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    4. Ms. Christmas Comes to Town

    Ms. Christmas Comes to Town

    6.8/10 · 924 ratings·2023·1h 24m·Christmas·Weirdness 6/10
    Ms. Christmas Comes to Town poster

    At a glance

    6/10

    Noticeably offbeat

    What bumps it up: Mistaken identity, Santa appears, Second chance romance.

    Holiday
    Christmas
    Season
    Winter
    Setting
    Small Town
    Time period
    Contemporary
    Leads start as
    Complete Strangers
    Runtime
    1h 24m
    Watch trailer
    IMDbLetterboxdTMDBHallmarkJustWatch

    Where to watch

    🇺🇸United States17 ways

    Stream

    • fuboTV
    • YouTube TV
    • Philo
    • Hallmark+ Amazon Channel
    • Hallmark+ Apple TV Channel
    • Hallmark TV Amazon Channel

    Free

    • Hoopla

    Rent

    • Amazon Video
    • Apple TV Store
    • Google Play Movies
    • YouTube
    • Fandango At Home

    Buy

    • Amazon Video
    • Apple TV Store
    • Google Play Movies
    • YouTube
    • Fandango At Home
    🇨🇦Canada3 ways

    Stream

    • StackTV Amazon Channel
    • fuboTV

    Free

    • Global TV

    Via JustWatch · can change anytime.

    The premise

    A shopping channel host known as Ms. Christmas receives a terminal diagnosis, which inspires a multi-city excursion set to spread Christmas cheer before her farewell broadcast.

    Themes:LegacyLiving life to the fullestSecond chancesFound familyThe importance of honesty

    How unusual is it?

    More than most. Mistaken identity, Santa himself and a second-chance romance push it well past the usual Hallmark template — the strangest 18% of everything we've logged.

    A rare specific

    Tap to find the other Hallmark movies that share it.

    • Shopping Channel Host as the leadThe only one

    Who’s in it

    Erica Durance headshot

    Our Girl

    Erica Durance

    as Amanda

    Brennan Elliott headshot

    Our Guy

    Brennan Elliott

    as Travis

    You’ve seen this pairing before: Erica Durance and Brennan Elliott have made 2 Hallmark movies together.

    Alongside them

    • Barbara Niven headshot
      Barbara NivenGale
    • Mark Brandon headshot
      Mark BrandonJames
    • Chris Gauthier headshot
      Chris GauthierMurray
    • Judith Maxie headshot
      Judith MaxieElizabeth
    Show all 10 castShow fewer
    • Tim Dixon headshot
      Tim DixonMr. Hogan
    • Andre Scott headshot
      Andre ScottDirector
    • Rochelle Greenwood headshot
      Rochelle GreenwoodEmily
    • Corina Akeson headshot
      Corina AkesonDoctor

    Behind the camera

    ShowHide

    Directed by

    • Jason Bourque headshot
      Jason Bourque

    Written by

    • Brook Durham headshot
      Brook Durham

    Wait, what?

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

    • The protagonist has a terminal brain tumor, which is significantly darker than standard Hallmark fare.
    • The 'undercover nurse' plot point where a medical professional lies about his identity to monitor a patient on a tour bus.
    • The concept of a 'Ms. Christmas' apprentice program for a shopping channel.
    • A character being a 'romantic absolutist' who refuses to see photos before a blind date.

    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 35 to find more movies that do the same thing.

    Setting2

    🏘️Small Town📍TV/Radio Station

    Time & season3

    ❄️Winter🎄Christmas🗓️Contemporary

    Premise5

    ✨Secret Illness🎭Mistaken identity🔒Hidden secret🏆Contest🤗Reunion

    Characters6

    🎙️Lead: TV/Radio Host🩺Love interest: Doctor/Nurse👥TV Personality👶Cute kid💘Matchmaking relative👥Celebrity

    Conflict3

    🔀Multiple Conflicts💔Life/Death stakes💔An ex returns

    Romance6

    💕Start as complete strangers💕First kiss: late (final third)♻️Second chance💓Instant attraction💗Love confession🎁Grand gesture

    Tone & quirks6

    🎬Light/Heartwarming🎵Musical element👨‍🍳Cooking scenes🧶Crafting scenes🎄Tree decorating🎞️Montage

