Letters to Santa (2023 Hallmark)
📺. Stream/Watch the Movie (Ad): Watch or Stream via Hallmark Movies Now
Cast: Katie Leclerc, Rafael de la Fuente
Director:John Stimpson
Writer:
Danielle Artigo, Jon Artigo
➡️ Check out our Youtube Channel: Lifetime Uncorked: Lifetime Movie Reviews
🎧 Listen to the Lifetime Uncorked Podcast: Listen Now
🍷 Support the show with a $5 tip: https://ko-fi.com/patrickserrano
Rescued by Faith Lifetime Movie, Cookies for Breakfast, and True Crime – Lifetime Uncorked
- Rescued by Faith Lifetime Movie, Cookies for Breakfast, and True Crime
- Accused: The Karen Read Story, Katie Cassidy, and Turtleboy?
- It's A Wonderful Lifetime Preview, Brandy Norwood, Vivica A. Fox, and Airplane Movies?
- If I Run Lifetime Movie, Kat Graham, and Prayer Requests?
- Ice Road Killer Lifetime Movie, Christmas Thrillers, and Truckers
- You Better Watch Out, Christmas in July, and Bramblefest?
- The Nanny Sees All 2025 Lifetime Movie, Child Actor of the Year, and Golden Madison?
Make a one-time donation
Make a monthly donation
Make a yearly donation
Choose an amount
Or enter a custom amount
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlySynopsis (via Hallmark)
During the holidays, young siblings utilize a magical pen that grants wishes to bring their estranged parents back together.
Recap/Wine Thoughts
It’s Christmas. Enrique and his wife, Rebecca, take their kids Christmas tree shopping, while their marriage is strained. They are currently separated, on HALLMARK?!
Enrique takes the kids to their abuela’s family restaurant and decorates the tree there. (The kids put the ornaments WAY too close together.) The family tries to enjoy the moment but the tension is high.
Rebecca struggles to meet a book deadline but makes time for couples therapy. The sessions could have gone better because Enrique is interrupted by work phone calls. He also spent Rebecca’s book in advance for restaurant repairs before she even wrote the book.
The kids talk to a bookstore, Santa, who gives them a special MAGIC pen to write letters to him for Christmas. The kids write a letter to Santa asking for a puppy. Their grandma finds the letter, buys them a puppy, and leaves it by Enrique’s door. He shows the kids the following day, and Rebecca is LIVID because she feels like he is trying to turn the kids against her.
I’m not sure what is happening in this movie. They watch The Nutcracker on TV as a family, and then Enrique raps Silent Night to his kids and gets a creek in his neck.
The kids next write a letter to Santa wishing for a PlayStation.
At work, Enrique’s neck is still bothering him, and his co-worker Candy offers to do some physical therapy at the gym. They get caught up and are late picking up the kids from school. Enrique’s car won’t start, so he asks Candy to pick up the kids. Rebecca is THE MOST UPSET SHE HAS EVER BEEN when she sees a stranger, who is also an attractive woman, bringing home her children instead of her estranged husband. Rebecca and Enrique get into a huge fight in front of the kids. (Later, they fight about it in therapy.)
Rebecca makes a story pitch based on the kid’s Santa letters. It seems to be a hit. Rebecca takes a workout class with her co-worker, and they are surprised to see Candy is teaching the class. (I guess they are cool now?)
The kids wish for an Elf to help their mom write her book. When Rebecca brings her British co-worker to a Christmas festival, the kids mistake Liam for the Elf they wished for. Enrique becomes jealous when he sees them bonding with a new man.
The kids are naughty and sneak out of the house to yell at Santa for not granting their wish for their parents to be back together and a playstation. The guy who plays Santa is like, “WTF, where are your parents?” (J/K) He tells them to believe or some stupid shit. The parents find the kids and them.
Enrique and Rebecca play a game of True or False and cry. Rebecca is stressed, but Enrique suggests a practice pitch party, so she can feel better at work and more connected. Rebecca is very grateful for his thoughtfulness.
The party is a success and preps Rebecca for the pitch, which is CLEARLY based on her family. We see a bunch of stuff resolved to a silly song called “Dear Santa.” The book is ordered for 25,000 copies.
Enrique’s mom admits to fulfilling the kid’s wishes, and everyone laughs. The kids give Rebecca back the Santa pen and go to bed on Christmas Eve. Enrique stands outside and writes a song for Rebecca. He sings a song while the movie flashes all the moments from the movie where the couple were not fighting, which isn’t that many. Rebecca interrupts him with a kiss. (I’m unsure if she likes him or just wants him to stop singing.)
On Christmas day, the kids run in and are happy to find their parents in the same bed, then they jump on the bed like psychos.
Everyone opens their presents, and that one kid gets his playstation. The other kid gets Rebecca’s book that has been pusblished in one day by… THE NORTH POLE?
The end.
Note/Stray Thoughts
The acting wasn’t terrible here; there was more production and writing issues. Yikes!
Overall rating
Pour it up
Put a Cork in It
Christmas Feels
🎄🎄 (2 Christmas Trees)
Enjoyment Level: 🍷🍷 (2 glasses of wine.)
What did you think of the movie? Let me know in the comments or on social media @LifetimeUncorked
📺. Stream/Watch the Movie (Ad):
➡️ Check out our Youtube Channel: Lifetime Uncorked: Lifetime Movie Reviews
🎧 Listen to the Lifetime Uncorked Podcast: Listen Here
🍷 Support the show/blog 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.
*Photo Credit: © 2023 Hallmark
This was such a beautiful movie, my husband and I watch all the Hallmark movies. Letters to Santa was such a warm hearted movie we really enjoyed it.