User Reviews

I thought I was going to see another "Woman chose man over her career" and even though it was you still have the Christmas touch that helped the story: The leading lady at first enjoys this new life, single, an excellent career, that was given to her. However, she still meets her husband and she learns that Christmas is not the same without him, without the people she loves and realizes that even her sister is miserable without the family she doesn't know she used to have. And that's what this Holiday is about, spending time with your loved ones and gain traditions and memories in the process that will be stuck with you forever.

I have been delaying this movie for a few days because I watched "Just in time for Christmas" recently which is basically the same formula. I'm glad I did so that's perhaps why I actually enjoyed it!

I think what I liked the most was Nikki Deloach. I have seen her before but not as the main lady and she did an outstanding job! I hope we get to see more. Also, I think I Andrew W.Walker did an amazing job (as always)- I swear to God when these two looked at each other... It's rare but I hope they get to work together again! (UPDATE 4/11: They are going to be working together in "The perfect Catch")

So, it's a lovely movie to enjoy. I'm not gonna lie, I was on the edge of tears, even though I knew it would have the happy ever after these types of movie have.

I was a bit disappointed in this Hallmark movie. Primarily, because the premise of a woman finding out what her life would be like without her husband (a la "It's a Wonderful Life") has rich potential for a good holiday time-waster. However, the writers have opted to make our heroine's complaints rather minor. The main thing seems to be that her husband is gone a lot. Other than that, everything seems normal. He is considerate of her and she wants to support him in his work. Her wish to "have never been married" would seem to stem from the frustration of a moment as opposed to some deep-seated issues in their relationship. Such a situation does not seem to merit the kind of universe-altering wish-granting that the Christmas angel (nicely played by Cindy Williams) suddenly bestows. This is too bad because the later scenes between Nikki Deloach (as Penny) and Andrew Walker (as Stu) are actually very good. Ms. Deloach does a great job in quietly communicating her longing for the man who is no longer hers. Mr. Walker is nicely confused by his attraction to the woman who, in this reality, is a stranger to him. The scene at the party where Stu looks around the room and oh so subtly lights up when he sees Penny is a marvelous combination of light, sound and acting. It's a shame really. The too tepid set-up kind of washes out what would be some really emotionally resonant scenes.

There is a big deal made about the Douglas Fir tree, picking it out, why it needs to be one. But then... it wasn't a Douglas Fir! They had a noble fir. Why oh why couldn't they just re-write the script to the type of tree they did buy?

Otherwise the film is fine. But if your idea of a man who works means that you should leave him, the plot of this movie, than poor you. It was wonderful to see Cindy Williams again. Been awhile.

She gets her wish granted and dreams of life without having married her husband and the consequences of having a successful career and no love are granted.

A wife and mother wonders if she should ever have gotten married. Her photographer husband frequently travels to create a wildlife photo book and she's stuck in job she doesn't really care for, frustrated.

So when she makes a very George Bailey-like wish, and angel grants it and she awakes to find herself a successful executive, but single and suddenly unsure if her dream life makes up for what she's lost without her husband and family.

When she needs a photographer for a new ad campaign, she seeks out the man who doesn't know her and convinces him to shoot it. Will she be able to win his hears a second time? Will she get her old life back?

We like both actors who play the romantic leads, and this is a movie we're happy to watch every three or four years.

Our heroine, Penny, frustrated because her loving but frequently absent husband may not be home for Christmas, casually voices a random thought about how she wishes she had never been married. Voila! A busybody and eavesdropper behind her in line uses her Christmas Angel powers to grant her her "wish." Except it is not a real heartfelt desire, it was just a momentary voicing of some mild frustration. She loves her husband dearly, and her husband is crazy about her. He is absent because he is a wildlife photographer, and it is now or never to catch the reindeer migration for his book, which is a mutual dream for the couple. She can no longer go with him because they decided she had to give up her marketing of his photos to get a paying job to support them until his business becomes profitable. And now she has to give a presentation that may lead to a big promotion.

Horrified and bewildered at her new life, she encounters the Christmas demon…er, angel again, but the cold rhymes with witch refuses to take back her thoughtless whim..er… sincere wish. It was nice to see Cindy Williams again, but the character she plays is really creepy, scary, and mean. I don't think this was intended. I blame the director. She has the gall to blame Penny's dilemma and tragic consequences (her happily married sister is now single and her children no longer exist) on Penny and then on God himself, refusing to see it was her grossly inappropriate and unasked for meddling that is at fault and it is her responsibility to fix all of the collateral damage.

Enjoying some of the perks of her rich and successful new life, Penny briefly flirts with just moving forward and forgetting her past. A very handsome new client wants to date her, she likes her VIP status, her important position and the work she does, and her Jaguar. Who wouldn't be tempted? Luckily she and her husband never had children. So that is an important hurdle she doesn't have to jump. Only two things are wrong. She misses her husband, and her sister is no longer a happily married mother.

It sounds like I didn't like this movie, but I really did. It is based on a very weak premise, but Penny's journey really is done well. Her flirtation with the client, who seems at first like a great guy, is tanked because she knows and feels like she is still married. She seeks out her husband, now a very successful corporate photographer, and sparks still fly. The chemistry between them is some of the best I've seen in a Hallmark movie. Andrew W. Walker, a Hallmark perennial, really touched my heart in this, as did Nikki Deloach, as Penny. Of course, all is settled in typical Hallmark fashion but this one had some intriguing qualities and even a few surprises.

Woman has to give up everything and follow her mate to find happiness. He doesn't have to do a thing to improve the relationship. He doesn't have to change or give up a thing. She gives up her career to follow him around on his travels, like a puppy dog . Her mate puts his own needs above her. He HAS to break his promise and run off to Alaska right away. Why? Because. If he doesn't, he may not be able to finish his book. There should be some give and take, not so one sided. That's all I have to say. However, I am short on the minimum number of characters to reach the six hundred characters that are required. I do not understand why there is minimum number of characters required.