela.

With a great supplementary cast that includes William's mother, Angela's supportive and wise sister, and the overly perfect troop leader Elizabeth, Scouting for Christmas is an equal dose of romance and humor.

Release date: October 20, 2024

Runtime: 1 hour 24 minutes

Christmas on TV: Holiday Crashers (Hallmark Channel, 2024 Premiere)

Photo credit: IMDB

Are you looking for some double holiday pleasure, then you will want to watch another stellar Hallmark Channel's 2024 COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS premiere, Holiday Crashers. 

Best friends Toni (Lyndsy Fonseca) and Bri (Daniella Monet) have worked at the same card shop for years while they struggle to find their life's purpose. But when opportunity presents itself, they begin crashing exclusive Christmas parties and weaving exciting stories about the lives they supposedly live. They are having a blast until Toni is mistaken for an attorney. Toni and Bri find themselves whisked off to a Christmas retreat in Vermont with business mogul Justin (Chris McNally) where Bri meets his trusty valet Vinny (Jag Bal). As Justin and Toni grow closer, her secret might just be their undoing. And Vinny might have his own secret, throwing Bri for a loop. Will this end in disaster or be two helpings of happily ever after?

Holiday Crashers was such a fun movie. Toni made it through Harvard Law School, but suffered a horrible panic attack when taking the bar exam. Her father still hopes one day she will join his law firm. Bri has always been good at event planning, but she lacks the confidence to make a go of it. Together, they work at a card store while dreaming of better lives. Then one day, Bri swipes an invitation to an exclusive Christmas party and the two friends crash it. This leads them on a spree of holiday party crashing, until one day when Toni is mistaken for a lawyer and is persuaded to attend a Christmas retreat put on by Justin's company to act as a legal consultant. With Bri's prodding, they go, but it doesn't take long for things to get challenging. 

The setting of this movie was amazing. Who doesn't like holiday retreats in the Vermont mountains? As stories and backstories for the characters unfold, you can't help rooting for Justin and Toni and Bri and Vinny to get together. The acting in this one was superb, and I need to give a special shout out to Monet, who I haven't seen since her Victorious days. Holiday Crashers wouldn't have been the same without her. 

Holiday Crashers was a spritely, sweet, and charming holiday romance. I would love to see more movies like this one.

Release date: October 19, 2024

I live streamed this movie through Frndly TV. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Christmas on TV: 'Twas the Date Before Christmas (Hallmark Channel, 2024 Premiere)

 

Photo credit: IMDB

Hallmark Channel's 2024 COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS starts off strong with this delightful romantic comedy starring Robert Buckley and Amy Groening. 

Feeling the pressure to bring someone home for the holidays, Jessie (Groening) invites Bryan (Buckley) to the "Chamberlain Family Christmas Olympics." Even though they just met through a dating app, Bryan, not looking forward to spending the holidays alone, agrees. Jessie's mother, played by Karen Waddell, is excited about her daughter's new boyfriend, but no one in the family realizes this is their first date. As the zany holiday activities continue, Jessie finds it hard to keep their secret. And while Bryan warms to Jessie and her family, he needs to hope other things in his life won't get in the way. 

I live streamed  'Twas the Date Before Christmas last night, and I am so glad I did. What a great way to kick off COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS. Groening and Buckley, Hallmark Channel veterans, are sweet, funny, and have amazing chemistry as their characters secretly hide they just met earlier in the day. Jessie and Bryan have touching backstories, which I won't share in case you didn't see 'Twas the Date Before Christmas last night, but those backstories play a role in how they begin to develop feelings for each other while partaking in the gift wrapping contest, snowball fight, baking competition, and more. Secondary characters have their own storylines, making this a wonderful movie for all. 

'Twas the Date Before Christmas is a classic Hallmark Channel holiday romance with such a unique and charming plot that you can't help but fall in love with it. 

Release date: October 18, 2024

Runtime: 1 hour 24 minutes

I live streamed this movie through Frndly TV. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way. 

Looking to Review Your Christmas Books, Movies, and Products

 

Photo credit: freepik

Looking to review your Christmas products! Being a lover of all things Christmas, and as someone who has been reviewing products since 2007, I am looking to help you spread the word about your seasonal book, family-friendly movie, home decorating or cooking/baking products.

