Matt O’Connor
It’s Day 2 of our Christmas Movie Countdown. After kicking off this marathon with a holiday classic, this next film isn’t as well known, but still captures that same Christmas spirit that we all look for in a movie to watch for the holiday season. Personally, I absolutely love this movie and think that it perfectly captures that magical feeling that Christmas time brings.
Released exclusively on Netflix back in 2018, The Christmas Chronicles follows siblings Kate and Teddy Pierce who stay up late one night to prove the existence of Santa Claus. Hijinks ensue as the two end up finding Santa on the roof and sneak onto his sleigh, but Santa is startled and he crashes the sleigh in the middle of Chicago. To avoid permanently being on the naughty list, Kate and Teddy must work together with jolly old St. Nick to help repair his sleigh and get Christmas back on track.
While the plot is pretty predictable in many ways, it stills a highly entertaining Christmas focused adventure with a great balance between humor and heart. Kurt Russell is a perfect casing for Santa and his portrayal of Kris Kringle is one of my personal favorites. The dynamic between Teddy and Kate is also quite endearing. Throughout the film, Teddy struggles to maintain his Christmas spirit because of the loss of their father, while Kate tries to brighten things up and keep the Christmas spirit alive. Funnily enough, the Pierce siblings and their mother live in Lowell, Massachusetts.
You can watch The Christmas Chronicles on Netflix, and the film also received a sequel in 2020 with much of the original cast returning. We’ve got quite a bit to go before the holidays hit, but make sure to check back each day for a new Christmas Countdown entry!
