Coming Home for Christmas (2017 Hallmark Channel)

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Coming Home for Christmas

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Stars: Danica McKellar, Neal Bledsoe

Synopsis (via Hallmark)

Lizzie Richfield is at a crossroads when she lands a job as a house manager for the exquisite Ashford Estate in the Virginia countryside. While preparing the place for sale, Lizzie plans one final Christmas Eve gala for the Marley family, though they seem to be a family in name only. There’s Kip Marley, who never met a party he didn’t like; Robert, the handsome but all-business executor of the estate; Sloane, who arrives with her two young children, sans husband, and the 80-year-old matriarch, Pippa, a spitfire who doesn’t want to put the house up for sale at all. As Lizzie is inserted into the home and the lives of the Marley family, she finds herself drawn to Robert – even as Kip pursues her. Can she navigate her suddenly complicated love life while helping mend family feuds and maybe teaching all the true spirit of Christmas?

Thoughts

Lizzie is jobless and enduring a recent breakup. Is she complacent in life? IDK, but her Mom is very blonde and tall, could her and her brown haired sister (May) be adopted. Maybe!?

When May offers Lizzie a job as a “House Manager,” Lizzie can’t pass up the opportunity to manage the legendary Ashford Estate for the Marley family. The estate come with its own stairwell and plenty of staff. (It’s like Donton Abbey, but not British, they are in Virginia.)

Miss Lizzie is placed in Robert’s room and given a laundry list of items to take care of. Lizzie immediately runs into Ms Pippa (head of the household and Grandma), and she ignores her because she doesn’t want to sell the estate.

Then Kip arrives in a red convertible (it’s Ken Doll, Josh from Engaging Father Christmas!). He approves of Robert’s choice for House Manager. Robert suggests that Lizzie talk to Ms. Pippa about the Gala so she can get a good idea of how to run the event. They brainstorm ideas:

• Winter Wonderland
• Martini and Mistletoe
• Polar Express
• Dingel Mingel

Eventually landing on the “Classy” Silver Bells…

Lizzie and Kip go on a holiday tasting in Georgetown? Lizzie goes back to her room and finds Richard in her bed. He is the most unsexy man ever sleeping in full-length pants and long-sleeved PJ’s. He warns her that Kip is a flirt and is to not be trusted. Later, the boys get into a tiff while stringing popcorn for decorations. Then Slone (the little sister) arrives to break up the tension between the brothers.

Turns out, the house is being sold because Ms. Pippa has a heart arrhythmia and can no longer do the stairs.

During a family a dinner, Lizzie is asked to join them (and Anna is ordered to set a place for her… NO!!! HALLMARK!!). The family begins to share family memories and let loose. Lizzie realizes they are more of a normal family than they had thought.

Kip is too hungover to go Christmas Tree cutting so Robert fills in instead! He has to change out of his business suit and puts on some normal winter clothes. They set out to find the perfect Christmas Tree and while they do they plan the perfect date (that they aren’t going to do, and isn’t foreshadowing at all…) Kip interrupts and finds the perfect tree.

After Slone’s husband loses his job prospect, Robert decides the family will forego store-bought presents and only give homemade gifts. The homemade gifts cause a riff SOMEHOW between the brothers, who could fight over anything. Kip wants to bring Lizzie to Athens and Robert is not having it. He doesn’t see the two of them together. Maybe because he wants her to himself.

The evening of the party finally arrives! Lizzie is a REALLY blue dress and a tiara

(for some reason.) The brother still battle it out for Lizzie’s affection. Kip lies about a family emergency to get Lizzie alone outside. When Kip asks Lizzie to travel the world with him, she declines because she has feelings for someone else. Robert overhears the wrong part of the conversation and leaves the party abruptly.

Back at home with her sister and blonde adopted-mother on Christmas Day (all in matching PJ’s), The gals agree that Lizzie has found her calling: planning events. But wouldn’t she be happier if Robert was by her side? Lizzie wins Robert back with a Silver Bell’s record! He decides to not sell the estate after all, Grandma’s arrhythmia be damned!!!

Robert gives Lizzie the foreshadowed date of her dreams, after a family dinner. She truly is Coming Home for Christmas……..

Side Note

POC Alert: Cook Anna, who make coffee from a Folgers can… like ALL high end families do. Basically any servant in this one… So that is terrible.

Silver Bells was featured prominently in this movie. Which is a appreciated change from We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

Based on the book of the same name by Jenny Hale.

Not to be confused with the 2013 movie of the same name starring Amy Jo Johnson (The OG Pink Power Ranger)

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Overall rating

🎄🎄 (2 Christmas Trees.)

🍷🍷🍷🍷(4 glasses of wine required)

*Photo Credit: © 2017 Crown Media United States, LLC