Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa

6.7/10 · 2,344 ratings20181h 24mChristmasWeirdness 6/10Bingo card

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The premise

Lisa Palmer's trip home to Evergreen for the holidays finds her fulfilling the wishes of a Christmas Past and finding a romance full of Christmas magic. Stars Jill Wagner and Mark Deklin.

How unusual is it?

More than most. Magic and an actual miracle push it well past the usual Hallmark template — the strangest 18% of everything we've logged.

Who’s in it

Behind the camera

Show

Directed by

Wait, what?

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

  • The town's literal obsession with a 'magical' snow globe that grants wishes.
  • A professional retail designer deciding to buy a failing general store in a tiny town on a whim.
  • The 'mystery key' subplot where characters try the key in every single lock in town like a video game quest.

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 37 to find more movies that do the same thing.

Why we’d put this one on

The second visit to the beloved town of Evergreen, and a warm one. Jill Wagner plays Lisa, a Boston retail designer who comes home, finds the town's general store closed after the owner's passing, and teams up with a local contractor, played by Mark Deklin, to save it from the bank. Along the way they turn up a 25-year-old letter to Santa that sends them restoring the town's old traditions. It is snug, small-town comfort with a touch of holiday magic. The fun quest element is a mystery key the characters try in seemingly every lock in town, like a video-game side quest. Cozy and connected to a fan-favorite world.

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 begins in Boston with Lisa Palmer and her business partner Oliver, who are talented retail designers. Lisa decides to visit her childhood home of Evergreen for Christmas to fulfill a resolution. On the way, she encounters Kevin Miller, whose truck has broken down; Lisa, an expert mechanic, helps him get it running. In Evergreen, Lisa discovers that Daisy’s General Store, the heart of the town, has closed following Daisy's death. The Mayor, Ezra, explains that if the store isn't sold by the end of the year, the bank will repossess it. Lisa volunteers to 'stage' the store to make it more attractive to buyers, and Kevin is recruited as the contractor for the repairs. While working, they find a 25-year-old letter to Santa signed 'K.M.' that asks for Christmas to be 'like it used to be' with specific mentions of candles, carols, and bells. Lisa assumes the letter was written by Kevin as a child. They also find a mysterious old key at the hardware store, which Kevin's nephew David and the innkeeper Hannah try to match to locks around town. As Lisa and Kevin grow closer, Lisa’s partner Oliver arrives from Boston, leading Kevin to mistakenly believe they are a romantic couple. When a potential buyer passes on the store, Lisa uses the 'K.M.' letter as a blueprint to revive the town's historic Christmas festival to impress a new buyer, Polly. Polly ultimately offers Lisa and Oliver a lucrative partnership in Boston rather than buying the store. Believing Lisa is leaving, Kevin accepts a job in Maine. However, Lisa realizes she belongs in Evergreen and she and Oliver decide to buy Daisy's store themselves. The 'K.M.' letter is revealed to have been written by Kevin's father, Henry, for Kevin's benefit years ago. Finally, the mysterious key is discovered to belong to the town's church bells, which ring out as Lisa and Kevin confess their feelings and the town celebrates a traditional Christmas.

Beat by beat

  1. Opening

    Lisa Palmer leaves her design career in Boston to visit her hometown of Evergreen for the holidays.

  2. Inciting Incident

    Lisa meets Kevin on the road and later learns that the town's general store is facing repossession.

  3. Midpoint

    Lisa and Kevin find a 25-year-old letter to Santa and a mysterious key, sparking a quest to restore town traditions.

  4. Complication

    Lisa's business partner Oliver arrives, causing romantic tension and professional dilemmas regarding a job offer in Boston.

  5. Climax

    The town festival is a success, but Kevin decides to leave for Maine after a misunderstanding about Lisa's future.

  6. Resolution

    Lisa and Oliver buy the store themselves; the key is found to open the church bells, and Lisa and Kevin reunite.

37 tropes in one movie

We counted 37 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 6.7 vs every rated Hallmark moviemedian 6.4This movie · 6.7567

Higher-rated than 75% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.

Christmas in EvergreenPart of the 4-film Christmas in Evergreen series.

Lines worth quoting

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

  • “Every year we make these resolution lists, and every year you have the same goal. Visit my hometown for Christmas.”
    — OliverEncouraging Lisa to finally go back to Evergreen.
  • “This Christmas, just this once, I want it to go back to the way it was.”
    — Lisa (reading the letter)Reading the mysterious 25-year-old letter to Santa found in the store.
  • “Sometimes the best way to solve a puzzle is to step back and wait. And then, a bell goes off in your head and everything makes sense.”
    — NickGiving David advice on the mystery key that foreshadows the ending.

Meet the characters

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

  • Lisa Palmer

    Lead

    Retail Designer / Mechanic

    PersistentCreativeNostalgicSkilled with tools
  • Kevin Miller

    Love interest

    Contractor

    Romantic interest and project partner

    PreciseStubbornFamily-orientedTalented
  • Oliver

    Supporting

    Retail Designer

    Business partner and best friend

    SupportiveUrbanBusiness-minded
  • Ezra

    Supporting

    Mayor of Evergreen

    Town leader and family friend

    StressedCommunity-focused
  • Michelle

    Supporting

    School Principal

    Childhood friend

    KindMusical

Questions people ask about Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa

Where can I watch Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa?

Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa is available via fuboTV, Philo, and Hallmark+ Amazon Channel. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

How long is Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa?

Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa runs about 1 hour and 24 minutes, and was released in 2018.

Is Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa a Christmas movie?

Yes. Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa is a Hallmark Christmas movie, set during the holiday season.

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Data and sources

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Sources:IMDbTMDB