Here is a short list of what I'm most interested in, but I'm open to other inquiries:

Books

• Picture books
• Chapter books
• Clean romance novellas

Movies

• Animated 
• Drama
• Clean romance
• Clean comedy

Decor

• Modern farmhouse
• Traditional
• Country/Rustic
• Indoor and outdoor

Cooking/Baking

• Supplies--speciality pots and pans, utensils, cookie cutters, aprons, tools, etc.
• Ingredients
• Cookbooks

If you would like me to help spread the word, please reach out to me at ccmal(at)charter(dot)net, replacing at and dot with the appropriate symbols. 

Below are the stats from personal social media accounts. Books might be cross-posted to The Book Connection or The Children's and Teens' Book Connection, so I am including that information as well.

Facebook friends 2.3K
Author page followers 589
Twitter followers 3,633
LinkedIn Connections 2,183
Instagram followers 1,462

Pinterest followers 228

Goodreads Friends - 792

The Book Connection - Average Monthly Visits 11,435

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection - Average Monthly Views 53

Christmas in the News: Hallmark, Netflix/NFL Deal, Steelers Versus Chiefs Christmas Game & Holiday Movie Review

 

Christmas had a mighty busy time over the last few days. We start off in Kentucky, Missouri, where it was announced the Hallmark Christmas Experience will be opening at Crown Center in November. The article states that this first-ever, immersive experience will be free and open to the public and have all the appeal of a Hallmark movie small town. You can read more here!

The New York Post reported that streaming service, Netflix, is set to pay $150 million to air two games on Christmas Day. You can read that article here.

Keeping with the NFL theme, TRIBLive reported that Steelers fans are anticipating the team will be playing the Chiefs on Christmas Day. Will there be a Taylor Swift sighting? Check out the article here. 

Finally, The Hollywood Reporter reviewed Christmas Eve in Miller's Point. Directed by Tyler Taormina, it tells the story of a large Italian family getting together for their annual winter celebration. You can read the review here.

What Christmas news are you most excited about?

I Watched This Movie So You Don't Have To - Scrooge: A Christmas Carol (2022)

 

Scrooge: A Christmas Carol is a Timeless Films production for Netflix that released in 2022. This animated film features the voice talents of:

• Luke Evans as Scrooge,
• Fra Fee as Harry, 
• Johnny Flynn as Bob Cratchit,
• Rupert Turnbull and Oliver Jenkins as Tiny Tim,
• Jonathan Pryce as Jacob Marley,
• Olivia Colman as the Ghost of Christmas Past,
• Trevor Dion Nicholas as the Ghost of Christmas Present,

and a host of others voicing characters that will likely be familiar to fans of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. It tells the story of penny-pinching Ebenezer Scrooge, who is visited by his deceased partner and three ghosts on Christmas Eve, in the hopes of transforming Scrooge before it's too late. Though I have never seen the 1970 musical retelling of A Christmas Carol titled, Scrooge, starring Albert Finney, this animated version from last year is a remake of that. 

Technology being what it is these days, viewers can expect a supernatural, colorful, and sometimes frightening tale. I couldn't recommend this for young children. Marley's ghost looks more like an angry Flying Dutchman from SpongeBob SquarePants, than a tortured soul seeking to save his business partner from the same fate. The Ghost of Christmas Future and his flying goblins with flame-filled eyes might conjure up a few nightmares. 

One thing I didn't understand is that in the 1970's version starring Finney and in this 2022 Netflix version, Scrooge's nephew's name has been changed from Fred to Harry. Seems like such an odd change. 

While the voice talents of the actors was outstanding, I'll likely never watch Scrooge: A Christmas Carol again. The producers blended parts of the 1970's version with new ideas, but it fell flat. If it were more kid-friendly, like the Disney or Mr. Magoo version of A Christmas Carol, it might have been easier to enjoy. With the addition of Marley's dog, Prudence, who Scrooge takes care of, that is the direction one thought it might go in the beginning. But, those hopes are dashed quickly. 