    How it ends4

    🎅Santa appears💋Ends with a kiss🔄Career change🤝Family reconciliation

    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)
    Gail Storm has spent 24 years as 'Ms. Christmas,' the face of the Holiday Shopping Channel (HSC). After receiving a terminal diagnosis of a brain tumor with only a year or two to live, she decides to retire on her own terms. She plans a final 'Ms. Christmas Comes to Town' tour to visit small towns and introduce her successor, Amanda, whom she dubs 'Ms. Holiday.' To ensure Gail's safety, her friend Elizabeth hires Travis, a former Army medic and nurse, to join the tour undercover as Elizabeth's godson. Before the tour begins, Amanda accidentally meets Travis on a botched blind date where she mistakes him for her actual date, Michael, and overshares her life story before realizing the error. As the tour progresses through towns like Exeter and Rockwell, Travis and Amanda develop a romantic connection despite the friction of their initial meeting. Travis struggles with his 'cloak and dagger' assignment, especially as he sees Amanda's growing concern for Gail's fatigue. In Exeter, Gail's former fiancé, soap opera actor James Andrews, reappears after years of writing letters she never answered. He joins the tour as a sponsor for his 'Pop-Up Christmas Tree' company, hoping for a second chance with Gail. The tension peaks in Elmhurst when Gail suffers a medical emergency—an allergic reaction to her medication—and is hospitalized. The truth about her illness is revealed to Amanda, who feels betrayed by the deception but eventually understands Gail's desire to protect her. While Gail recovers, Amanda is forced to step into the spotlight alone, hosting a live broadcast that proves she has the 'magic' required to be the next Ms. Christmas. The film concludes with Gail giving a tearful farewell address to her viewers, James and Gail reuniting for her final years, and Amanda and Travis committing to a future together, embracing the 'Christmas magic' Gail spent her life promoting.

    Beat by beat

    1. 1

      Opening

      Gail Storm receives a terminal brain tumor diagnosis and decides to embark on a farewell tour to name her successor.

    2. 2

      Inciting Incident

      Amanda mistakes Travis for her blind date and embarrasses herself, only to find out he is joining their tour as a 'godson' (actually an undercover nurse).

    3. 3

      Midpoint

      Gail's ex-fiancé James Andrews joins the tour, seeking a second chance, while Amanda and Travis grow closer during a doughnut-decorating competition.

    4. 4

      Rising Action

      Gail collapses due to a medication reaction, forcing Travis to reveal his true identity as a nurse and Gail's terminal illness to Amanda.

    5. 5

      Climax

      Amanda must overcome her stage fright and host the live Ms. Christmas broadcast alone while Gail is in the hospital.

    6. 6

      Resolution

      Gail delivers an emotional retirement speech, James stays by her side, and Amanda and Travis share a kiss, becoming a 'couple for Christmas.'

    35 tropes in one movie

    We counted 35 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 6.8 vs every rated Hallmark moviemedian 6.4This movie · 6.845678

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

    Where this one fits

    The corners of the catalog Ms. Christmas Comes to Town belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.

    • 🎄Best Hallmark Christmas MoviesIt is, of course, a Christmas movie.
    • 🔄Hallmark Second-Chance Romance MoviesA rekindled romance.
    • 🧁Hallmark Baking & Cooking MoviesPlenty of time in the kitchen.
    • 🏘️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.

    • “May you never be too grown up to believe in Christmas magic.”
      — Gail StormHer final retirement address to her viewers.
    • “I am a romantic absolutist, and the first in-person impression is everything.”
      — AmandaExplaining why she doesn't look at profile pictures before blind dates.
    • “Christmas is a time of magic where even the impossible becomes possible.”
      — AmandaSpeaking to Travis during their first accidental meeting.
    • “I want to go out while I’m still at the top of my game.”
      — Gail StormExplaining her sudden retirement to Amanda.

    Meet the characters

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

    • Gail Storm (Ms. Christmas)

      Lead

      Shopping Channel Host

      Mentor and mother-figure to Amanda

      GracefulResilientSecretiveLegendary
    • Amanda (Ms. Holiday)

      Lead

      Director of Operations / Apprentice

      HardworkingAnxiousLoyalRomantic Absolutist
    • Travis Van Winters

      Love interest

      Nurse / Former Army Medic

      Love interest of Amanda; Nurse to Gail

      HandyProtectiveHumorousDeceptive
    • James Andrews

      Supporting

      Actor / Entrepreneur

      Gail's ex-fiancé

      PersistentCharmingNostalgic

    Questions people ask about Ms. Christmas Comes to Town

    Where can I watch Ms. Christmas Comes to Town?

    Ms. Christmas Comes to Town is available via fuboTV, YouTube TV, and Philo. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

    How long is Ms. Christmas Comes to Town?

    Ms. Christmas Comes to Town runs about 1 hour and 24 minutes, and was released in 2023.

    Is Ms. Christmas Comes to Town a Christmas movie?

    Yes. Ms. Christmas Comes to Town is a Hallmark Christmas movie, set during the holiday season.

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    Data and sources

    Curated by the Talking Hallmark team.

    Sources:IMDb·TMDB·JustWatch

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