Magic Stocking

This had a lot of things I liked. Maybe I'll like it better with a second watching. The mom was annoying: angry and grieving throughout the entire movie. Negative about everything. Determined to be miserable. Refused advice or help from everyone.

The story itself was actually cute. Adorable puppies, good acting by the girl, and a magic stocking. The male lead could have been more upbeat, but it was okay. For the most part, it was enjoyable.

Supposed to be cold and all snow yet all the license plates were from Florida.

Well, I've had b*$$er all in my stocking since I bought it. It just sits there hanging with nothing inside it, every year, so I can only hope that one day it becomes magic and sorts things out in my life like the one in this story.

The magic is done in a very gentle way actually, not at all over the top and not really explained. It just happens without taking over the plot.

It's a cute story, but the lead female really gets on my nerves. It's like she's determined to be miserable. I know that death in a family can be hard, but hanging on like she does and getting angry at the slightest thing that goes against her plans to wallow in grief just isn't healthy. Choose a favourite shirt and hang it in the wardrobe so you can always see it. Do the things that made him happy, don't stop doing Christmas because it was something he liked. Where is the actual sense in that? So yeah, she frustrated me a bit. He also annoyed me somewhat with his desperate need for everything to be perfect and his refusal to bend even slightly. I'm sure his grandfather would have preferred him to leave his own legacy rather than repeating his. There was also something in his eyes that I didn't like.

The grandmother was great and for once the child didn't make me feel sick from all the saccharin they usually contain and the cute little puppies were adorable.

The Christmas element gets lost a tad amongst all the romance and other issues, but its not bad at all.

This was a different Hallmark Christmas movie, and I found that so refreshing. It has a pretty typical plot - a widowed mom struggling with Christmas, a pushy grandmother trying to get her to move on, and a little girl wishing for a puppy. But instead of just an unrealistic transformation of the actress to an oh everything's suddenly ok, you see a mom with real angst and emotion who is challenged by her mother to work through her grief and who wasn't afraid of the conflict that ensued. I loved the lead actress, Bridget Regan, who usually plays supporting actresses in Hallmark movies. She portrayed a much more realistic struggle with believing magic, with not wanting to move on, and she shows true emotion. I'm not sure why the reviews for this movie aren't higher. It was tense at times between the characters as they worked through conflict- and no people aren't always likable every stage of grief, but you still loved her as a character and felt empathy towards her which is so important. Perhaps everyone just wants the feel good super bubbly always cloyingly sweet can do no wrong lead characters. Bridget was such a welcome change for me. I hope they use her more! Both the daughter and the grandmother were also excellent actors. The leading man fell a little short for me.

This movie is refreshing! It has a lot of family values in it and can be enjoyed by children/parents/grandparents. Sad things happen in this world and losing a spouse/father is very difficult. You don't get over it in a few months---it's different for everyone and healing takes time. Holidays are especially emotional filled with memories of happier times with your loved one. The main characters, Scott & Lindsey are good actors, as well as being gorgeous, and there's a good rapport between them. I especially liked Donna and Fred, who are married in real life. The puppy added a lot to the story line. There's always something magical about Christmas and the fantasy of a magical Christmas stocking is charming. Perfect for family viewing at Christmas---and even in July👍🏻