Everything Christmas (2023)

Lori-Jo - LJ to her friends - and Tory are best friends and coworkers. Christmas is LJ's favorite time of the year, while Tory is more practically oriented to think much about the holidays. That's why LJ, in an ultimatum from her boss, quits instead of works over the holidays in determined not to put off her Christmas plans yet again this year, namely to head to Yuletide Springs, a town that does Christmas year round. In a promise to her now deceased Grandmother, LJ plans to hang the Christmas tree ornament they made together on the public Christmas tree in the town square on Christmas Eve. LJ is able to convince a reluctant Tory to accompany her, she planning on working remotely without telling said boss that she's actually leaving town, that reluctance despite Tory truly disliking her job. With it being a several day drive away, LJ has a set schedule to arrive in Yuletide Springs early, that schedule to provide some cushion if anything goes wrong on the road. A car problem early on in their trip is just a harbinger of the delays they face. The common factor in all the delays is an elderly man calling himself Kris Kringle who seems to imply to them that they should not let the unexpected things in life pass them by, especially in the magic of Christmas. Kris seems to be able to work his magic so that along the way LJ makes a connection with garage owner Zack, and Tory with Jason, who has already made the decision to stop and smell the roses in focusing on what is important to him in life. The questions become how Kris' magic will affect LJ making it to Yuletide Springs on time, and if Kris truly is who he makes himself out to be, something that LJ and eventually Tory end up believing.—Huggo