Do you believe in magic? Sometimes I think that we loose the feeling of magic, but hanging onto magic is so important. You can look at most children and know that magic is real in their eyes; that their belief in something bigger than what we can see still running rapidly through their minds.
But it’s not the same for everyone. Sometimes we hold onto magic, no matter how old we get. It may be that we believe in magic overall, and it may be that something brings that magic out of us. A Magical Christmas Village reminds us of just that.
This is part of the reason that I love Countdown to Christmas.
Summer has never really believed in magic, because she had to grow up early. Her Mom, Vivian, has always been a person that goes more by feelings than by rules. As a matter of fact – she has no rules. Vivian has never lost belief in magic. So when Vivian comes to live with Summer and her daughter, it does something that Summer doesn’t like.
It causes chaos.
Summer and her Mom are always challenging each other. They are total opposites and yet completely alike. Both of them have their own way of doing things, but what saddens me from the beginning is that Summer automatically goes into the situation challenging her Moms every move and her belief in magic.
It’s Christmas time and Vivian has decided that the families heirloom Christmas village should be set up. Summers daughter, Chloe, is so excited to have her grandma there and to learn about the village from her. Summer may doubt the magic, but Chloe doesn’t.
From the beginning, you can’t help but feel for both Summer and Vivian. Now, Vivian may not be the most conventional Mom, but you can see that her love for her kids and grandkids is apparent. She wants them all to be healthy and happy, just as every Mom would. But she also wants them to not worry and to believe in magic.
Summer doesn’t believe in anything but a regimented life. Everything is done the same way over and over again. Now, she’s willing to indulge somethings that her Mom wants to do – like the Christmas village, but mostly she’s indulging for her daughters sake. However, its summers little jabs that really get to me.
She’s not trying to be negative, but that’s what she’s doing. With every moment that someone in her life is believing in the magic of the holidays and the village, she’s repeating that magic isn’t real. When shopping with her sister and complaining about her Mom, she acts like a victim. When her Mom is keeping things from her, she acts like she was wronged.
And I am not saying that is the worst thing, because we have to have something that needs to change and grow. That’s the way that Christmas movies work. You’re reminding someone about the magic and the love that Christmas can bring. So a character can drive you insane at the beginning, but at the end, you just don’t know how it will be.
Enter Ryan, a new guy in town, who is taking over the towns toy drive, from Summer. He meets her and within seconds asks her to dinner. I guess, when you know, you know. Surprisingly, she accepts. THANK YOU GOD! Summer doesn’t even realize why it is that she said yes.
But we do.
It’s the village.
Hear us out – magic is everywhere and when you believe in it, you can harness it. Chloe does believe in magic and is playing with the village, making a wish for her Mom to find someone. She believes in the magic of the village and everything that Summer seems to go through, matches up with when Chloe is doing the same thing with the village.
Ryan and Summer – the whole thing is kind of weird. Sometimes it feels as though Ryan doesn’t know how to act without the magic of Chloe playing at the village and directing him (though he doesn’t know that is happening). He’s scared to make too many moves, because he’s still dealing with the pain of his divorce. It’s been a few years, but the pain that he feels is still a lot for him to deal with.
Throughout the movie, we get to see the magic of the village. We got to see the magic of relationships and believing in the people around you.
But most of all, what we got to see is that we need to pay attention to others, of course, but we also need to live our lives. We need to live our lives and have the best of intentions when worrying about others, but not let it hinder us from living. We are allowed to be scared. We are allowed to be petrified. We’re supposed to be standing up for ourselves. But it’s a matter of breaking through the moments that scare us and knowing that we are supposed to do amazing things.
And the most amazing thing of all – believing in the magic of life, love, and Christmas.
OTHER THOUGHTS
- Summer is a little, ok a lot uptight, and it’s kinda sad to watch
- Chloe is the real silent star of the movie, because she is stealing all the scenes that she is in.
- Vivian getting mad at Summer when she confronts her about her finances – I feel it. I felt like Summer needed a come to Jesus moment.
- Summer’s sister is nice, but like would have loved to see more interactions of them together as a family.
- I would not be drinking the green juice that Vivian made. Hard pass
- The quote of the day is something I thought was cute.
- Love the ending.
- The movie will make you want to buy a Christmas village.
