‘Tis the Season to Be Irish (2024 Hallmark Channel)
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Cast: Fiona Gubelmann, Eoin Macken,
Director: Lesley Demetriades
Writer(s): Joie Botkin, Samantha Herman, Michael G. Larkin
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DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlySynopsis (via Hallmark)
Rose (Gubelmann), a nomadic house flipper, heads to Ireland to renovate and sell a cottage, but her plans are upended when she meets Sean (Macken), a local realtor determined to preserve his town’s heritage. As she works on the cottage and embraces Irish Christmas traditions, Rose finds herself falling for Sean and questioning her fear of settling down. Together, they must confront their pasts and discover if love is worth taking root.
Recap/Wine Thoughts
Note/Stray Thoughts
Surprisingly, the movie doesn’t start with Irish Christmas music! Rose Walsh is a successful house flipper. She has renovated many houses in the area and is her local Joanna Gaines. Her pregnant business partner wonders where they should flip next, and Rose wants to try Ireland. Her mother romanticized Ireland to her as a child. The friends look up houses and find a deal that is too good to be true, a place called Rosealey Cottage. Rose calls the dealer, Sean, who tells her that someone has a bid on the home and offers Rose to be a backup buyer. He tells her to read the fine print and not buy the cottage, but Rose makes an offer double the listing price.
Cut a travel sequence and lots of shots of the Irish countryside. Sean picks Rose up at the airport, but she declines the ride, thinking he is a little too persistent. When she arrives at the cottage, Rose is surprised to see Sean at the cottage. Sean is surprised to learn that Rose is a house flipper. He thinks they are the worst.
They tour the house, and it is more than a fixer-upper. It is a shack and not the love kind. (Maybe it has a tin roof?) Rose feels like she has been home catfished. Since she can’t stay at the cottage, Sean takes her into town and offers her a room at the local inn.
Rose talks with another flipper at the hotel that has been in town working for eight months. The historic preservationist is difficult to work with, and is also, Sean.
Rose gets to work on the house, which is just poking things with a screwdriver and making a list on an iPad. Then, she takes a lunch break and follows a lamb into town. Rose meets locals and tourists and just appreciates the new culture. She bumps into Sean and tells him about her nomadic life and that she has never made a home in one place too long. Her dad lives in Florida with his new wife and kids, so Rose is going at it alone.
The proposed design plans that Rose comes up with are denied by Sean because they don’t help preserve the historic cottages’ nature. Rose can’t even paint the walls!
Sean’s mother works at a candle shop and gives Rose a Christmas tree candle. The sailor’s wives would put them in the windows at Christmas time to welcome the men home for the holidays. Then Sean’s mother invites Rose over for dinner. Sean tells Rose to stir the pie filling counterclockwise for good luck, and she tells him she is not superstitious.
Rose finally picks a paint color!!!! Sean tries to convince Rose to do the annual Christmas Day Swim. Rose hopes to be out of town by then, but she is warming to Sean.
FINALLY we go to an Irish pub! Rose and Sean share some drinks and laughs. Sean walks Rose home and tells her about the couple who lived in the cottage before her. A young couple made a wish on a tree and grew old together in the home for 70 years. That was their wish. Rose and Sean both make a wish on the same tree, and Rose wishes for a place to call home.
The cottage is coming along but still has no water or heating. Sean brings over decorations and helps Rose make the place more festive for viewing. They do walk-throughs for a few potential buyers who wonder why Rose is selling.
Sean’s mother invites Rose over again for dinner but pulls a switcharoo and says she can’t stay, leaving Sean and Rose alone. They sit down to watch a Christmas movie but can’t decide on what movie to watch. Sean wants to live in a rom-com, and Rose wants Die Hard. They snuggle up for a movie and fall asleep. Rose wakes up the next day to Sean’s note, saying she went out for Irish Coffee. (Awww!)
They stroll on the rocky beach where the Christmas Day Swim will happen. Sean tries to convince Rose to jump in the ocean with him and asks her to “take the plunge with him.” (Rose, say YES!) Then a text comes in, and there is an offer for the cottage.
The other house flipper in town, RANDOMLY, IS A POP SUPERSTAR IN HIDING?!??!??!? (WHAT IN THE HANNAH MONTANA?!?!?!)
Rose isn’t excited about the cottage sale and meets with the buyers. They want to build luxury hotels or something, and Rose warns them that Sean won’t go for that, but he is totally fine with their plans. Rose is confused.
Sean’s mom invites Rose over for tea, and they go over some renovation projects for her house. She tells Rose that there is a time for traveling and a time to belong. Rose admits that she lost her sense of home when her mother passed away, and she feels alone. Rose is good at being alone. Sean’s mother isn’t having that and invites Rose and her friends over for Christmas dinner.
Sean and Rose go on a picnic and almost kiss, but they pull away. They don’t want to get to close if Rose is leaving. Rose stalls on signing the paperwork because she is unsure of what to do. She puts in an offer at a place in Scotland and invites Sean to join her.
The Pop Star and Rose join the Widow when she tries to spread her husband’s ashes. They sing “O’ Danny Boy” instead, and they must because it is an Irish movie, after all.
It is Christmas day, and things are still in up the air. Sean leaves the beach and runs around town looking for Rose. He finds the lamb that has been following Rose the whole movie and tracks her down. It leads him to the cottage, and Rose has the tree candle burning in the window.
Rose has decided that she has found a home in Sean. He is the place she wants to return to again and again. They chose to stay in the cottage and continue to restore it. Then, they will see where the next adventure takes them.
They kiss on the beach and take the plunge in the ocean, fully clothed.
Side Note/Stray Thoughts
The Sandy Widow storyline was so sad!
Overall rating
Pour it up
Put a Cork in It
Christmas Feels
🎄🎄 (2 Christmas Trees)
Enjoyment Level: 🍷🍷🍷 (3 glasses of wine.)
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