The grandfather figure (Chap) is dealing with the recent loss of his wife and it's made him reclusive and grouchy. Circumstances force him to put aside his hurt in favor of helping others and processing his grief in a healthier way. I really enjoyed Steve J. Young as Chap. He seemed like someone you'd just want to hug in church. Cassidy, the little girl, knows NOTHING, absolutely nothing of the true Christmas story and she begins to learn all about it in such a sweet way that it was a genuine pleasure to watch. The villain, Eddie, does a good job of being believable. I only wish they had called the sheriff on him at some point. I can't say I'm a fan of actress Tara Reid who played the long-distance daughter, Laura, sporting raccoon looking eye-makeup, but she was not the main focus thankfully because in my opinion her acting was sub-par compared with the rest of the cast. Overall, I needed a tissue a couple of times, I appreciated the rural Kentucky ranch town that I would welcome visiting, loved how the "family" came together, the kindness of nice-guy Tyler (played by Randy Wayne) who's role is appropriate... showing a bit of romantic interest without being over the top because it's such a new relationship and I liked that. The manger story was thoughtfully and gently shared in a unique way. Although it's not a big box office budget it does not come off as a cheesy low-budget film. Most the actors did a good job. I would watch it again and recommend it to friends and family.
🎄 {Not really a spoiler, but for parents with young children, there is one scene where Chap gets punched in the face and is knocked unconscious, head bleeding from whatever he fell on. This happens when Eddie shows up in the dark at the manger, so you can have your kids look away at that point}.