Release date: December 2, 2022 (United States)

Countries of origin: United Kingdom, United States

Official site: Netflix

Production Companies: Timeless Films

Run time: 1 hour, 36 minutes

I watched this movie on Netflix. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Christmas on Netflix: Angela's Christmas Wish (2020)

 

 

Angela's Christmas Wish came out in 2020 from Brown Bag Films and 9 Story Media Group, and was presented by Netflix. It is the second story with characters created by Frank McCourt. 

The story opens in Limerick, Ireland in 1913. Angela's dad takes a ship to Australia to find work. Two years later, on Christmas Eve, the family is all missing their dad, so Angela's mother tells them a story about a fat king and a skinny pauper who are each granted a wish by a genie. This gets Tom, Pat, and Angela thinking about what their mother would wish for at Christmas. 

Pat and Angela decide they must bring their father home for Christmas, which leads to several funny moments and a few disappointments. To help them with their quest is Dorothy, the wealthy daughter of the town veterinarian, who tells Angela that if she is able to bring her father home for Christmas, he will help poor McGinty's cow give birth. 

Clocking in at around 45 minutes, this animated special is as heartwarming as its prequel, Angela's Christmas. It explains why Dad is away, which I found helpful, since the one missing piece of the original film was what happened to Dad. We knew the family missed him in the first movie, but we didn't know if Dad was away, in jail, or dead. 

Like the first film, there is a subplot outside of Angela and Pat trying to bring their father home for Christmas. Well, there are a few in this one. 

• Angela hears her mother talking to the neighbor about a Christmas surprise, so she is hoping her mother is buying her that doll in the toy store window.
• McGinty needs a vet to help his cow give birth, but he can't afford him.
• Dorothy wishes that her father wouldn't work so much and would have time to spend with her.

As expected, everything works out for Angela, her family, and new friend. How could it be a tale of the Christmas season without a happy ending? 

While they did work more storylines into Angela's Christmas Wish than they did the original film, I felt it all flowed nicely together to make it a delightful movie.

I watched this movie on Netflix. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way. 

Christmas on TV: An Elf's Story: The Elf on the Shelf (2011)

 

An Elf's Story: The Elf on the Shelf  is the first TV movie based upon The Elf on a Shelf: A Christmas Tradition picture book written by Carol Aebersold and Chandra Bell. It tells the story of a scout elf who is sent to the family of Taylor McTuttle with a mission: to help Taylor, who is questioning the magic of Christmas.

Renamed Chippy by his family, he does his best to convince Taylor that Santa and Christmas magic are real, but he is soon discouraged. With the help of his elf friends, Santa, and a special letter, Chippy is glad to call his mission a success.

This half-hour animated special aired on CBS in 2011. As a parent who despised the Elf on the Shelf tradition, and found the spying elf a bit creepy--even if Stringbean (our elf) is cute--I found this TV movie enchanting, because it captures all the magic and joy without the whole spying on the kids and convincing them to behave aspect. 

Taylor's sisters are thrilled with their elf's arrival, and their song about Christmas captures everything that Christmas is all about: love, joy, peace, faith to believe, spending time with family, sharing, caring, and forgiveness. Taylor is the lone family skeptic, who ultimately ends up believing in Christmas thanks to Chippy. The movie ends with Santa's arrival on Christmas Eve, and he encourages the viewers to wish each boy and girl a Christmas of peace and a year full of joy as Chippy flies home to the North Pole. 

This movie was released on DVD the following year. 

I watched this movie on NetFlix. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Welcome to Christmas Year Round: Sharing Christmas Joy All Year Long

 

Hello, friends and visitors who are stumbling upon this blog in one way or another. The Christmas Year Round: Sharing Christmas Joy All Year Long blog is one that was years in the making. What do I mean by that? 

Blogging has been a love of mine since I discovered it in 2007. Through the years I've started blogs, ended blogs, created new blogs with content from other blogs, and contributed to a variety of blogs along the way. Here is my current list of blogs I create content for and those I contribute to:

The Book Connection

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection

Laura's Little Houses

Books Can Be Deadly (This one needs love and attention)

Christian Children's Authors

4RV Reading, Writing, & Art News

What became apparent early on is that none of these blogs gives me the outlet to discuss what I truly love--Christmas. 

Growing up dangerously close to poverty, we didn't have much. However, my parents made Christmas special with decorations, holiday traditions, the gathering of family and friends, and the great food. When my mother received her first cancer diagnosis in 1980, followed by her death in 1982, seven days before Christmas, I felt certain Christmas would never be the same again. 

