Annie Claus Is Coming to Town
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United Kingdom7 ways
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The premise
This year, Santa's daughter (Maria Thayer) takes her first trip away from the North Pole during the Christmas season hoping to find adventure and love in sunny California. While Santa watches his daughter through a magic snow globe, Annie arrives in L.A. and becomes friends with the owner of Candy Cane Inn, Lucy (Vivica A. Fox), and her daughter, Mia (Nay Nay Kirby). She also quickly lands a job at Wonderland Toys. Wonderland Toys' owner, Ted (Sam Page) is struggling to stay in business selling old-fashioned toys in a digital world. Annie soon realizes that she wants Ted's business to thrive because she has feelings for this Christmas traditionalist.
How unusual is it?
Very. Santa is real, mistaken identity, Santa himself and an actual miracle all turn up in one movie — the strangest 7% of everything we've logged.
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 North Pole is depicted as a corporate entity with VPs and an 'Executive VP of Operations'.
- The villain's plan is essentially a corporate coup of the Santa Claus title.
- Annie uses 'Norpole, Idaho' as her cover story.
- The protagonist threatens a child with being put on the 'naughty list for life' to stop her from bullying.
- The sabbatical ritual involves a rhyming chant and a spinning globe.
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 38 to find more movies that do the same thing.
Setting2
Time & season3
Conflict6
Romance5
Tone & quirks6
Why we’d put this one on
Weirdness 8 and a fun corporate spin on the North Pole. Maria Thayer is Santa's daughter Annie, sent to sunny L.A. on a mandatory sabbatical to experience the world before deciding whether to inherit the family business, where she revives a struggling old-fashioned toy store run by cynical Ted (Sam Page). Vivica A. Fox plays the inn owner who takes her in. The detail I love: up at the Pole, there is an ambitious "Executive VP of Operations" essentially plotting a corporate coup of the Santa title, and Annie's cover story is that she is from "Norpole, Idaho." It is bright, sweet, and gently absurd. A cheery pick.
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 at the North Pole, where Annie Claus serves as the Vice President of Toys. Her father, Santa (Calvin Claus), and mother (Martha), explain that she must go on a 'sabbatical' to the outside world to ensure she truly wants to inherit the family legacy. However, Chester Singleton, the power-hungry Executive VP of Operations, wants to become Santa himself. He plots to keep Annie in the human world permanently so she will sign over her rights. To achieve this, he hires a struggling Los Angeles actor named Dean Durling to pose as a philanthropic lawyer and woo her. Annie arrives in LA and stays at the Candy Cane Motel, run by Lucy and her daughter Mia. She finds a failing toy store called 'Wonderland Toys' and begins working there for free to help the owner, Ted Boone, who is facing a massive balloon payment and competition from a corporate 'Super Store.' Annie uses her North Pole expertise to reorganize the shop and infuse it with Christmas spirit. Meanwhile, Dean begins his 'operation' to win her heart, fabricating stories about his legal career and a fictional orphan named Charlie Brownstone. Annie is charmed by Dean but shares a more authentic bond with Ted as they work together to save his business and direct a local Christmas pageant. The tension rises as Chester pressures Dean to close the deal. The deception unravels when Annie sees Dean's face on a television commercial for a personal injury law firm ('Shaw, Shaw, and Shaw') and realizes he is an actor, not a lawyer. She later overhears him on the phone with Chester, confirming the entire romance was a paid setup. Devastated, Annie returns to the North Pole on Christmas Eve, believing the world is too harsh. However, her parents realize she has found her 'Calvin' (her soulmate) in Ted. Santa breaks his own rules to fly Annie back to Los Angeles on his sleigh. She reunites with Ted at the toy store, where he finally learns her true identity. The film ends with the couple celebrating together, with the implication that Ted will join her in the family business.
Beat by beat
Opening
Annie Claus leaves the North Pole for a mandatory sabbatical in Los Angeles to experience the world.
Inciting Incident
Chester Singleton hires an actor, Dean, to trick Annie into falling in love and staying in LA so Chester can take over the North Pole.
Midpoint
Annie revitalizes Ted's failing toy store and begins a dual 'romance' with the deceptive Dean and the genuine Ted.
Turning Point
Annie sees Dean in a cheesy personal injury commercial, realizing his 'lawyer' persona is a lie.
Climax
Annie overhears Dean reporting to Chester and flees back to the North Pole in heartbreak.
Resolution
Santa flies Annie back to LA on Christmas Eve to reunite with Ted, who discovers her true identity.
Did you know?
A few things that make this one stand out once you stack it up against every other Hallmark movie.
At a weirdness score of 8, it lands among the strangest 7% of Hallmark movies we've scored.
Top 7% weirdest
Out of every Hallmark movie we've scored, this one lands among the strangest 7%.
How it stacks up
Where this one’s rating lands against every other rated Hallmark movie.
Higher-rated than 25% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.
Where this one fits
The corners of the catalog Annie Claus Is Coming to Town belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.
- Weirdest Hallmark MoviesScores 8/10 on our weirdness scale — comfortably in the strange end.
- Craziest Hallmark MoviesWild enough in premise to make the all-time list.
- Best Hallmark Christmas MoviesIt is, of course, a Christmas movie.
- Weirdest Hallmark Christmas MoviesA Christmas movie strange enough to make the weird list.
- Hallmark Supernatural MoviesHas a supernatural element.
- Hallmark Baking & Cooking MoviesPlenty of time in the kitchen.
Lines worth quoting
The lines that stuck with us — the ones you’ll be repeating after the credits roll.
“I can put you on the naughty list for life... for life, Amy.”
— Annie ClausAnnie intimidating a young bully who doesn't believe in Santa. “I was told I may never walk again, but Shaw, Shaw, and Shaw got me $180,000!”
— Dean Durling (on TV)The commercial that reveals Dean is an actor and not a lawyer. “I need to, like, rent or... or sign out some orphans for the day, Saturday.”
— Dean DurlingDean trying to find children to pose as his 'orphan' friends to impress Annie. “My parents came from the rank and file of sleigh maintenance.”
— Chester SingletonExplaining his 'humble' North Pole origins compared to the privileged Clauses.
Meet the characters
Who’s who before you press play. Nothing here gives the ending away.
Annie Claus
LeadVP of Toys / Santa's Daughter
OptimisticMagicalHardworkingNaïveTed Boone
Love interestToy Store Owner
True love interest and boss
CynicalKind-heartedStrugglingHonestDean Durling
AntagonistActor
Fake boyfriend hired to trick her
DeceptiveSmarmyAmbitiousChester Singleton
AntagonistExecutive VP of Operations
Family friend and professional rival
Power-hungryManipulativeCorporateMia
SupportingStudent
Friend and mentee
SweetBelievingMusical
Questions people ask about Annie Claus Is Coming to Town
Where can I watch Annie Claus Is Coming to Town?
Annie Claus Is Coming to Town is available via YouTube TV, UP Faith & Family Apple TV Channel, and UP Faith & Family Amazon Channel . Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.
How long is Annie Claus Is Coming to Town?
Annie Claus Is Coming to Town runs about 1 hour and 27 minutes, and was released in 2011.
Is Annie Claus Is Coming to Town a Christmas movie?
Yes. Annie Claus Is Coming to Town is a Hallmark Christmas movie, set during the holiday season.
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Curated by the Talking Hallmark team.Last updated .