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    The Christmas Secret

    5.8/10 · 493 ratings·2000·1h 23m·Weirdness 3/10
    Bingo Card
    The Christmas Secret poster

    At a glance

    3/10

    Mostly standard issue

    Runtime
    1h 23m
    Watch trailer
    IMDbLetterboxdTMDBRotten TomatoesWikipediaHallmarkJustWatch

    Where to watch

    We haven’t pinned down where The Christmas Secret is streaming yet — check JustWatch.

    The premise

    In this magical story, a scientist sets out to prove that reindeer can fly and along the way discovers the true meaning of faith, family and Christmas.

    How unusual is it?

    Honestly? Not very — and that's the charm. It plays the hits, which is exactly the point for a cozy night in.

    A rare specific

    Tap to find the other Hallmark movies that share it.

    • Scientist as the leadThe only one

    Who’s in it

    Richard Thomas headshot

    The Lead

    Richard Thomas

    as Jerry McNeil

    Maria Pitillo headshot

    Our Girl

    Maria Pitillo

    as Debbie McNeil

    Alongside them

    • Beau Bridges headshot
      Beau BridgesNick
    • Jan Rubes headshot
      Jan RubesAndree
    • John Franklin headshot
      John FranklinMorluv
    • Debbie Lee Carrington headshot
      Debbie Lee CarringtonGorah
    Show all 10 castShow fewer
    • Taylor Reid headshot
      Taylor ReidGrace McNeill
    • Meghan Black headshot
      Meghan BlackKatra
    • James Kirk headshot
      James KirkNicky
    • Barbara Tyson headshot
      Barbara TysonSasha

    Behind the camera

    ShowHide

    Directed by

    • Ian Barry headshot
      Ian Barry

    Written by

    • Robert Sullivan headshot
      Robert Sullivan
    • Glenn Wolff headshot
      Glenn Wolff
    • J. Porter headshot
      J. Porter
    • Bruce Graham headshot
      Bruce Graham

    The backstory

    • Music by Jonathan Goldsmith.
    The Christmas Secret is a 2000 American made-for-television family fantasy-drama film starring Richard Thomas and Beau Bridges based on the speculative book Flight of the Reindeer written by Robert Sullivan. It premiered on CBS on December 17, 2000.
    From Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

    How it stacks up

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

    Rating 5.8 vs every rated Hallmark moviemedian 6.4This movie · 5.845678

    Among the lower-rated Hallmark movies — the median is 6.4.

    BINGOA charming local cafe or dinerSomeone apologises and means itA first impression that turns out completely wrongThe two leads are forced to work togetherA classic Hallmark meet-cuteSomeone’s guard finally comes downA cup of cocoa, coffee or ciderA second chance worth takingA shared errand turns into bondingA best friend who has all the answersA big event everyone is preparing forSomeone gets flustered during small talk★A scenic spot becomes their meeting placeA wise elder dispenses adviceA heart-to-heart on a porch or benchA calendar reminder raises the stakesSomeone races to catch the other before they leaveAn old keepsake or photograph turns upPlans get derailed by the weatherA shared meal around a crowded tableA handwritten note or letterA walk-and-talk through townA warm hug that lingersA pep talk that changes everything
    Hallmark Bingo

    Your The Christmas Secret card is dealt.

    Twenty-four squares pulled from this movie’s own quirks — the cosy classics, a few only-in-this-one curveballs, and a couple of decoys. Mark them as you watch.

    Open your card→

    Meet the characters

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

    • Jerry McNeil

      Lead

      Scientist proving reindeer can fly

      determinedinventivefaithful

    • Debbie McNeil

      Love interest

      Jerry's wife

      Spouse

      supportivegroundedcaring

    • Nick

      Supporting

      Santa-like figure

      Magical guide

      jollywise

    • Grace McNeill

      Supporting

      Family member

      McNeil family

    • Nicky

      Supporting

      Child

      McNeil family child

    • Katra

      Supporting

      Magical-realm figure

      Supporting figure

    • Sasha

      Supporting

      Magical-realm figure

      Supporting figure

    Questions people ask about The Christmas Secret

    How long is The Christmas Secret?

    The Christmas Secret runs about 1 hour and 23 minutes, and was released in 2000.

    More like this

    Browse all movies

    Nothing close enough to suggest yet — the full catalog is a good place to wander.

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    Data and sources

    Curated by the Talking Hallmark team.·Last updated June 17, 2026.

    Sources:IMDb·TMDB·Wikipedia·JustWatch

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