Yet, proving the goodness of God, the years that have passed have been filled with many wonderful Christmas memories, tons of special decorations, gatherings of friends and loved ones, and great food. It is my sincere belief that God makes this a joyful time for me despite the loss. 

As of right now, Christmas Year Round contains Christmas and winter content found on many of my other blogs:

• Book reviews,
• Movie reviews,
• Inspirational quotes,
• Recipes,
• Little House on the Prairie fanfiction stories by yours truly.

However, fresh content is already scheduled in the coming days. As with any blog, it will grow and change as time goes on. I would like to add articles about travel destinations, Christmas around the world, Christmas history, and more. If you have any ideas, I hope you will share them in the comments. 

Again, I welcome you to Christmas Year Round. I hope you enjoy it and share the joy it brings! 

Christmas on TV: The Christmas Pageant (Hallmark Channel, 2011)

Director Vera Parks (Melissa Gilbert) has a career that is going nowhere fast. Labeled as difficult, she gets fired from several jobs in a row. Her manager, Peter (Steve Lawrence), manages to get her a job directing a small town Christmas pageant.

Things go from bad to worse quickly. While some are eager to work with her, others are destined to fight any change Vera suggests. Vera has problems adjusting from her glamorous life in New York City to the simple life in Ashton Falls. Then she runs into her ex-fiancé, Jack Harmond (Robert Mailhouse). Vera is soon considering whether she should return to New York or stick it out in Ashton Falls.

If ever there was a movie that Melissa Gilbert was born to star in, it's The Christmas Pageant. If Little House on the Prairie was set in modern times, then the storyline from this movie would be a perfect fit. A woman whose life centers around her career and posh city life, ends up in a simple town where there is one mail carrier and everyone knows each other. It's not long before Ashton Falls and its people begin to grow on Vera.

A blend of funny and sweet, this is a classic Hallmark romance. With a superb cast and quaint setting you can't go wrong. If you are looking for a story that will touch your heart and remind you of the joys of being home, be sure to catch this movie.

I watched this movie when it first aired on Hallmark Channel. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way. 

Christmas on TV: The Three Gifts (Hallmark Channel, 2009)

In the midst of taking a break from baking, I stumbled upon The Three Gifts, a 2009 Hallmark Channel movie starring Dean Cain (Lois and Clark) and Jean Louisa Kelly as a childless couple who have been unsuccessful in starting a family of their own.

Jack (Cain) and Cherie (Kelly) Green are local toymakers who agree to take on three orphans when the orphanage run by Jack's aunt (Mimi Kennedy) is forced to close for repairs. Wary of fatherhood, Jack is concerned by the orphanage's holy terrors. When Ray (Spencir Bridges) thinks he overhears the Greens might adopt one of the boys, Mike (Dylan Sprayberry) and Henry (Alex Zubarey) begin competing along with Ray to be the one that gets adopted.

This is a touching and funny seasonal movie that families will love. Cain is such a fabulous actor, it would be difficult not enjoy his performance as the childlike toymaker whose not certain becoming a father is his cup of tea. Though Cherie is thrilled to have the boys with them for Christmas, the reality is that the business is struggling because costs are up and profits are down.

Veteran actor Reginald VelJohnson (Families Matter) portrays Rodney, one of the workers at the toy factory. He's a superb actor, and you can't seem to go wrong when he's part of a film. I love his touching scene with Ray when the boy is talking about losing his parents.

Seasonal movies don't get better than this one!

This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Christmas on TV: A Season for Miracles (Hallmark Channel, 1999)

Miracles, romance, and family blend together in this heartwarming tale of the season.

A Season for Miracles is a typical Hallmark Hall of Fame movie. It has conflict. It has a family in trouble. It features small town America and its nosy neighbors. But most of all, it touches the heart from beginning to end.

This movie stars Carla Gugino as Emilie Thompson, the aunt to Alanna (Mae Whitman) and J.T. (Evan Sabara). After Emilie's sister (Laura Dern) overdoses again, the children are threatened with foster care. Not wanting her niece and nephew to be separated, Emilie runs off with them and arrives in the little town of Bethlehem. With guidance from an angel, portrayed by Academy Award® winner Patty Duke, Emilie and the children take over an abandoned Victorian home across from an angel statue in the town square.

