Time for Him to Come Home for Christmas

Elizabeth Athens is a talented journalist working for her mother's corporate firm in Seattle, having given up her aspirations for the New York Times following the death of her friend Andy in a car accident three years ago. During a holiday event, she receives a voicemail from a man named Carter intended for a woman named Madelyn, asking her to meet at 'their spot' at 9:00 PM on Christmas Eve. Feeling a deep sense of responsibility for the man's hope, Elizabeth decides to find Madelyn. She is joined by Josh Hart, her childhood best friend who has been distant since Andy's death. Together, they embark on a journalistic investigation, starting at a candy shop called Sweeteats mentioned in the message. As they follow leads, they analyze the background noise of the voicemail and identify a specific song played by a music box mechanism. With the help of a local record store owner named Slide and country star Tenille Townes, they identify the song as 'Time for Me to Come Home' by the Blue Notes. This leads them to a signature snow globe sold at McCammon's department store. Throughout the search, the tension between Elizabeth and Josh is palpable; Josh believes Elizabeth was in love with Andy, while Elizabeth has been harboring feelings for Josh. They visit the Halliday's Christmas Market, where they initially find the wrong Madelyn, but eventually track down Madelyn Hawn, a singer performing at a major Christmas concert. When they deliver the message to Madelyn, the truth emerges: the caller, Carter Bishop, was the driver of the other vehicle in the accident that killed Andy. He has spent three years in a cycle of guilt and isolation and was reaching out to Madelyn, his former partner, for support. Elizabeth realizes that Carter also left a message for her at the hotel, seeking her forgiveness face-to-face. In a climactic meeting at the Guildcrest Hotel, Elizabeth and Carter share their mutual grief and choose to let go of the guilt they have both carried. Finally, Elizabeth clears up the three-year-old misunderstanding with Josh, explaining that the night Andy died, she was actually asking him for advice on how to tell Josh she loved him. The film concludes at the concert as they celebrate their second chance at love and friendship.