Rescuing Christmas
Where to watch
Via 
JustWatch · can change anytime.
The premise
It follows an anti-Christmas photographer as she wishes Christmas would disappear.
How unusual is it?
Very. Magic, santa is real, Santa himself and an actual miracle all turn up in one movie — the strangest 7% 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 'Yesterday' (2019) premise applied to Christmas
- Elves discussing legal provisos and HR workshops
- The threat of the universe going 'kablouie' due to a magic-space-time continuum breach
- Santa going on vacation to Duluth, Minnesota
- A character wishing for mac-and-cheese ice cream
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 36 to find more movies that do the same thing.
Setting2
Time & season3
Romance6
Why we’d put this one on
Rachael Leigh Cook plays a cynical photographer who, after a Christmas breakup, gets picked by Santa's elves for Operation Wish and accidentally wishes the whole holiday out of existence. Weirdness 8, and the details are a delight: elves who discuss legal provisos and HR workshops, a magic-space-time continuum that might go kablouie, and Santa taking a vacation to Duluth. Sam Page is the lawyer who helps her re-teach the world Christmas. At 6.4 and a roomy 98 minutes, it is the Yesterday premise pointed at December. Someone in it wishes for mac-and-cheese ice cream, which tells you the vibe.
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 at the North Pole, where elves Chuck and Debbie pitch 'Operation Wish' to Santa as a way to combat global cynicism. They select Erin Smithson, a photographer in Duluth, Minnesota, who has become bitter toward the holidays after her boyfriend, Archie, broke up with her the previous Christmas. Erin meets Sam, a lawyer and friend of her brother-in-law Taylor, but her cynicism makes her resistant to his charms. When the elves contact her via 'spam' emails, Erin dismissively wishes for her mother's pizzelle cookies, which appear instantly. Still skeptical, she wishes for her ex-boyfriend Archie to realize she was the best thing that ever happened to him. Archie suddenly appears in Duluth, but he remains a narcissistic, self-absorbed man who eats all her cookies and belittles her work. In a moment of peak frustration with the holiday pressure and Archie's presence, Erin wishes that Christmas would just disappear. The wish is granted, and the entire world—except for Erin—loses all memory of Christmas. The North Pole enters a state of emergency; the 'Council' warns that if the holiday isn't restored by midnight on Christmas Eve, it will be erased from history forever, causing the universe to go 'kablouie.' Erin tries to explain the holiday to her family, who think she is having a mental breakdown. Only Sam, who is intrigued by her 'performance art' concept, agrees to help her. Together, they 're-invent' Christmas traditions like chopping down trees, hanging 'twinkle lights,' and baking. As they work together, Erin and Sam develop a genuine romantic connection. A town-wide celebration is organized where Santa (appearing as a man named Nick) helps Erin realize that the holiday isn't about perfection, but about community and joy. During a heartfelt speech at the town's new 'tree-lighting,' Erin officially rescinds her wish and declares her love for the holiday. The magic is restored, the world's memory returns, and Erin finds a new life with Sam, finally free from the shadow of her past heartbreak.
Beat by beat
Opening
Santa's elves select the cynical Erin for 'Operation Wish' to restore Christmas spirit.
Inciting Incident
Erin's second wish brings back her narcissistic ex-boyfriend Archie, making her holiday miserable.
Midpoint
Erin wishes Christmas would disappear, causing the entire world to forget the holiday existed.
Rising Action
Erin and Sam team up to 're-create' Christmas traditions for the town as a form of performance art.
Climax
At a town-wide festival, Erin makes a public declaration of her love for Christmas to reverse the wish.
Resolution
Christmas is restored to the world's memory, and Erin and Sam begin a real relationship.
Did you know?
A few things that make this one stand out once you stack it up against every other Hallmark movie.
At a weirdness score of 8, it lands among the strangest 7% of Hallmark movies we've scored.
Top 7% weirdest
Out of every Hallmark movie we've scored, this one lands among the strangest 7%.
How it stacks up
Where this one’s rating lands against every other rated Hallmark movie.
Higher-rated than 46% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.
Where this one fits
The corners of the catalog Rescuing Christmas belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.
- Weirdest Hallmark MoviesScores 8/10 on our weirdness scale — comfortably in the strange end.
- Craziest Hallmark MoviesWild enough in premise to make the all-time list.
- Best Hallmark Christmas MoviesIt is, of course, a Christmas movie.
- Weirdest Hallmark Christmas MoviesA Christmas movie strange enough to make the weird list.
- Hallmark Supernatural MoviesHas a supernatural element.
- Hallmark Baking & Cooking MoviesPlenty of time in the kitchen.
Lines worth quoting
The lines that stuck with us — the ones you’ll be repeating after the credits roll.
“The universe would, legally speaking, go kablouie.”
— Legal ElfExplaining the consequences of Christmas being permanently erased. “I wish that Christmas would disappear.”
— ErinThe pivotal moment where she accidentally erases the holiday. “My mom says sarcasm is a defense mechanism.”
— OliviaObserving Erin's cynical attitude toward the holidays.
Meet the characters
Who’s who before you press play. Nothing here gives the ending away.
Erin Smithson
LeadPhotographer
CynicalCreativePerfectionistKind-heartedSam Collins
Love interestLawyer
Friend of brother-in-law; romantic interest
SupportiveOpen-mindedCharmingWittyNick
SupportingSanta Claus
Magical benefactor
JollyWiseVacationingArchie Vickers
SupportingNature Photographer
Ex-boyfriend
NarcissisticSelf-absorbedPretentiousChuck and Debbie
SupportingElves
Wish-granters
AnxiousBureaucraticMagical
Questions people ask about Rescuing Christmas
Where can I watch Rescuing Christmas?
Rescuing Christmas is available via fuboTV, YouTube TV, and Philo. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.
How long is Rescuing Christmas?
Rescuing Christmas runs about 1 hour and 38 minutes, and was released in 2023.
Is Rescuing Christmas a Christmas movie?
Yes. Rescuing Christmas is a Hallmark Christmas movie, set during the holiday season.
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Data and sources
Curated by the Talking Hallmark team.Last updated .