Nosy neighbors assume Emilie is the niece of Miriam Pierce, who owned the house and left it to her niece when she passed away. When her car breaks down and Emilie must find a job to pay for the repairs, she pretends to be Miriam's niece so that the children have a warm place to stay until they can move on. She doesn't count on falling in love with Police Captain Nathan Blair (David Conrad) or on the blessing of many friends who help her while in town. Can David's love convince her to stay in Bethlehem? What will happen if her secret is found out?

A Season for Miracles is one of the sweetest movies I've ever seen. I didn't know that it was based upon the book, Season for Miracles by Marilyn Pappano. According to the reviews of the book on Amazon, many were disappointed the book wasn't as good as the movie. 

David Conrad plays the honest, caring Nathan to a tee. As the story unfolds, you can't help but like him. You want this situation to work out for all of them. The viewer gets a chance to see the kids come out of their shell the longer they stay in Bethlehem and have what resembles a normal life. Toward the end, when Alanna is sitting before the judge (Lynn Redgrave) and sharing some of what her life was like when she was with her mother, it was almost impossible not to cry.

You have to suspend a little bit of reality when you watch this movie. Not because of how the angel helps guide these people along, but because I just don't see how in real life this truly would have worked out in any good way. That said, if you get a chance to watch this movie, it will be time well spent.

Release Date: 12 December 1999 (USA)
Runtime: 100 minutes

I recorded this movie on my DVR off the Hallmark Channel. This movie contains my honest opinions, for which I haven't been compensated in any way.

Christmas on TV: Fallen Angel (Hallmark Channel, 2003)

Another tear-jerker from the Hallmark Hall of Fame collection, Fallen Angel is a superb seasonal movie.

A tense relationship with his father, forced Terry McQuinn (Gary Sinise) to leave Maine and never look back. Now a successful L.A. attorney, he returns after the death of his father to settle the estate. Terry has no plans to stay in Rosepoint, but when he learns that Katherine Wentworth (Joely Richardson), who he met when he was only a boy, wants Serenity Cottage opened for Christmas, he decides to help get it ready for her.

As Terry's past and present collide, he is drawn to Katherine and her young daughter, and his once fulfilling life in L.A. doesn't seem so satisfying any more.

Oh, my goodness, what a great movie this is. Sinise is a fabulous actor who can play rough and bitter guys like Lieutenant Dan Taylor in Forrest Gump, a hero fighting evil in The Stand, and a romantic lead in this touching 2003 movie that will make you laugh and cry.

Sinise and Richardson had such chemistry in this movie. And because the character of Terry has memories of their first meeting that Katherine doesn't have--for reasons I can't reveal or it will ruin the movie for you--the viewer watches Terry's struggle unfold. Should he help her reconnect with the past? Should he let the memories stay hidden?

This movie started with backstory. We first meet Terry McQuinn at the age of nine. His mother is deceased, and he lives with his detached father in Rosepoint. His father is the caretaker for the cottages inhabited by wealthy residents who visit Maine, so he's working a lot of the time. After a tragedy that takes place around Christmas that year, his father never allows Terry to join him at work again, and the chasm between them widens.

We then see Terry at 18, graduating from high school. It's at this point he decides to leave Rosepoint and his father behind. So, the first half hour of the movie pretty much sets the stage for the rest of it. I felt the short scene between Terry and his dad at age 18 could have been left out, but perhaps the viewer needed to see that tension explode and push Terry to the edge so that his return to Maine was more meaningful.

Despite the title, there are no angels in this movie. It's a term used by one of the characters to describe the homeless people who lean across car hoods to get warmth from recently shut off engines. That's another tidbit I can't explain, but I thought it should be clear there are no heavenly spirits involved in this one.

Release Date: 23 November 2003 (USA)
Runtime: 120 minutes


I recorded this movie on my DVR off the Hallmark Channel. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.

