Campfire Christmas (2022 Hallmark)
📺. Stream/Watch the Movie (Ad): N/A
Cast: Tori Anderson, Corbin Bleu, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, Caitlin Stryker, Matt Hamilton, Alec Santos
➡️ Check out our Youtube Channel: Lifetime Uncorked: Lifetime Movie Reviews
🎧 Listen to the Lifetime Uncorked Podcast: https://anchor.fm/lifetime-uncorked
🍷 Support the show with a $5 tip: https://ko-fi.com/patrickserrano
The Hillsdale Adoption Scam Lifetime Movie, Keshia Knight Pulliam, and KitchenAid Mixers? – Lifetime Uncorked
- The Hillsdale Adoption Scam Lifetime Movie, Keshia Knight Pulliam, and KitchenAid Mixers?
- Spinning Out of Control Lifetime Movie, Peloton, and Ria Ridley??!
- Reba McEntire's The Hammer Lifetime Movie, Speeding Tickets, and Matty Finochio?
- A New Orleans Noel Lifetime Movie, Praline Secret ingredient, and Brad James?
- Lifetime Christmas Movie Santa Bootcamp, Rita Moreno, Melissa Joan Hart and Lena Dunham?
Synopsis (via Hallmark)
Romance rekindles for Peyton and her closest friends during a holiday themed reunion which Peyton’s parents decide to host in their family owned summer camp before selling it.
Recap/Wine Thoughts
The move begins at Camp Evergreen for its annual Christmas in July celebration.
It’s 2007, and we see counselors in training. Peyton, whose parents own the camp, wishes that she and her teen friends all keep in touch.
Flash to the present day, Peyton is a successful writer’s assistant in the city. (Yes, she has never published an article) She doesn’t mind working during the holidays because her family celebrates Christmas in July, a tradition her grandmother started at the camp. Peyton’s parents have decided to retire, meaning Camp Evergreen will only have one last Christmas in July. It will be a reunion of all the camp alumni.
Dave and Janice make a lunch date with Peyton when they hear the news about the camp. They were dating back in the camp days and are still together. They insist she joins them at the reunion. Peyton agrees after her boss gives her a shot to write a manuscript about something more personal… like Christmas in July!
At camp, a stretch limo pulls up, and Beckett jumps out. He is a Broadway star and annoyed to see his acting rival Chris is also at the reunion. Everyone is all back together, with the exception of Peyton’s old flame, Thomas. (Don’t worry, he literally shows up in the next scene.)
The movie outlines the holiday activities: Cabin lighting, Capture the wreath, snowball fight, and Christmas in July pageant. (Which Chris and Beckett will be begrudgingly co-planning.)
Peyton and Janice bunk up and go through old photos. Janice shares that her relationship has lost its spark, and she worries that Dave doesn’t want children anymore.
When the wreaths are ruined by water damage from a leaky roof, Thomas and Peyton repair them and have a glitter fight. Peyton tells Thomas about her manuscript lacking a personal touch. Thomas tells her that the idea will come to her and not to worry.
The idea does come to her when her parents pull out old scrapbooks. Her manuscript will be about Camp Evergreen!
Capture the wreath happens, and we see a flashback of when Peyton won the match AND Thomas’ effection. I couldn’t explain how this game was won, much like all sports.
Beckett and Chris continue to bicker, and Beckett recruits all his friends into the pageant. Chris admits to having had a crush on Beckett when they were kids, and it creates an awkward rehearsal process. Especially when they almost kiss when they are alone. Beckett explains that he never got his camp crush like everyone else. (Something simple that a lot of LGBTQ+ youth experience.)
Around the campfire, campers share their favorite camp memories. Peyton shares a memory of making gingerbread summer houses. Beckett glued a gumdrop to his hand, getting stuck there for TWO DAYS. (If that is her best story, she better just give up on that manuscript now.)
Thomas and Peyton get caught up in the nostalgia of camp and kiss. Peyton puts the kiss on the back burner to make her pitch to her boss, Mona. Mona seems impressed but ends the video pitch abruptly.
The pageant happens and includes a lot of glitter and elaborate choreography. (I mean, honestly, which should have been expected with the gay director!) After the show, Beckett and Chris admit that they have feelings for one another but don’t know how they would make it work in the real world.
Peyton overhears half a conversation in the dressing room and thinks Thomas doesn’t want to do long distance. Mona calls at the worst time to pass on the book, and the emotional Peyton quits her job. Peyton decides she is going to take over the camp and give up on her writing dreams.
Too bad, Peyton’s parents have decided to sell the land to a Christmas Tree farmer. They tell her she will find her past, and she does when Thomas gives her a drawing of her raising the Christmas in July flag. They decide to make an illustrated book together.
Flash to the following Christmas, Chris, and Beckett are together, Dave and Janice are pregnant, and Tomas and Peyton are engaged! Merry Christmas… in July!
Side Note
Minority Report: Janice, Kelly, Beckett,
📺. Stream/Watch the Movie (Ad): N/A
➡️ Check out our Youtube Channel: Lifetime Uncorked: Lifetime Movie Reviews
🎧 Listen to the Lifetime Uncorked Podcast: https://anchor.fm/lifetime-uncorked
🍷 Support the show with a $5 tip: https://ko-fi.com/patrickserrano
Inquiries | podcast@lifetimeuncorked.com
🍾 Your Support is appreciated. Donate today to keep the website going! Thank you.
Christmas Trees represent the Christmas vibes. *** I’ve updated the rating system. Wine is my overall enjoyment (NOT a value judgment) on a 1-5 scale.
I will use the following tags for those who want to know if they should watch or skip: Pour it Up (Would Recommend) or Put A Cork In It (Would Not Recommend).
Overall rating
Christmas Feels
🎄🎄🎄 (3 Christmas Trees)
Enjoyment Level: 🍷🍷🍷 (3 glasses of wine.)
What did you think of the movie? Let me know in the comments or on social media @LifetimeUncorked
*Photo Credit: © 2022 Hallmark Crown Media
Live tweet along with @LifetimeUncork using the hashtag #CampfireChristmas
Tweet
