The 12 Gifts of Christmas (2015)

THE MOVIE

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Written and Directed by Peter Sullivan. He wrote it with Lynn Grant Beck and Jennifer Notas Shapiro based on the original story of Ms. Beck.

When Anna(KATRINA LAW), an unemployed painter, is unable to make ends meet, she is hired to become a personal Christmas shopper for Marc(AARON O'CONNELL), an uptight corporate exec. As they work together, Marc learns that Christmas giving has less to do with the amount of money spent and more to do with the importance of the gift, while Anna discovers she might find success as an artist in a way she never expected. Written by THE Hallmark CHANNEL

When watching a Christmas story I want to feel light, warm and fuzzy inside.  I don't need a horror story or a mystery, with some exceptions, of course, or something macabre(something worse than a horror movie, at least for me) or whatever else that heightens the negativity.  Besides that, I also want the story to have some originality, even if it's formulaic or something.

The 12 Gifts of Christmas is that kind of story.  It is indeed formulaic, but it has something good to offer.  

Sometimes critics, even when they enjoy something, they try to find faults.  I won't go too far.  I watched a movie with someone who kept laughing, crying, and sharing all those emotions with the characters he was watching, but when he started writing his review, he lambasted the director, the writers, et cetera, et cetera. 

We bloggers can give our opinions on things, but those are our opinions.  We at times help people decide, but isn't it better to see for yourself?  If you agree with us, fine.  If not, it's still fine.  Who can force you if you don't like something?  Nobody.  At the end of the day, it's your decision, and not someone else's.  If you laughed, but the critics hated it, go continue laughing.  If you liked the darn movie, go like the darn movie.  I remember almost not watching Air Force One because the critics hated it.  Good thing it was the featured inflight movie.  Yes, you read it right.  An inflight movie.

Anna and Marc have some kind of attraction even before actually meeting, and when they do, it's because they both need each other.  Marc helps Anna professionally, Anna helps Marc personally, and vice versa.

We see here home life, bakery/cafe life, office life, business life, an artist's life, family life, et cetera, et cetera(Why do I hear Yul Brynner's voice in my head???).

SOME OF THE SUPPORTING CHARACTERS:

🎄Marie is played by MELANIE NELSON.  She is the sister of Anna who loves her very much, likewise Marie loves Anna.  Marie's daughters, Bella(LAIYA WHITE) and Sophia(ALYSSA BUCKNER), adore Auntie Anna so much, and so does her husband.  

🎄DONNA MILLS plays Marc's mom who loves and misses her beloved son. Let me be honest with you.  I read some reviews and they were saying that this movie is too good to be true.  Some went to far by saying Donna Mills looks like thirty years old, but she's really seventy-five.  So what?????!!!????  Some people age faster, some people age slowly and gracefully.  Whether she underwent gazillions of surgeries or not, she's Donna Mills.  She's beautiful.

To shorten this already long blog entry, let me just say, whether you think it's possible or not, it is a beautiful movie.  

True, the cupcake was eaten with a fork and a knife.  I have news for you.  There are places that only serve cupcakes with forks and knives.  The place was a bit uppity, and the cupcakes did have frosting.  I get you.  It is indeed better to eat cupcakes normally.

There I go again, blabbing.  It's just that I liked this movie so much, and if others don't share my opinion, then so be it.

Thanks for your time.