It’s kind of weird to say, I hate Christmas, but I love Christmas movies. Hallmark and Lifetime are the only channels on in my apartment from October to December.
And I regret nothing.
There is something magical about Christmas movies. You feel a sort of magic that can’t be described. You find hope and love in the worst of times and the best of times. There is something about Christmas movies that makes me feel understood, and that makes me believe in the power of Christmas.
And one of my favorite Christmas movies is the Hallmark Channel movie, Christmas at the Plaza.
During the holiday season in New York City, Jessica Cooper (Elizabeth Henstridge), an archival historian enmeshed in a declining romantic relationship, is commissioned to create an exhibit honoring the history of Christmas at The Plaza Hotel. When she arrives at The Plaza, Jessica meets Nick Perrelli (Ryan Paevey), a handsome and passionate decorator, who’s been hired to deck out the iconic landmark for Christmas. When the hotel’s elegant manager, Amanda (Julia Duffy), pairs them together, Jessica and Nick go to work, preparing the upcoming exhibition.
After deciding that the exhibition will showcase the history of the With Christmas approaching in New York City, Jessica, an archival historian enmeshed in a declining romantic relationship, is hired to create an exhibition honoring the history of Christmas at The Plaza Hotel. There, she meets Nick, a handsome decorator who’s been commissioned to deck out the iconic landmark. When they’re paired together to prepare the exhibition, they wind up enjoying a host of holiday traditions together and find themselves falling for each other. Tensions soon rise as Jessica must figure out her romantic priorities and decide with whom she’ll ultimately spend Christmas at The Plaza.
It sounds great, right? That’s because it is. Why should you watch?
NEW YORK AT CHRISTMAS TIME
New York always has an energy… one that I am not sure how to describe, but it is just there. It’s the most magical city, especially at Christmas time. The entire city comes alive, with people in the streets, decorations, and a feeling of optimism.
The city comes alive with people believing that the best is yet to come and the magic is alive. There is no better city in the world than New York at Christmas time.
Seeing it come alive is a beautiful thing. And seeing it come alive at The Plaza, where you just stare at the building and you know that dreams come alive in that building? I am all for it. I live it every year and I love it whole heartedly.
Christmas at the Plaza does an amazing job of capturing the magic.
THE PLAZA
The Plaza is a dream. One day I hope to be rich enough to stay there.
The Plaza – one of the best things about it – is it’s mystique. You can’t go in the hotel unless you are staying there and that’s part of the magic of it. It feels like an accomplishment, a dream, magic – hell it’s just everything wrapped into one.
The movie takes place at The Plaza and it does an amazing job on zeroing in on the dreams that you can feel in the city. That you can feel at The Plaza.
RYAN PAEVEY
I love Ryan. I stopped watching General Hospital when he left the show. His voice is calming. His eyes are enticing. He’s just got a presence.
He comes across as the dream guy – the one that will always put his love for you first. The one that will cherish you, honor you, and respect you.
And hey – I like that dream guy on my television.
LOVE IN UNEXPECTED PLACES
I think one of the things that I love the most about Christmas at the Plaza is that it explores all aspects of life. It’s not just about work, it’s about the way that families are, relationships are, and the magic that New York can hold.
You are drawn into learning about these characters. You care about these characters. You want them to succeed. You want them to feel loved and taken care of.
Any movie or television show that can make you care about characters is what makes you stay. And Hallmark has a way of doing that.
But Christmas at the Plaza excels at it. And hey – that may be the New York magic of it, but it also may just be that this movie is magic.