Christmas on TV: Crown for Christmas (Hallmark Channel, 2015)

Danica McKeller (The Wonder Years, DWTS) stars as an out of work maid turned governess in the sweet and romantic, Crown for Christmas. Having premiered on Hallmark Channel in November, this is the story of Allie Evans (McKellar) who after being fired from her job as a maid in a ritzy New York hotel reluctantly accepts a job as governess to a powerful family in Europe. Little does she know that her new little charge is a princess and her father the King of Winshire (Rupert Penry-Jones).

As Allie bonds with Princess Theodora (Ellie Botterill) and brings King Maximillian and his daughter closer together, sparks fly between Allie and the king. The jealous Countess Celia (Alexandra Evans) is not about to let some silly governess get in her way, though. A marriage was arranged between Maximillian and Celia when they were children and she plans to see that the king fulfills his obligations.

This was a beautiful movie. Classic Hallmark Channel when you consider two unlikely people meet under odd circumstances and fall in love while others work to help the cause or stand between them. Great performances by all, especially Ellie Botterill, who makes her television debut in Crown for Christmas.

In some ways this is a modern retelling of The Sound of Music--minus six children and the singing. The cold King Maximilliam warms as he watches Allie and Theodora bond. Their relationship forces him to reconsider his duties and soften to become a better father.

A lovely setting, a great storyline, and fabulous costumes make this a must see holiday romance.

Format: Widescreen, Color, Dolby
Subtitles: English
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only.)
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Hallmark
Run Time: 87.00 minutes
ASIN: B018TNBX50


I watched this movie on Hallmark Channel. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Christmas on TV: A Christmas Detour (Hallmark Channel, 2015)

Candace Cameron Bure (Full House) and Paul Greene (Wicked Wicked Games, CSI) star in this romantic comedy about an anxious bride-to-be and a broken-hearted guy who join a married couple on an emergency road trip to New York City during a blizzard.

Paige Summerlind (Cameron Bure) is on a flight to New York City to meet her fiancé's parents for the very first time. While on board, she meets the handsome and irritating Dylan (Greene) along with Frank and Maxine (David Lewis and Sarah Strange), a couple whose marriage has seen better days. As a blizzard moves in, the plane is grounded and Paige is afraid she won't make it to her fiancé's house in time for Christmas. So Dylan rents an SUV and agrees to get everyone home for Christmas, giving this odd group of friends a chance to get to know one another.

I love this time of year, if for no other reason than the sweet, romantic comedies that Hallmark Channel produces. Cameron Bure is the perfect actress for this channel and it's wonderful to see her back on screen. In Paige, she captures that peppy, anxious go-getter viewers saw in 2013's Let It Snow. This is definitely a character type that plays well to her strengths. Greene is realistic and funny as the romantic lead who is intrigued by Paige as she writes articles about the perfect husband and carries around her vision board. He's got a story all his own that slowly unfolds as Paige gets to know him better.

Frank and Maxine's relationship makes for a wonderful side story. Married for decades, they no longer sleep in the same bed and find fault with one another constantly. Their characters add a great deal of humor and some heartwarming moments to this movie.

Viewers will enjoy the journey as each character learns a great deal about life, love, and happiness.

I watched this show on Hallmark Channel. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Christmas on TV: The Case for Christmas (Hallmark Channel, 2011)

Could someone actually sue Santa Claus? That's what happens in this 2011 Hallmark Channel movie starring Dean Cain and Rachel Blanchard.

Young attorney Michael Sherman (Cain) is at the courthouse looking for clients, when he finds a man claiming to be Kris Kringle (George Buza). After being charmed by Michael's daughter, Lily (Helen Colliander), Kris asks Michael to represent him in a class action suit being brought against him by Braxton Bennett (Barry Flatman), a rich entrepreneur. Bennett is suing Santa for emotional distress because he didn't bring him the presents he asked for, and he's found others who claim to have the same problem.

Widower Sherman has student loans to pay, so he's certainly not about to turn down a case, but Santa Claus? This guy certainly must be off his rocker. Lauren (Blanchard), a good friend of Michael's deceased wife, and Lily think Kris is the real deal.

It's hard not to like a movie with Dean Cain in it. He's such a versatile actor, who brings great depth and emotion to all his characters, whether he's playing Superman (Lois & Clark), Joseph Smith (September Dawn), or a toy maker living on a ranch (The Three Gifts). The Case of Christmas is definitely a feel-good seasonal tale. Cain plays emotionally detached Michael Sherman well and makes him believable and sympathetic. Colliander's Lily is also a star. Not only adorable, her wonder and awe of Kris Kringle and her quick belief of who he is and what he can do, add a great deal to the movie.

