I watch a lot of Hallmark movies and enjoy them, but it's always a great pleasure when one rises above the fold and turns out to be much better than expected. That's the case with this one.The lead actors are appealing, the romantic chemistry is good, and the premise of the little girl writing to Santa, who writes back and then falls for the mom--that's all good. But what makes it so much better than average is the humor in the script. I *loved* the various side characters like the hero's best friend, who is always making sarcastic quips about marriage and kids (but really loves his own family). The heroine's sister's husband and his buddy, Randy, are obsessed with a potato shooting contest. Randy is such a crazy guy, he practically deserves a series of his own. Brilliant! Then there's the heroine's Hemingway-themed cafe, called The Bun Also Rises, with menu items like To Ham and Ham Not and The Old Man and the Tea. The ending with the magical Christmas barn and sleigh was tongue-in-cheek about all the Hallmark Christmas smaltz, yet in a fond way. It worked.There are a few Hallmarks that stand out due to really good scripts -- I love Seven Year Hitch (2012) and Naughty Or Nice (2012). This movie goes to the top of the heap for me. In fact, I even looked up the writers and am seeking out more of their movies. I've never done that.Watch it!

From the beginning of this movie I knew it was different than the usual Hallmark movie. The story line lends itself to Hallmark but there is just something about the way it was written and directed that draws you in. I'm not an expert on movie making but it is so well made and acted it stands apart from the others. It was a wonderful story and the connection between Jake and Celia was immediate. Lilly was precocious and delightful and so enjoyable to watch. Jake's agent was hysterical and poor Randy was clueless. This is easily one of my favorites. We need to see this cast again on Hallmark.

The story revolves around a girl of 8 who has lost her father, so writes to Santa about her concerns and the wish for her mother to smile again. Having handed the letter to the postman it finds its way to Santa Inc., run by two charming but eccentric older ladies. It just so happens that a young, successful writer is assisting Santa Inc. responding to children's wishes in an effort to rekindle his enthusiasm for writing after a bitter divorce. Being flooded with material wishes, he is touched by the letter expressing matters of the heart, so responds equally in a way to give hope. From here it opens the possibility to deal with loss and relationships in a lighthearted but sensitive way that engages the viewer in a clever little story.You have to listen very carefully to what is being said. The writer has captured important emotions and spun them into interesting messages. Even those characters who may seem boorish, surprise you with simple home spun wisdom's. Having watched the film more than once, you can't help developing a warmth for all the characters, from young to old. The story is simple and straightforward, therefore method acting is not called for and all those appearing seem to be in the right place.I think that when the 'end of shooting' party occurred they hadn't quite finished. After the effort of constructing a thoughtful story they rolled out of the party and scripted a slightly bizarre conclusion. The actors took it in good spirit, so it doesn't detract too much from your enjoyment.Conclusion: 8.0 Xmas points, for a warm and enjoyable film with a small deduction for the lost opportunity at the end.

The letters between the two leading characters was very effective in establishing their character and their relationship. This was the best part of the movie and it was well done. The things they said to each other were very memorable and the movie should be watched just for that. The little girl was precious and contributed greatly to the success. I would guess the movie was pretty low budget and that did hurt its appeal. I spent most of the movie wondering if it was a foreign film that they just dubbed over the voices. Seemed the sound track was just a bit off to me. My family did not notice that and they liked it. We had real snow. I was not quite sure why the man was answering letters from Santa.