Dear Christmas
Formulaic holiday romance has festive drinking, stereotypes.
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Dear Christmas
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Dear Christmas is a holiday romance TV movie with little to offend other than some gender stereotyping. The familiar plot centers around Natalie Morgan (Melissa Joan Hart), a woman who has her own podcast about love, but has never found it herself. The importance of family and Christmas traditions are prominent throughout, with plenty of festive music and cheer. Characters are seen drinking alcohol on a number of occasions, but never to excess. A box of cigars are also given as a present, but not smoked. There is a lack of diversity in the cast, and some gender roles are reinforced. But the film is otherwise a gentle yet uninspiring affair that will appeal to those with a penchant for something easy to get them into the Christmas spirit.
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What's the Story?
In DEAR CHRISTMAS, Natalie Morgan (Melissa Joan Hart) has a hit podcast about love, but has never managed to find it herself. When she travels back to her family home for Christmas, she's met by familiar traditions and something completely new. A local man called Chris Massey (Jason Priestley) keeps showing up to help out, catching Natalie's eye. But can he capture Natalie's heart?
Is It Any Good?
Even with its host of familiar names -- its central '90s icons joined by Ed Begley Jr. as Natalie's father -- this Christmas romance never quite finds the sparkle in its star power. Dear Christmas follows the festive romcom formula to the very last detail, but doesn't up the stakes enough for the drama to really kick in. Is the audience really invested in the romance and, more importantly, are the characters?
Where it does shine a little more brightly is in the candy-cane cuteness of the setting and the warm family dynamics. The festive atmosphere of the town and the Morgan family home do a good job of conjuring the wonder and magic of years of history and tradition. A classic it's not, but with a hot cocoa on a winter's night, it has enough heart and shiny lights to muster up some festive cheer.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the portrayal of family in Dear Christmas. What did the Morgan family place importance upon and how did they show their love for each other?
What did the film have to say about love? What affect did Natalie's parents have on her idea of love? How do you think the relationships we see around us can influence our own views and behaviors?
How might the film be accused of playing to gender stereotypes? What are some of the common expectations of how women should behave? What about the expectations of men's behavior? How does the media perpetuate these generalizations?
Many Christmas traditions are seen in the movie. Can you think of films that center around holidays other than Christmas? How do they compare?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: November 27, 2020
- Cast: Melissa Joan Hart, Jason Priestley, Ed Begley Jr.
- Director: Emily Moss Wilson
- Studio: Lifetime Television
- Genre: Romance
- Topics: Holidays
- Run time: 86 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: January 4, 2023
Our Editors Recommend
-
Last Christmas
Musically inspired romcom has big heart; language, innuendo.
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A Christmas in Royal Fashion
Festive romance isn't original but promotes kindness.
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12 Dates of Christmas
So-so romcom has positive messages about redemption.
For kids who love the holidays
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