I have to admit, however, that Blanchard's character lacked chemistry for me. Lauren is pining away for Michael, and when Kris asks her why she hasn't told him she's in love with him, her plain answer is that he would never be interested in a girl like her. Yet, she can believe Kris is the real Santa Claus without missing a beat. Blanchard delivers her lines, but until she gets angry at Michael, I don't feel any emotion behind them. I didn't even sense the connection between Lauren and Michael at the end. It's like the writers made the decision that the movie had to have a romance storyline in it, whether it would work or not. Personally, I felt it would have been better without the romance.

What I do think is hilarious is the sub-story of problems with the equipment at the North Pole. Kris has to keep disappearing to go back home to fix the machine. When he does, he leaves his right hand man, Charlie Elfkin (Dylan Roberts), to help Michael with the case. Charlie is an annoying guy with a huge appetite, leading to many funny moments. Bennett and his attorney, Dina (Krista Bridges), also add several funny scenes.

Overall, this is a cute seasonal movie. The combination of serious and funny was good, but I wouldn't have minded if the movie was more drama and less comedy. 

Release Date: 19 November 2011 (USA)
Runtime: 87 minutes

I recorded this movie on my DVR off the Hallmark Channel. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.

Christmas on TV: Once Upon A Christmas (Hallmark Channel, 2000)

Kathy Ireland stars as the daughter of Santa Claus in this family tale of the season.

Santa is unhappy that so many families are on the naughty list, so he's going to cancel Christmas and take off on vacation with Mrs. Claus. This leaves his oldest daughter, Rudolfa (Mary Donnelly-Haskell) in charge, and she plans to change Christmas in drastic ways. Kristin Claus (Ireland) can't let that happen, so her father tells her if she can bring one family from the naughty list onto the nice list, he'll come back.

That won't be easy. The Morgan family consists of a widowed, workaholic father played by John Dye, and two spoiled, bratty kids who have chased off every nanny they've ever had. There's also Uncle Johnny (Wayne Thomas Yorke) who's living off the family and has no plans to get a job any time soon.

When I looked up this movie to write my review, I was surprised they produced a sequel (Twice Upon A Christmas). I had a few challenges with the plot of this one. While it all works out in the end, and you discover Santa's true intentions, the early minutes of the movie show a Santa that is not discouraged over how the world is changing, but one who is ready to blow off all the good kids who deserve presents so he can take a vacation. I'm not sure that's the kind of movie I want my children to see, even if Santa is redeemed. I also didn't care for the fact that Santa has an evil daughter and some naughty elves who help Rudolfa carry out her plan to ruin Christmas.

The main characters of this movie were portrayed a bit stereotypical for my taste. Bill Morgan (Dye) buried himself in his work after the death of his wife and has lost sight of what is important. To make up for his absence, he's spoiled his kids, Kyle (James Kirk) and Brittany (Kirsten Prout), lavishing them with gifts they don't even play with. Kristen Claus (Ireland) is so good that one can't even consider she would jaywalk. And if I were to be totally honest, Uncle Johnny creeped me out a bit. The only character I truly loved was the Tooth Fairy played by Liz Torres. She was hilarious.

Once Upon A Christmas has potential. If they rounded out the characters a little bit, made Santa more sympathetic, tossed the evil daughter, and made Kristen more believable, it could work. Proust did a great job in the role of Brittany, and I was glad to see her finally come around.

Though this movie really wasn't for me, the ending was superb. I wish the rest of the movie had been like the ending. I would have truly enjoyed it. 


Runtime: 90 minutes

I recorded this movie on my DVR off the Hallmark Channel. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.

Christmas on TV: Farewell Mr. Kringle (Hallmark Channel, 2010)

This heartwarming tale of the season is a must see. Christine Taylor stars as Annabelle Wahl, a jaded journalist who is sent on an assignment to cover the 50th anniversary of Mistletoe's own Kris Kringle. After being widowed on Christmas Eve, Annabelle doesn't celebrate Christmas. She begs to get out of this assignment, but her editor and friend, Zoe Marsden (Vivica Fox), insists she blog about her experiences in Mistletoe for the next month.

