Amy Ackers plays Crystal, a seemingly lazy, unmotivated, spoiled middle aged socialite still living off her parents wealth. One day, while spending her parent's money (getting dresses for the various socialite Christmas Parties), she picks up a letter addressed to Santa. In it, a young girl, Olivia (Emma Duke), asks for a wife for her father. Crystal has just been told that she needs to straighten up or be cut off. So naturally Crystal sees this letter as a heavenly sign to . . . . ummm . . . well, let’s just leave that open for now. She is so touched by the letter that she does what any red blooded American girl would do, use the information and address from the letter to stalk young girl and her father. How does that not melt your little heart???
While tailing the Dad, Derek (David Haydn-Jones), she ends up in a soup kitchen. Derek assumes she’s a new volunteer and puts her to work. Either from fear of being exposed or just a general curiosity she plays along with his assumption. I will admit, despite her questionable behavior, Crystal comes across as a sweet, if a bit naïve, girl. She continues to volunteer and eventually meets Jillian (Played by Gina Holden) who is Derek’s girlfriend. Undeterred, Crystal continues to volunteer to spend time with Derek and soon forms a bond with Olivia. It turns out that Derek not only works at the homeless kitchen, but he runs it as a memorial to his late wife. This is all in addition to running his own snowplow business. Basically, he's just a super awesome and handsome guy who helps those less fortunate and puts his daughter’s welfare above his own.
Through both chance and clever planning, Crystal ends up forming a strong relationship with both the father and daughter. She seems genuinely concerned with Olivia and displays an obvious affinity for her father. Conspiring together, Crystal and Olivia manage to delay Derek’s intended marriage proposal to Jillian as neither are fond of her. Jillian’s claim to fame is being a former high school sweetheart who also helped Derek recover from the death of Olivia’s mom (Hey, when you really think about it. She doesn’t seem like that bad of a person and she’s attractive but . . . she’s not the lead here so she has GOTS TO GO!!!). Besides, Derek’s main motivation is to marry Jillian for Olivia’s benefit rather than his own well being.
As time goes by, Derek seems to reciprocate Crystal's affection and the two grow closer. Acker and Haydn-Jones have good chemistry. Acker displays a sensitivity and vulnerability that makes us easily dismiss the potentially disturbing way their relationship began. Crystal is befriended by Chef Patrick, played by Pete Kennedy, who also works at the shelter and is one of the most flamboyantly stereotypical gay men ever put on screen. Patrick and Crystal first bond over a shared preference of lipstick (I mean like . . . why not?). Jillian soon starts to see Crystal as competition for Derek’s affections however she cannot compete with sweet, nurturing, organized and loveable Crystal. At least not until Crystal leaves her purse in Derek’s bathroom with Olivia’s letter in it. She has been questioning Crystal to Derek for a while and this seems to give Jillian the ammunition to turn Derek against her. Crystal is ready for her first date with Derek when he shows up (just learning about the letter in her purse) and accuses Crystal of playing some sick game with him and Olivia. Instead of Crystal putting it all to rest by saying something logical like, “I just found the letter and when I attempted to return it got nervous. Then I ended up falling in love with Olivia and you.” which actually sounds pretty damn adorable she decides to go with something stupid like, “But I’ve changed!!!”
So Derek tells her off and goes home. Crystal is utterly distraught at this point. Then her mom calls to inform her she is officially cut off financially (Hey, when it rains it pours . . . amirite???). For Christmas they send her one last check to start out her new life. Crystal selflessly decides to use the check to reopen Derek’s soup kitchen. Olivia, who clearly favors Crystal over Jillian by like . . . a thousand times over . . . is not especially thrilled with this outcome and expresses her displeasure by doing what any 10 year old(ish) child would do - tell off her dad and run the hell away. Crystal, who is wandering around the city alone, winds up at a City Christmas tree she had visited earlier with Derek and Olivia. She then finds Olivia crying on a bench behind the tree. She goes to console her and just like that . . . Derek shows up (Noooooo waaaayyyyy). Crystal apologizes again and this time Derek says . . . well to paraphrase it . . . “Hey, it’s all cool cause I really love you! Plus Gay Patrick reminded me that meeting you was not random, it was destiny. Just like when I bumped into my first wife at a baseball game.” From there, it’s all good, their Christmas destinies are now fulfilled. They go back and have Christmas Eve dinner at the (now reopened) soup kitchen because who doesn’t want to spend Christmas Eve with a bunch of homeless people (Hell, I’m in!). On a side note, I’m hoping Derek marries her quickly because Crystal still has no job and is probably going to be out on the street in a few weeks since she blew all her money paying off the back rent on the soup kitchen. Well, never mind about those future issues for now because . . . Merry Christmas!!!
The leads are great together and Acker is so sweet as Crystal that within 15 minutes she makes us completely ignore her character’s ethically questionable impulses at the outset of the story. I give it a 4 out of 5.
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