Natlie and "Mr. Christmas"
Dear Christmas is a Lifetime holiday movie that premiered in 2020, directed by Hartbreak Films, Inc. The film stars Melissa Joan Hart as Natalie Morgan, Jason Priestley as Chris Massey, Faith Prince as Jenny Morgan, and Ed Begley Jr. as Randy Morgan.Natalie Morgan is a successful podcaster, host of the holiday romance broadcast "Holiday Love", despite never finding true love for herself. As Christmas approaches, Natalie plans to do a special livestream in her hometown near Lake Tahoe, but requires some roadside assistance on the way there. Once back with her family, she learns that the tow truck driver that came to her aid, Chris, is actually a local firefighter from her past, and they start to connect.
Tropes:
- The Cameo: One of the testimonials submitted to Natalie to use for her broadcast is from a couple that was featured on Married At First Sight.
- Flat Character:
- Bill, Emma Morgan's husband and the man responsible for her Obvious Pregnancy, doesn't even appear until Emma's Maternity Crisis and has no importance afterwards.
- Hank, the man in charge of HR at Penny's podcasting business, simply sits in complete silence next to Penny when she sends Natalie a testimonial announcing their newfound love.
- Forgotten First Meeting: Chris and Natalie were both members of their grade school band, and Natalie even wrote about him in her old diary, but she has completely forgotten about him by the present day.
- Fourth-Date Marriage: When Penny informs Natalie that she's hooked up with someone, she claims to have learned that true love takes time, which unintentionally causes Natalie to worry that her budding relationship with Chris is moving too fast. However, Natalie's mom Jenny informs her that some things just happen at different times for different people, and there's nothing wrong with that; additionally, Natalie being gifted her old diary as a present and learning she used to have a crush on Chris helps her accept how fast things are moving currently.
- Homemade Sweater from Hell: The Morgans host a party with ugly Christmas sweaters as its theme, leading Chris to wear a sweater depicting Santa Claus wielding a sword and riding on a unicorn in space.
- Jack of All Trades: In addition to driving a tow truck and being a fireman, Chris is hired by the Morgans to help them set up Christmas decorations, plays guitar for children as "Mr. Christmas", and blows glass ornaments.
- Long-Distance Relationship: Natalie currently lives 2000 miles from her hometown, which she brings up towards the climax when she's worried that her and Chris' relationship is moving too fast. However, in the end, they decide to try and make it work.
- Maternity Crisis: Emma, Natalie's nine-months-pregnant sister, goes into labor and needs Natalie's help right before Natalie can attend the Fireman's Ball with Chris. However, it doesn't lead to a major conflict, as Natalie simply calls Chris via cellphone and informs him of the emergency, and they later dance in the empty dance hall together.
- Meaningful Echo: The following exchange happens at multiple points: when Chris first meets Natalie (since he's helping her parents decorate), after cutting down a tree together (since he's catering an "ugly Christmas sweater" party being held at the Morgan house), after the ugly sweater party (since he's crafting heart-shaped glass ornaments that Natalie and Emma want to buy), after they blow some glass ornaments together (since Chris immediately asks her to a Fireman's Ball after the exchange), and when Natalie visits Chris when he's filling last-minute ornament orders the day before Christmas (where Chris and Natalie's lines are reversed).Chris: I'll see you tomorrow.
Natalie: You sound pretty sure of that.
Chris: Pretty sure. - Minimalist Cast: There are only six prominent characters in the film: Natalie, her parents, her sister Emma, her boss Penny, and Chris. With the exception of a few testimonials Natalie receives to help her broadcast, no other character has a speaking role, even when Emma's husband or Penny's "true love" appear on-screen.
- Missed Him by That Much: After attending the same school, it turns out that both Natalie and Chris had travelled to Norway, Japan, and Australia at roughly the same times as each other, and Chris had once almost attended a celebration that Natalie was at, yet they never encountered each other again in all that time.
- Obvious Pregnancy: Natalie's sister Emma is nine months pregnant, indicated by a huge and near-spherical belly bump.
- Parental Substitute: Chris' brother died unexpectedly in the past, motivating Chris to be a better uncle to his niece and nephew.
- Plot-Driven Breakdown: One of these instigates the first encounter Natalie has with Chris.
- Punny Name: The love interest's name is Chris Massey (as in, Christmas-y), with the stage name "Mr. Christmas".
- Rule of Symbolism: When Natalie first asks Chris his opinion on true love, he compares it to finding a unicorn. He later shows up to the ugly Christmas sweater party with a unicorn on his ugly sweater, and in the climax, affirms his affections for Natalie by giving her a ring and a unicorn figurine.
- Title Drop: "Dear Christmas" is the name of the segment Natalie is preparing for her latest "Holiday Love" broadcast. It becomes a Double-Meaning Title when she ends up addressing that broadcast to her "Mr. Christmas" after her concerns about the relationship moving too fast drive them apart.
- Token Black Friend: Natalie has a friendly relationship with her boss in the podcast industry, Penny. They have a brief conversation about how neither of them has found true love before Natalie leaves for her hometown, and Penny later lets her know that she's found true love with the guy in charge of their HR.