The town and its people are overwhelming to a classy girl from the city. She can't stand their quaint ways, and she thinks the way they have embraced John Wilson's decision to be Kris Kringle (William Morgan Sheppard) is a bit too quirky, going so far as to rename the town and all its streets to holiday names. But when she hears Kris's story from the townsfolk and learns of all the good he's done, she's eager to interview him.

Slowly, the town of Mistletoe works it's magic on Annabelle. But meeting Mark Stafford (Christopher Wiehl)  throws her for a loop. A former cutthroat divorce attorney, he returned to his home town and now owns the local bed and breakfast. Still hurting from the loss of her husband, Annabelle isn't sure she's ready to open her heart again.

This is a fabulous movie. A classic Hallmark Channel movie that includes drama and romance, Farewell Mr. Kringle is a must see this holiday season. You'll definitely need a tissue or two while you watch this one. Little did Annabelle know when she arrived in Mistletoe that she and Kris Kringle share a hardship: both of them lost their spouses close to Christmas.

Watching Mark and Annabelle's relationship unfold is so touching. Both have reasons not to open up their hearts, but Mark is willing to do it if she is. Annabelle is just harder to convince.

Between the small town feel of Mistletoe, the celebration of Christmas, and the romance, you really can't go wrong with this one. All the characters were delightful. 

Release Date: 4 December 2010 (USA)

I recorded this movie on my DVR off the Hallmark Channel. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.

Christmas on TV: Debbie Macomber's Trading Christmas (Hallmark Channel, 2011)

Based upon Debbie Macomber's novel originally titled, When Christmas Comes, this 2011 seasonal tale provides the viewer with romance, humor, and tender moments.

Emily Springer (Faith Ford) has been a widow for three years, but she's still trapped in the past. Upset when she learns her daughter Heather (Emma Lahana), who is in college in Boston, won't be coming home for Christmas, she calls her best friend Faith (Gabrielle Miller) in California for sympathy.

Charles Johnson (Tom Cavanagh), a Scrooge-type college professor and writer, lives in Boston, not far from his brother Ray (Gil Bellows). Charles's publisher is pushing him to make edits to his latest book before the deadline, but he's experiencing the worst writer's block of his life. He needs somewhere quiet where he can concentrate without distractions.

Emily decides to surprise her daughter in Boston. So, she and Charles swap houses for the holidays. Imagine Emily's surprise when she discovers that Heather has taken off to Arizona with her boyfriend Jason (Andrew Francis). Meanwhile, Faith, who feels bad for her friend being all alone for Christmas, makes plans to travel to Emily's to spend Christmas with her, not realizing she isn't there.

Trading Christmas is the perfect blend of sweet romance and humor. Emily and Charles are both out of their elements when they travel to opposite sides of the country during the Christmas season. Emily meets Ray. Charles meets Faith. Heather, who is so excited to do something different for Christmas, realizes she misses all the things she does with her mother.

While I felt the opening of the movie was a bit jumbled, moving from Washington to Boston to California, once each character was settled in their part of the country, the storyline flowed nicely. Faith Ford and Gil Bellows, and Tom Cavanagh and Gabrielle Miller, had excellent chemistry as they interacted with each other. You couldn't help but root for them to get together. The storyline with Heather and Jason really isn't much. Heather's decision not to come home is the reason everything played out the way it did, but she's not vital to the story otherwise. When the movie switched to college in Boston or where she and Jason were in Arizona, it felt like they were just putting the characters in there so you wouldn't forget about them.

Placing a grump like Charles, who doesn't like Christmas, in a town--and specifically a house--where Christmas is unleashed full-throttle, is hilarious. Cavanagh plays this grouchy, anti-social, nervous guy to a tee. His banter with the character of Faith is great. He's not too keen on women. She's not too keen on men. It makes for some funny conversations. It's touching to watch Emily and Ray get to know each other. Their lives are so different, even how they grew up. And, yet, they are perfect for each other.

The ending of Trading Christmas was sweet and predictable, but you come to expect that of a Hallmark movie. 

Release Date: 26 November 2011 (USA)
Run time: 88 minutes


I recorded this movie on my DVR off the Hallmark Channel. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.