Poinsettias for Christmas
Stars: Bethany Joy Lenz, John Schneider and Marcus Rosner
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Synopsis (via Lifetime)
It’s just weeks before Christmas when Ellie (Bethany Joy Lenz) gets a call to return home to help her father (John Schneider) on the family’s poinsettia farm. The family business is on the line to deliver tens of thousands of plants for the town’s annual parade. The problem is—the poinsettias have yet to turn red! As Ellie searches for the solution, she is reminded of where her heart truly lies as she falls in love with both her roots and a local botanist.
Thoughts
Ellie is a city planner, she goes to swanky parties and is very concerned about poinsettias being cold. She gets a call from her mom who needs her to come home and help take care of the poinsettia farm. (Her dad hurt his back and isn’t able to keep up during the busiest time of the year.)
Ellie goes through the town with her pregnant sister and talkative niece. Once at the Palmer’s poinsettia farm, she runs into Sean. He spilled dirt all over her cashmere coat and is, apparently, helping her father with the farm. He is basically a new member of the family and hangs out at her family’s house all the time. Ellie is not into him being around so much.
Things are worse than just Ellie’s dad’s back. The poinsettias are GREEN and haven’t turned color. The farm isn’t going to complete their orders and Ellie got tricked into coming to town by her family. She has a gift and if anyone can get the poinsettias to turn, it is going to be her.
I knew we were in trouble, when we got our first montage of the movie before the 20 min marker.
Patty is Ellie’s childhood friend who now has a YouTube channel and is on local cable. She is Maryland’s answer to Martha Stewart. She keeps coming up, and she will be back in some way because Ellie keeps making a point that she hates her. Patty stops by the house and makes an offer to buy the family farm. (Oh and to KISS Sean? Are they dating?)
We get our second montage: working on plants. This time with a gratuitous ab show of Sean wiping his brow with his shirt. Ellie, can’t help but look either.
Patty invites Ellie over to her house for a taping. Ellie gets dragged onto the live show. They bake together and Ellie gets flour all over herself and embarrasses herself in front of the viewers. Patty tries to level with Ellie and tells her that she is just trying to help out the family.
While carrying a Christmas tree together, Sean and Ellie talk about their childhood traditions and the topic of Patty comes up. Sean says he doesn’t see them going in the same direction as a couple and is surprised he is able to open up to Ellie so easily. They have a snowball fight with the little snow that is on the ground.
Ellie has a breakthrough! The poinsettias are not growing because the stars can’t be seen at night because of the town development. The city lights are hindering their color change. Ellie calls Sean (who is on a date with Patty) to tell him the good news. He is caught between two love interests.
At her niece’s dance recital, which is basically a solo while other dancers stand on stage, Patty tells everyone that Sean will be joining her on her show—which Ellie and her family find very funny. They gather around the TV the next day while Sean is on the show. He freezes up and can’t even talk on camera. He just sits there holding a hammer. Hahaha!
At Sean’s lodge with an amazing view of the Mayland snowcap mountains, which is not a thing, Ellie and Sean bond more.
It is the big reveal of the of the poinsettias and they are RED! I was genuinely happy in this moment. The family is going to be able fulfill the orders for the year.
They have a party where they roast marshmallows while sitting on hay barrels. They also go Christmas caroling while going on a hayride. The celebration is short-lived because Ellie has to go back to work before Christmas.
Patty gets an opportunity in Seattle, and she and Sean amicably break up.
Ellie goes to the city and realizes that it isn’t for her. She comes back home, but she is too late. Patty bought the family farm. Ellie tries to convince Patty to let her have the the farm. Patty realizes that she is moving to Seattle and gives Ellie the farm back, but only if they name a poinsettia after her…
In the town Christmas parade, Sean and Ellie ride on a float together and they kiss as the snow falls.
Side Note
Movie takes place in Maryland!
Minority Report: Ellie’s boss Lorna, Maybell the shop owner, Patty
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Overall rating
🎄🎄 (2 Christmas Trees)
🍷🍷🍷 (3 glasses of wine required)
*Photo Credit: © 2018 Lifetime
I liked this film better when it was made as Tulips In Spring and Bethany Joy Lenz was Fiona Gubelmann.
Haha, Pete! Perfect comment. Happy New Year.
I’m so glad I found your site- this is EXACTLY what my Christmas was missing!
Yay! Welcome. Please excuse any typos or misspellings! I recap while watching and drinking wine. Haha. Happy holidays!! 🍷🎄🍷🎄