Return to Christmas Creek

6.3/10 · 2,642 ratings20181h 26mChristmasWeirdness 2/10Bingo card

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The premise

With Christmas approaching, a career-focused Chicago app developer returns to her small hometown to rediscover the meaning of Christmas. There she reunites with her estranged uncle and her childhood best friend, who she begins falling for.

How unusual is it?

Mostly classic comfort-watch, give or take a second-chance romance.

Who’s in it

Behind the camera

Show

Wait, what?

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

  • The protagonist's initial app idea is essentially a 'dystopian' Christmas tool that automates gift-giving and card-sending to avoid human contact.
  • The 'Fly By Santa' tradition involves landing a small plane on a lake to deliver toys to 'remote areas' that are apparently only a few hours from a major city like Chicago.

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.

Why we’d put this one on

Tori Anderson plays a Chicago app developer who heads home to Christmas Creek after her holiday app gets rejected for lacking heart, and reconnects with her estranged uncle, played by Wings alum Steven Weber, and her childhood best friend, Stephen Huszar. The detail I love is the app itself: her original idea is a dystopian Christmas tool that automates gift-giving and card-sending so you never deal with another human. The local Fly By Santa tradition, delivering toys by landing a plane on a lake, helps thaw her out. At a 6.1 it is a warm find-your-roots holiday romance with a family feud to heal. A simple, cozy watch.

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 in Chicago, where Amelia Hughes is preparing to pitch 'Christmas Assist,' an app designed to automate holiday shopping, including an algorithm that selects gifts and sends cards so users can 'escape the chaos.' The investor, Bill Burns, rejects the app, claiming it lacks the true spirit of Christmas. Simultaneously, Amelia's boyfriend Brad breaks up with her because she refuses to spend the holidays with his family, preferring her tradition of solo trips to Turks and Caicos to avoid family drama. After receiving a forwarded brochure for the 40th anniversary of 'Fly By Santa'—a toy delivery tradition started by her Uncle Harry—Amelia decides to return to her roots in Christmas Creek. Upon arrival, she is 'pulled over' by Mike Ruggles, a childhood friend who now works in Search and Rescue, because she is driving too slowly. She stays with Uncle Harry at his inn, despite a long-standing estrangement between Harry and her father, Dan. Amelia spends her time reconnecting with Mike through tree hunting, stargazing, and snowball fights, while also observing the lingering feelings between Harry and his ex-girlfriend, Pamela. The central conflict intensifies when Amelia's parents arrive unexpectedly. A tense family dinner reveals the source of the feud: twenty years prior, Dan left the family inn to pursue a corporate career, leaving Harry to struggle alone. The dinner ends in an argument, but Amelia later delivers a moving speech about the importance of family over pride. This leads to a reconciliation where Harry offers Dan a job as the inn's CFO. Amelia realizes her app should focus on charity and 'being present,' securing a future meeting with her investor. The film concludes with Amelia and Mike confessing their love and taking over the 'Fly By Santa' flight together, delivering toys to remote areas by plane.

Beat by beat

  1. Opening

    Amelia's 'Christmas Assist' app is rejected for being too impersonal, and her boyfriend breaks up with her over her lack of holiday spirit.

  2. Inciting Incident

    Amelia returns to Christmas Creek and is reunited with her childhood friend Mike and her estranged Uncle Harry.

  3. Midpoint

    Amelia and Mike bond while preparing for the 40th anniversary of 'Fly By Santa,' and Amelia begins to understand the depth of the family rift.

  4. Climax

    A disastrous family dinner occurs when Amelia's parents arrive, leading to a confrontation between the brothers about their shared past.

  5. Resolution

    Amelia's speech about family values leads to the brothers reconciling, and she pivots her app to focus on charity.

  6. Ending

    Amelia and Mike confess their love and fly the 'Fly By Santa' mission together on Christmas Eve.

35 tropes in one movie

We counted 35 distinct Hallmark tropes packed into this one — a genuine greatest-hits reel.

The backstory

  • Music by Sean Nimmons-Paterson.

How it stacks up

Where this one’s rating lands against every other rated Hallmark movie.

Rating 6.3 vs every rated Hallmark moviemedian 6.4This movie · 6.3567

Higher-rated than 37% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog Return to Christmas Creek belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.

Lines worth quoting

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

  • “For those who want to escape the chaos of Christmas, and get away from it all without all the fuss, I give you Christmas Assist.”
    — Amelia HughesAmelia pitching her impersonal holiday app to investors.
  • “I'm not sure that Christmas Assist encompasses the true spirit of Christmas. It's a no.”
    — Bill BurnsThe investor rejecting Amelia's app.
  • “I'm not going to dance anymore.”
    — BradAmelia's boyfriend breaking up with her because she won't commit to holiday traditions.
  • “You'll always be my Angel.”
    — Mike RugglesMike giving Amelia a macaroni angel ornament like the one she made as a child.

Meet the characters

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

  • Amelia Hughes

    Lead

    App Developer

    Career-drivenAvoidantNostalgicIntelligent
  • Mike Ruggles

    Love interest

    Search and Rescue Pilot

    Childhood best friend and romantic interest

    KindOutdoorsyLoyalProtective
  • Harry Hughes

    Supporting

    Innkeeper

    Uncle

    StubbornFestiveRegretful
  • Dan Hughes

    Supporting

    Former CFO

    Father

    PragmaticProudStubborn

Questions people ask about Return to Christmas Creek

Where can I watch Return to Christmas Creek?

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

How long is Return to Christmas Creek?

Return to Christmas Creek runs about 1 hour and 26 minutes, and was released in 2018.

Is Return to Christmas Creek a Christmas movie?

Yes. Return to Christmas Creek is a Hallmark Christmas movie, set during the holiday season.

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Data and sources

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Sources:IMDbTMDB