Love You Like Christmas

Maddie Duncan is a high-powered marketing executive in New York City who treats Christmas as a series of numbers and sales targets, admitting she hasn't celebrated the holiday properly since her mother died. When she receives a last-minute wedding invitation from her biggest client in Denver, her fear of flying prompts her to drive her late aunt's vintage Mustang across the country. On the way, she encounters Kevin, a man whose truck has spilled Christmas trees across the highway, causing a delay. Shortly after, her car breaks down, and she is forced to seek help in Christmas Valley, Ohio. She is taken to a boarding house run by Pam, where she meets Bob, a traveling salesman who has memorized the 'A' volume of the encyclopedia. Maddie is initially desperate to leave, but a series of mechanical setbacks—including a wrong alternator being delivered—keeps her trapped in the town. As she waits, Maddie begins to integrate into the community. She helps Holly, a diner owner, rebrand her restaurant into 'Holly's' to attract more customers. She also reconnects with Kevin, discovering he is a single father struggling to keep his multi-generational Christmas tree farm afloat after a devastating flood. Maddie applies her marketing skills to 'brand' the Tyler Christmas trees, creating a narrative of tradition and family that resonates with buyers. She spends time with Kevin's daughter, Jo, teaching her about marketing while Jo teaches Maddie about the emotional side of the holidays through activities like making wreaths and gathering pinecones. A romantic tension develops between Maddie and Kevin, but Maddie remains tethered to her phone and her demanding boss, Mr. Warren. After a reindeer causes her to crash her car again just as it was fixed, she is forced to stay even longer. However, the pressure of her career eventually pulls her back to New York. Upon returning to her corner office, Maddie realizes she is miserable and that her 'real life' feels empty compared to the connections she made in Ohio. During a major presentation to her boss and a client, she has an epiphany, quits her job on the spot, and drives back to Christmas Valley. She arrives just in time for the town's Christmas Eve celebration, reuniting with Kevin and Jo and promising to stay 'forever and ever.'