Angel of Christmas

Susan Nicholas is a frustrated copy editor in New York City who dislikes the commercialism of Christmas, largely due to being dumped by her boyfriend Steve on a previous Christmas Eve. Her boss, Yvette, offers her a chance to write a feature for the Christmas Day edition, but only if she can find a story that is 'authentic and emotional.' Susan's mother gives her a family heirloom: a wooden angel carved by her great-grandfather Owen in 1926. According to family lore, the angel has the power to bring people together. Susan begins researching Owen's life, discovering he was a furniture maker from Bethlehem, PA, who fell in love with a mysterious Broadway actress. While investigating, Susan meets Brady, an upbeat artist and gallery assistant who loves the holidays. Simultaneously, she is pursued by Derek, a high-achieving Vice President of Advertising at her newspaper. A recurring comedic element involves the angel heirloom seemingly sabotaging Derek; every time he is near it, he suffers an accident, such as having coffee spilled on an expensive tie. Susan's research leads her to the Orpheum Theater, where she identifies the actress as Jessica Rose, known for her 'lavender eyes'—the same eyes Owen carved onto the angel. As Susan and Brady grow closer, Brady reveals he is considering a move to Los Angeles to run a gallery, creating a conflict for Susan who fears another holiday heartbreak. The story reaches its climax when Susan and Brady visit a cabin in Murphysburg, PA, which has been in Brady's family for generations. There, Susan discovers a hidden stash of letters in an old desk. The letters reveal that 'Jessica Rose' was actually Mabel McNutt, Brady's great-grandmother. Owen had built the cabin for her, but she chose her theater career over moving to Pennsylvania with him. Despite their ancestors' failed romance, the letters suggest they both found happiness elsewhere, and the cabin eventually returned to Mabel's family. Susan realizes that the angel's 'magic' wasn't just a myth—it was a multi-generational plan to bring the two families back together. Susan completes her article, earns the writing promotion, and chooses to pursue a relationship with Brady, embracing the holiday spirit she once rejected.