Leah’s Perfect Gift (2024 Hallmark Channel)
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Cast: Emily Arlook, Evan Roderick, Barbara Niven
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Synopsis (via Hallmark)
Leah Meyer (Arlook) is a bonafide lover of Christmas – the trees, the ornaments, the eggnog! But she has always admired the holiday from afar because she’s Jewish. Though her family celebrates Hanukkah, Leah has longed to experience a traditional Christmas. When her boyfriend Graham (Roderick) invites her to spend the holidays with his classic Connecticut family, she eagerly accepts. Excited to dive into the quintessential Christmas she’s always dreamed of, Leah quickly discovers that fitting in with Graham’s uptight family and his not-so-welcoming mom (Niven) is easier said than done. As holiday traditions clash and awkward moments pile up, it is not quite the cozy Christmas that she expected.
Recap/Wine Thoughts
Leah and Graham are an interfaith couple (GASP!) She is Jewish and obsessed with Christmas, which makes this holiday season extra special because they are meeting one another’s family. There is Graham’s youngest sister, Maddie, who is a fan of fisheads. She is also a lesbian, and the two things aren’t dependent on the other. Maddie warns Leah about her parents being particular.
Leah brings Graham to her family’s Hanukkah party, and he helps make latkes. Leah’s mom is sad her daughter won’t be home for the holidays but can share Leah as long as she is going to be proposed to! (No pressure!!!!)
To prep Leah for his parents and their high-maintenance snobbery, Graham asks Leah to write a letter to Santa. She doesn’t know what she is getting herself into.
Barbara Niven plays the perfectionist mother who is on a schedule and ready to decorate. Mitchel is her doting husband, who is obsessed with apps (like on a phone), which is good because Leah is an app developer. Barbara hands out the Christmas Itinerary and Christmas pajamas. The family winces when Leah opens the gift like a HEATHEN and tears the paper. Barb likes people to open the presents neatly.
When it is time to trim the tree, Barbara divides it into quadrants and demands that the ornaments be exactly four inches apart. Leah is starving and needs to nosh, but the house has no snacks. When she asks Barbara, the mother gives Leah some seaweed to snack on until dinner. She also tells Leah to dress better for dinner.
Leah is confused, and she only brought Christmas sweaters with her on the trip. The dinner is underwhelming, and Barbara is not a good cook, but they all pretend she is. Leah tries to make a joke at the table, but it doesn’t go over well with the matriarch. Leah sneaks out once the family goes to bed at 7:30 in search of snacks.
Leah finds a bakery and makes friends with the owner, who agrees that this family sounds strange. Graham makes Leah some late-night Cambell’s Pasta Bake when she comes home. #AD?
The following day, Leah misses breakfast and finds Barb frantically searching the kitchen for her phone. Leah offers to call it, but Barb has the phone in her pocket. She answers her phone, confused. Barb asks Leah to take her into town so she can make lists on the way. (If this movie gives her Alztimers, I might flip a table.)
The family makes Gingerbread houses, and Leah has studied YouTube for this. She does too good of a job and beats Barb in the scoring. Barb goes to be early, upset. Graham is oblivious to the awkward moment, like hellooo this is your potential future wife.
Barb invites the Hampsted family over; they are long-time family friends. Of course, Grham used to date the daughter, and she is a straight-up ho trying to seduce Graham right in front of Leah. They build snowmen, and this time, Leah doesn’t try hard so Barb can win. She inadvertently insults Barb because the snowmen are supposed to represent the family artistically. Another awkward moment is broken up when Graham starts a snowball fight. The impromptu snowball fight is ruined when Leah accidentally hits Barb in the face.
They sit down for dinner, and Leah is expecting Turkey, but she is served Goose. Maddie chooses the dinner to let her family know she isn’t returning to business school. Barb is upset and states she is happy that Graham is sticking to the plan to move back to Connecticut and work at his father’s bank. Leah feels blindsided and worries she just doesn’t fit into Graham’s perfect little life.
On Christmas Eve morning, Leah is disappointed with her Christmas gift from Graham. (Not an engagement ring. A gift basket from a company.) Leah gives Graham an album of a picture from every date they have ever been on. Leah worries that she has gotten the signals wrong.
The family goes to the Christmas pageant, and they have to dress up as their favorite Christmas movie character. (Die-hard reference number 4 of the year incoming.) Graham stands up to his parents, and they take it pretty well.
Barb and Leah have a moment where they connect, and Barb is vulnerable about being afraid of losing her son. Leah just wants to fit in and wants to get to know Barb better.
Graham disappears and Leah follows his location to the local bakery. Leah is shocked to see her parents are in town from two hours away. They are acting very strange because, duhhhh, he is going to propose. He gives Leah his grandmother’s ring. He asked for it in his letter to Santa. He had his mother’s approval all along.
On Christmas morning they all celebrate together and then go to eat Chinese food for dinner.
Side Note/Stray Thoughts
I fully thought Barbara Nevin was going to have a Stlll Alice moment.
Overall rating
Pour it up
Put a Cork in It
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
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*Photo Credit: © 2024 Hallmark
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