Miss Christmas
Where to watch
United States17 ways
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The premise
Nicknamed Miss Christmas, the official tree finder for Chicago's renowned Radcliffe Tree lighting is left desperate to find the perfect tree. A letter from a young boy promising his tree is perfect sends her to a small town where she learns the young boy's dad isn't willing to part with his tree. While sparks fly, she'll be forced to confront what she's really been missing for Christmas.
How unusual is it?
More than most. Santa himself and an enemies-to-lovers arc push it well past the usual Hallmark template — the strangest 18% of everything we've logged.
Who’s in it
Behind the camera
ShowHide
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 protagonist's official professional title is 'Miss Christmas.'
- The town of Klaus is so Christmas-centric that the residents wear 'ugly sweaters' as a serious family tradition.
- The grandfather makes an excessive amount of cow-related puns ('udderly delicious', 'moo-dy', 'a-moo-sing').
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.
Setting2
Time & season3
Characters10
Romance7
Tone & quirks6
Why we’d put this one on
Brooke D'Orsay plays Holly, whose official professional title is genuinely Miss Christmas: she is the woman who finds Chicago's iconic tree for the big Radcliffe Center lighting. When the chosen tree is wrecked ten days out, a letter from a young boy sends her to tiny Klaus, Wisconsin, where his widowed father, Marc Blucas, refuses to part with the tree for sentimental reasons. The town of Klaus is so Christmas-mad the residents wear ugly sweaters as a serious family tradition, and the grandpa cannot stop with the cow puns. At a 6.6 it is a warm, festive find-the-perfect-tree romance with a grief-and-healing undercurrent. Cozy holiday comfort.
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 with Holly Khun, the 'Miss Christmas' of Chicago, successfully lighting the Radcliffe Center tree. A year later, disaster strikes when a crane damages the new 95-foot spruce just days before the ceremony. Desperate, Holly finds a letter from eight-year-old Joey McNary in Klaus, Wisconsin, inviting her to see his family's tree. Upon arriving in the festive town, Holly literally bumps into Sam McNary, a local who expresses a disdain for the commercialism of Christmas, calling mistletoe a 'vile weed.' Holly soon discovers that Sam is Joey's father and the owner of the perfect tree. Sam is a widower and still grieving his mother, Leslie, who planted the tree with his father, George. He refuses to donate it, viewing it as a living monument to his mother's memory. Holly stays at the family's inn, bonding with Sam’s sister Aimee, his father George, and Joey. She attempts to win Sam over by participating in family traditions, including baking 'egg nog French toast' and wearing 'ugly sweaters' handmade by Leslie. As Sam and Holly grow closer, Sam begins to shed his 'Grinch' persona, even sharing a near-kiss under the mistletoe. However, a conflict arises when Sam overhears Holly on the phone with her assistant, Erin. He misinterprets her statement about 'getting the tree and leaving' as a sign that she was only using him for the tree, unaware that she was actually planning to leave her job in Chicago to be with him. Heartbroken, Sam rescinds his offer of the tree and tells Holly to go home. Holly returns to Chicago but realizes her heart is no longer in her high-pressure career. She receives another letter from Joey, prompting her to return to Klaus. In a grand gesture, she brings the Radcliffe Center's resources to the McNary farm, turning their tree into a local spectacle rather than taking it away. Sam apologizes for his lack of trust, and Holly reveals she has quit her job to start her own tree farm in Klaus. The movie ends with the first Klaus Christmas Tree lighting and a romantic kiss between Holly and Sam.
Beat by beat
Opening
The 95-foot spruce intended for Chicago's Radcliffe Center is ruined by a crane accident ten days before the ceremony.
Inciting Incident
Holly receives a fan letter from Joey McNary and travels to Klaus, Wisconsin, to find the perfect replacement tree.
Midpoint
Holly bonds with the McNary family and Sam begins to open his heart, eventually agreeing to donate the tree after seeing how much joy it brings.
Climax
Sam overhears a misunderstood phone conversation and believes Holly is only interested in the tree, leading him to kick her off the farm.
Resolution
Holly returns to Klaus, brings the 'Radcliffe' experience to the town, and decides to stay permanently to start a new life with Sam.
37 tropes in one movie
We counted 37 distinct Hallmark tropes packed into this one — a genuine greatest-hits reel.
The backstory
- Music by Patric Caird.
How it stacks up
Where this one’s rating lands against every other rated Hallmark movie.
Higher-rated than 63% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.
Where this one fits
The corners of the catalog Miss Christmas belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.
- Best Hallmark Christmas MoviesIt is, of course, a Christmas movie.
- Hallmark Enemies-to-Lovers MoviesStarts with sparks of the wrong kind.
- Hallmark Dog & Pet MoviesA four-legged matchmaker.
- Hallmark Baking & Cooking MoviesPlenty of time in the kitchen.
- Hallmark Single Parent MoviesA single parent finds love again.
- Hallmark Small Town MoviesA classic small-town setting.
Lines worth quoting
The lines that stuck with us — the ones you’ll be repeating after the credits roll.
“Love is like a Christmas tree. It needs to have roots and wings.”
— George McNaryExplaining his late wife's philosophy on love and family. “You can call me Holly.”
— Holly KhunIntroducing herself to a reporter who calls her 'Miss Christmas'. “I think you should be a little nicer to someone who brings you coffee every morning and who is your boss.”
— Holly KhunPlayfully reprimanding her assistant Erin.
Meet the characters
Who’s who before you press play. Nothing here gives the ending away.
Holly Khun
LeadCreative Director for Radcliffe Center
Christmas-obsessedWorkaholicDeterminedSentimentalSam McNary
Love interestFarmer
Love interest
CynicalProtectiveGrievingHardworkingJoey McNary
SupportingStudent
Love interest's son
OptimisticObservantKindGeorge McNary
SupportingRetired Farmer
Love interest's father
WiseWelcomingPun-loving
Questions people ask about Miss Christmas
Where can I watch Miss Christmas?
Miss Christmas is available via fuboTV, YouTube TV, and Philo. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.
How long is Miss Christmas?
Miss Christmas runs about 1 hour and 24 minutes, and was released in 2017.
Is Miss Christmas a Christmas movie?
Yes. Miss Christmas is a Hallmark Christmas movie, set during the holiday season.
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Our review
We watched Miss Christmas so you don’t have to
Alanna sat through every minute of this one and recapped the whole thing — the plot holes, the chemistry, the parts that made no sense — over on the Talking Hallmark channel.
Reviewed by Alanna46-min recap
“This Christmas romance had me screaming into the void”
Data and sources
Curated by the Talking Hallmark team.Last updated .