Mystery on Mistletoe Lane

This is basically a treasure hunt at Christmas story. It started out looking like a haunted house story, but that vanished once the kids started following the clues. The mystery develops nicely into the treasure hunt. There are some added complexities later in the hunt, but clues to them were in it from early on.

I think that kids of one of the leads are just right in a Christmas story and these kids become a big part of the story without overwhelming the romance. I would say that the romance and the treasure hunt are almost equal themes in the plot.

The acting is good and the dialogue is good including a few "bad" jokes. Victor Webster and Erica Cerra have nice chemistry. I had no idea just from watching this that Cerra was Deputy Jo on Eureka despite watching that series at least twice. She makes a good lead in this kind of movie. I liked that Heidi was always upbeat.

Kind of a cozy, Christmasy Hallmark.

Victor Webster and Erica Cerra star in Mystery on Mistletoe Lane from 2023. Cerra is Heidi Wicks, a divorced mother of two, who moves from North Carolina to a small town in Massachusetts to take a job as head of the Historical Society.

She meets the old director, David, who helps her get settled in the large house the society has given her to live in.

Heidi soon learns the house was a center of the community at Christmas, which one year stopped suddenly. David's father (Fred Henderson) is reluctant to talk about the house. Meanwhile, Heidi's children find clues in the house and embark on a treasure hunt for wooden reindeer from Santa's sleigh.

Typical Hallmark, with a relaxed atmosphere, likable characters, and a warm story. I would put this a cut above most of the cookie cutter Hallmark films.

Bring your friends. Watch your family. Get the kids in the room with you. Put the gadgets aside and make sure everyone has a cup of cocoa. Can you solve the mystery of mistletoe Lane?

This was a very enjoyable, fun, and cute movie. Get into the holiday spirit. Or, get back--or discover for the first time--what the holiday spirit is as you try to figure out the clues.

As I watched the movie, with two of the "main characters" being a historical society and an old house, it made me think of the many historic churches that are open on Christmas Eve, though many have never visited them or experienced a Christmas communion or candlelight service.

This movie celebrates Christmas memories and customs in today's households. It might suggest some customs for your own annual observance.

Watch it. Solve it. Try it.

Finally, a MfTVM worthy of the Hallmark name! Well done all. The writing is quite clever and not too syrupy or vapid and tedious - evidenced by actors who don't look embarrassed to speak the lines. In fact, the actors do a lovely job of keeping it real and not schmacty. (As real as can be in a Christmasy Hallmark movie.) It was beautifully directed as Mr. Harmon didn't beat the viewer over the head with obviousness or too much manipulation as so many of these pieces do. The costumes, make-up, set dec all felt down-to-earth even in a movie all about over-the-top Christmas. I'm not a fan of Christmas made for tv movies, but I enjoyed this one very much. Thanks for your effort team!

7.2 stars.

This is a fun little adventure for families as they solve a puzzle. This is an "x" marks the spot, discover the next clue sort of family mystery. There are no scary parts, and the trailer is a bit misleading, because it's not really a "mystery" per se. All that aside, it's still a wonderful story of people who suffered loss and found each other with a little help from a man who once occupied a mistletoe mansion.

This is sure to entertain a younger audience, especially children who love solving riddles, doing puzzles, and absolutely enjoy the holidays. So if you are in the mood for a little reindeer riddle during this holiday season, listen carefully to each clue (8 clues for 8 reindeer) and maybe you can solve the mystery before they do. And in the meantime, this mother of two young children may find her secret santa this Christmas.