Christmas Comes Twice

The film begins with Cheryl Jenkins working as the Deputy Director of the Federal Science Association, a job she finds soul-crushing because she spends her time rejecting grant proposals instead of studying the stars. During a Christmas visit to her hometown of Wellsboro, she laments the loss of her mentor, Ms. Nelson, and expresses regret over a career path that started five years ago when she met her current boss, Dr. Phillips, at the town's Christmas Carnival. She also reunites with her sister Trish, who is about to open a risky restaurant, and her old high school rival, George Campbell, who is now a local science teacher. At the carnival, Cheryl boards a carousel that magically transports her back five years to the exact week her life changed. Initially disoriented, she realizes she has a chance to change her future. She spends time with the still-living Ms. Nelson and tries to 'fix' her sister's life by discouraging the restaurant business in favor of real estate. She also attempts to pursue Terrence Fletcher, the man she thought was her 'missed connection,' only to find their date incredibly boring and politically driven. As she assists George with his after-school science club, she discovers his passion for teaching and his genuine kindness, realizing their old rivalry was actually a mutual spark. Cheryl eventually realizes that her bureaucratic job in D.C. is actually important because it allows her to protect vital research that others would overlook. Just as she confesses her feelings to George, the carousel reappears and pulls her back to the present. Returning to her original time, Cheryl finds that while she can't change everything, she can change her perspective. She arranges a deal to work for the Science Association remotely while teaching at the local college. In the final scene, she meets George at the carnival; he reveals he has been waiting for her for five years, ever since she disappeared from the carousel, and he still has the scarf she left behind.