A Christmas Tree Grows in Colorado
Where to watch
Via 
JustWatch · can change anytime.
The premise
Erin is planning the town's Christmas celebration and must win over Kevin in order to get his spruce tree for the celebration.
How unusual is it?
Middle of the road, with a twist — Santa himself and an enemies-to-lovers arc keep it from being totally by-the-book.
Who’s in it
Alongside them
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Behind the camera
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Directed by
Written by
Wait, what?
The quirks and curveballs that make this one a little weirder than your average Hallmark. No spoilers, promise.
- The use of 'eminent domain' as a primary conflict driver in a Christmas romance
- The protagonist critiquing the 'structural integrity' of a snowman as a meet-cute
- The explicit inclusion of a gay character (Neil) in a 2020 Hallmark film, which was a significant departure from their traditional formula at the time
Every trope, all in one place
Here’s everything this one has going on, from the setting to the way it wraps up. Tap any of the 39 to find more movies that do the same thing.
Setting2
Time & season4
Premise1
Characters7
Romance7
Tone & quirks7
How it all plays out
Already seen it, or just can’t wait? Open this up for the whole story, ending included.
Full story (spoilers)
The film opens with Erin Chambers presenting a plan to her father, Mayor Raymond Chambers, to save their town's economy by transforming Brooklyn, Colorado, into a premier Christmas destination. The centerpiece of this plan is a massive tree lighting on December 23rd. However, the town's original tree is lost to root disease. While attending a housewarming party for her friend Phoebe, Erin spots a magnificent 40-foot Norway Spruce in the yard of Kevin Snyder, a firefighter and single father. She meets Kevin when she critiques the 'structural integrity' of a snowman he is building with his adopted daughter, Claire. Erin accidentally posts a photo of Kevin and the tree to the city's official social media page, creating a public expectation that this specific tree will be the town's centerpiece. Kevin, however, is a staunch holdout; he resents the Mayor for cutting fire department funding and refuses to let the city touch his property. To bridge the gap, Erin hires Kevin as a safety consultant for the holiday event. As they work together, Erin bonds with Claire over magic tricks and school activities, and Kevin begins to see Erin's genuine care for the community. A subplot involves Erin's father trying to set her up with the new town treasurer, Neil. During a dinner that Erin expects to be a date, Neil reveals he is gay, and the two form a supportive friendship instead. The conflict reaches a boiling point when a local reporter questions the Mayor's leadership. In a desperate move to save the event, the Mayor's assistant, Maggie, invokes 'eminent domain' to legally seize Kevin's tree. Kevin feels betrayed by Erin, believing she was behind the legal maneuver. Distraught, Erin discovers a legal loophole involving heritage protection laws that could save the tree and tries to stop the removal crew. Realizing that her true passion lies in teaching rather than the cutthroat world of politics, Erin resigns from her position at city hall. Kevin, moved by Erin's integrity and her attempt to save his tree, has a change of heart and decides to donate the spruce voluntarily to help the town thrive. The film concludes at the tree lighting ceremony, where Kevin and Erin reconcile, admitting their feelings for one another and sharing a kiss under the glow of the spruce.
Beat by beat
Opening
Erin proposes a Christmas tourism plan to save Brooklyn's economy but discovers the town's planned tree has root disease.
Inciting Incident
Erin finds the perfect replacement tree on Kevin's property and accidentally makes it a viral sensation, but Kevin refuses to give it up due to fire department budget cuts.
Midpoint
Erin hires Kevin as a safety consultant to spend time with him; they bond over their shared history of being adopted and their love for the community.
Twist
Erin goes on a 'date' with the town treasurer, Neil, who reveals he is gay, subverting the typical love triangle trope.
Climax
The city invokes eminent domain to seize Kevin's tree; Kevin blames Erin, leading to a major falling out.
Resolution
Erin quits her job to become a teacher, Kevin voluntarily donates the tree after realizing Erin tried to save it, and they reunite at the lighting ceremony.
39 tropes in one movie
We counted 39 distinct Hallmark tropes packed into this one — a genuine greatest-hits reel.
How it stacks up
Where this one’s rating lands against every other rated Hallmark movie.
Among the lower-rated Hallmark movies — the median is 6.4.
Where this one fits
The corners of the catalog A Christmas Tree Grows in Colorado belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.
- Best Hallmark Christmas MoviesIt is, of course, a Christmas movie.
- Hallmark Hanukkah MoviesA Hanukkah story.
- Hallmark Enemies-to-Lovers MoviesStarts with sparks of the wrong kind.
- Hallmark Baking & Cooking MoviesPlenty of time in the kitchen.
- Hallmark Single Parent MoviesA single parent finds love again.
- Hallmark Small Town MoviesA classic small-town setting.
Lines worth quoting
The lines that stuck with us — the ones you’ll be repeating after the credits roll.
“Do snowmen ever truly 'belong' to anyone?”
— Kevin SnyderResponding to Erin's question about who the snowman belongs to. “I'm gay... I think you're awesome. But... I'm not your type.”
— Neil StephensRevealing his orientation to Erin during their dinner date. “This is synergy. Tree-nergy!”
— Erin ChambersTrying to convince Kevin that his tree is the perfect fit for the town square.
Meet the characters
Who’s who before you press play. Nothing here gives the ending away.
Erin Chambers
LeadDirector of Community Development
AmbitiousOrganizedEmpatheticIdealisticKevin Snyder
Love interestFirefighter
Romantic interest and professional consultant
StubbornProtectiveCommunity-orientedDevoted fatherClaire Snyder
SupportingStudent
Kevin's daughter
SweetInquisitiveLoves magicMayor Raymond Chambers
SupportingMayor
Father
Politically mindedTraditionalWell-meaningNeil Stephens
SupportingTown Treasurer
Friend and former 'blind date'
HonestProfessionalSupportive
Questions people ask about A Christmas Tree Grows in Colorado
Where can I watch A Christmas Tree Grows in Colorado?
A Christmas Tree Grows in Colorado is available via fuboTV, YouTube TV, and Philo. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.
How long is A Christmas Tree Grows in Colorado?
A Christmas Tree Grows in Colorado runs about 1 hour and 25 minutes, and was released in 2020.
Is A Christmas Tree Grows in Colorado a Christmas movie?
Yes. A Christmas Tree Grows in Colorado is a Hallmark Christmas movie, set during the holiday season.
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