A Gift for Christmas

6.4/10 · 2,767 ratings20171h 29mChristmasWeirdness 6/10Bingo card

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The premise

A handsome stranger develops amnesia after a bibliophile crashes into him on her bicycle.

How unusual is it?

More than most. Amnesia and mistaken identity push it well past the usual Hallmark template — the strangest 18% of everything we've logged.

Who’s in it

You’ve seen this pairing before: Ali Liebert and Peter Porte have made 2 Hallmark movies together.

Behind the camera

Show

Wait, what?

The quirks and curveballs that make this one a little weirder than your average Hallmark. No spoilers, promise.

  • The protagonist commits multiple counts of breaking and entering/trespassing into an unconscious man's home to 'help' him.
  • The rival bookstore is named 'Books, Books, Books'.
  • The protagonist's friend tries on the unconscious man's cashmere sweaters while they are snooping through his house.
  • The 'Meet Cute' is a literal vehicular accident involving a bicycle.

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 34 to find more movies that do the same thing.

Why we’d put this one on

The meet-cute here is a literal vehicular accident. Ali Liebert plays Darcy, a bookish clerk who crashes her bicycle into a handsome stranger, Peter Porte, and gives him amnesia. From there it only gets cheekier. She and her friend let themselves into his house to "help," and the friend tries on his cashmere sweaters while he is unconscious. There is a dog to care for and a rival bookstore gloriously named Books, Books, Books. At a 6.6 with a weirdness of 6, it is a premise that should not work and somehow charms anyway, because Liebert is so likable. I will not say who he turns out to be.

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)
Darcy Archer is a dedicated employee at Chaucer's Bookstore in Philadelphia, preferring the company of classic literature to the modern dating scene. Her world is shaken when the store's owner, Terrence, announces his retirement, and a corporate competitor named 'Books, Books, Books' begins stealing their holiday traditions. While cycling to work, Darcy accidentally collides with a man walking his dog, Bailey. The man hits his head and is hospitalized with retrograde amnesia. Feeling immense guilt, Darcy takes in Bailey and begins a 'detective' mission to identify the stranger. Finding his keys and mail, she enters his home and discovers evidence suggesting he is William Anderson, a wealthy PR agent for famous author Anthony Cleaver Parks. She also finds an engagement ring and a photo of a ballerina, Melanie Porter, leading her to believe the man was about to propose. As the man, who begins calling himself 'Aiden' (his middle name), recovers in the hospital, Darcy brings him items from the house to jog his memory. They form a deep bond over origami and shared values, though Darcy remains conflicted because she believes he belongs to another woman. Darcy even travels to New York City to track down Melanie, only to discover the truth: the man she hit is actually Aiden Harris, a humble art teacher from Akron, Ohio. He was merely house-sitting for his friend, the real William Anderson, while in town to pick up an antique family ring for his sister. With his memory returned, Aiden realizes he is not the man Darcy thought he was, but he is the man she has fallen for. However, he must return to his life in Ohio. Inspired by Aiden's belief in her, Darcy finally finds the confidence to apply for the General Manager position at Chaucer's. She successfully saves the store's Christmas Eve event, which is bolstered by a surprise appearance from Anthony Cleaver Parks—a favor arranged by William and Aiden. The film concludes on Christmas Eve when Aiden returns to Philadelphia with his family, confessing to Darcy that he realized she is the woman he is meant to be with, and he plans to move to the city to start a new chapter with her.

Beat by beat

  1. Opening

    Darcy's boss Terrence announces he is retiring and moving to San Francisco, putting the future of Chaucer's Bookstore in doubt.

  2. Inciting Incident

    Darcy hits a stranger with her bicycle, causing him to suffer retrograde amnesia and be hospitalized.

  3. Midpoint

    Darcy 'investigates' the man's home and mistakenly identifies him as a high-powered PR agent engaged to a ballerina.

  4. Turning Point

    Darcy travels to NYC to find the man's 'fiancée' but discovers the man is actually Aiden, a teacher from Ohio who was just house-sitting.

  5. Climax

    Aiden regains his memory and returns to Ohio, while Darcy uses her newfound confidence to apply for the manager job and save the bookstore's Christmas event.

  6. Resolution

    Aiden surprises Darcy at the bookstore's Christmas Eve party and reveals he is moving to Philadelphia to be with her.

34 tropes in one movie

We counted 34 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.

Rating 6.4 vs every rated Hallmark moviemedian 6.4This movie · 6.4567

Higher-rated than 46% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog A Gift for Christmas belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.

Lines worth quoting

The lines that stuck with us — the ones you’ll be repeating after the credits roll.

  • “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and keep it all the year.”
    — JoshQuoting Charles Dickens to prove he is a 'reader'.
  • “A life embracing possibilities is what every parent wants for their child.”
    — Mrs. HenleyEncouraging Darcy to take risks in her career and love life.
  • “I'm willing to hold out for a guy who gets as excited about a new book as I do.”
    — Darcy ArcherExplaining her high standards for dating.
  • “As you remember who you were, you get to decide who you want to be.”
    — Darcy ArcherComforting Aiden as his memories begin to return.

Meet the characters

Who’s who before you press play. Nothing here gives the ending away.

  • Darcy Archer

    Lead

    Bookstore Clerk / General Manager

    BookishCautiousDeterminedKind-hearted
  • Aiden Harris

    Love interest

    Art Teacher

    Stranger she hit with a bike

    AmnesiacCreativeGentleEncouraging
  • Terrence

    Supporting

    Bookstore Owner

    Boss and mentor

    WiseFatherlySupportive
  • Katherine

    Supporting

    Journalism Student / Bookstore Clerk

    Best friend and coworker

    AdventurousMatchmakerLoyal
  • Mrs. Henley

    Supporting

    Landlady / Former Ballerina

    Landlady and maternal figure

    ElegantEncouragingChristmas-obsessed

Questions people ask about A Gift for Christmas

Where can I watch A Gift for Christmas?

A Gift for Christmas is available via fuboTV, Philo, and Hallmark+ Amazon Channel. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

How long is A Gift for Christmas?

A Gift for Christmas runs about 1 hour and 29 minutes, and was released in 2017.

Is A Gift for Christmas a Christmas movie?

Yes. A Gift for Christmas is a Hallmark Christmas movie, set during the holiday season.

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Data and sources

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Sources:IMDbTMDB