Not going to lie, when Santa Con happens in New York City, I don’t go outside. People in Santa costumes make me break out in hives. It’s a Grinches worst nightmare. I wanna bahumbug my Scrooge heart all over the city.
So, if we’re being honest, I wasn’t really looking forward to The Santa Summit. Sitting through a movie that sounded like my worst nightmare. But, there I go making assumptions.
The Santa Summit was fun, enjoyable, and honestly had me laughing more than I care to admit. It wasn’t just Christmas – this movie – it was a girlfriend comedy (like a buddy comedy, but women). It made me want to call up all my girlfriends and actually do Santa Con.
But then I said na, lets not do that. If Santa calls to me, I will watch this Countdown to Christmas again.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Jordin (King) and her two friends Ava (Amy Groening) and Stella (Stephanie Sy) decide to attend Santa Summit, a holiday event where everyone wears their best Santa suits and hops around town to participate in holiday activities. Ava pushes her girlfriends to go after finding out her crush Ben (Adam Hurtig) will be there. The three friends could use a night together to reconnect – with Jordin is getting over a breakup and Stella in a work rut (and not in the holiday spirit), it’s been a while since they’ve gone out together for some fun. At the first stop Jordin meets Liam (Hollingsworth), a fellow reveler in full Kris Kringle gear, but they quickly get separated by a Santa stampede before exchanging names or numbers. Feeling a special connection and determined to find each other, Jordin and Liam continue their mutual search but miss by minutes at each location. As the night progresses, Jordin and Stella try to convince Ava to take a chance and confess her feelings to Ben, Stella gets a push to help her regain her Christmas spirit in an unexpected way and their adventure turns out to be a notso-silent night they’ll never forget.
WHAT IT’S GIVING: Santa Con. Lots of it.
STANDOUT PERFORMANCE: Hunter King and Benjamin Hollingsworth were amazing, but Amy Groening is who I am choosing for the standout performance. Loved her. Loved the way she brought Ava to life – a geek with a ton of passion, fears, hopes, and insecurities. She made Ava feel like the most relatable character on the show.
MY SCROOGE-ISH REVIEW: Though I have seen a lot of people say that The Santa Summit was their favorite Countdown to Christmas movie so far, I would have to disagree. It’s good, like really good, but it does fall a little short for me.
Because it didn’t make me feel Christmas spirit, but what it did make me want to do is hang out with my friends and have a good time. Jordin notices that her ex is doing The Santa Summit with his new girlfriend while stalking him online. Ava – madly in love with a fellow professor – wants to go, because he is going. Their other bestie Stella, does not want to go. She’d rather stay at home in bed.
I am Stella and Stella is me.
The three set out on a day of fun and Christmas debauchary. Time with your friends is the most amazing thing in the world and fate working its way out is also the most amazing thing. For Jordin, Stella, and Ava, time together is what they need right now.
The three are going through a lot individually, but haven’t expressed these emotions to each other. They are all keeping things in, because they know that one of them is going through something. And yes, while this happens all the time in female friendships, I wasn’t expecting the day to bring out them divulging these things.
Jordin met the perfect guy, but got separated from him in the chaos of the day. He’s spending the day searching for her – even though he’s never seen her face. He feels a connection, but isn’t sure what that connection could be. So hey, why not try and figure it out.
What I loved about this movie (and yes, I was able to get past my overwhelming nausea seeing that many Santa suits) was the fun, the script, and a cast that just fit together perfectly. Yes, there was romance, but at the heart of the movie was fun and taking chances. Now, with this movie, I felt like Hallmark was journeying into new territory and everything felt young and free.
But also what I loved – was the new record for falling in love in a Hallmark movie. Normally, I’d say people do it in a week, but here the characters have done in a matter of a few moments. I mean, what’s better than that? If you’re a believer of love at first sight, this is definitely the movie for you.
Overall, The Santa Summit didn’t melt my scrooge heart, but what it did do is remind me that this is a season of joy. Finding joy isn’t always easy, but the truth is when you do find it, you should hold onto it with both hands.
CHRISTMAS CHEER: 🎄🎄🎄.5