One thing that I loved about the holidays when I was a kid was it felt like wishes could come true. As we get older, we get more jaded (I believe) and wishes seem like dreams, and well, dreams just feel like they don’t come true.
In tonight’s Countdown to Christmas movie, Scouting for Christmas, Brooklyn believes the same. It’s Christmas time and she’s got two wishes – spending time with her Dad and her Mom becoming fun again.
It seems so simple, but in life, I have come to realize that nothing is ever super simple. Kids’ feelings and adult feelings are all very big and very animated.
Yet, sometimes, they are asking for the simplest of things. They are just asking – well screaming out – for help.
And sometimes help is the hardest thing in the world to ask for.
More: See The Entire Countdown to Christmas Schedule Here
A BUSY MOM ON THE GO
Angela is a single Mom and we quickly see that isn’t easy, but it doesn’t matter how hard it is, she’s always going to do her best. Her daughter, Brooklyn, isn’t always sure of what to do or what to say, because all she knows is that her Mom doesn’t really hear what she’s trying to say.
Angela is doing the best that she can and she hates that it’s not perfect. She wants to give her daughter the best life, have her learn all of the things that she wants, and all the things that are important to Brooklyn are important to her. That includes the scout troop that Brooklyn belongs to.
At first, I thought that it was going to be like Troop Beverly Hills, but I should have known better. The thing about Hallmark movies is that you may think it’s going to be Hallmark’s answer to something, but I should know by now it’s always a unique way of looking at things.
I love that they have movies that showcase families of all kinds. They want you to see that there are all different types of families, dreams, hopes, and wishes. The magic of the holiday season only enhances the dreams and love that we are watching on the screen.
So, therefore I love seeing the magic that the holiday season can bring. Seeing Angela be busy, try harder, and find a balance in herself to be there for her daughter.
More Countdown to Christmas Review: Holiday Crashers
AND THAT LEADS TO A BALL
At the scouts meeting, a ball is announced. I am trash for a ball and absolutely love them. BUT, putting a ball together together in three weeks? Why does everyone wait until the last minute for these things? I have never understood that. I feel like if you know Christmas is coming and you are going to do a fundraiser, you’re going to do a lot more planning before December comes around.
And throwing one on December 23rd? Come on now.
But this is something that all the girls find important and the scout moms think is the biggest thing to happen to the town. Of course, no one wants to give Angela a job to help with the ball – instead making passive-aggressive comments on her being late all the time.
One thing I will never love about any movie or television show is Mom shaming. It just doesn’t need to happen, so when people do it, I get frustrated. Parents aren’t perfect, but they (most of them) are doing the best that they can. Why would you call out anyone else’s parenting?
I guess that is neither here nor there though.
More Countdown to Christmas Movie Reviews: Twas The Date Before Christmas
GINGERBREAD COOKIES
William, you cutie. I love a man who can cook or bake. William owns Sir Bakes A Bunch, which is the place where Brooklyn likes to go for treats. He apparently makes the best Bear Claws and she’s there every day for one.
William is instantly taken with Angela. It shows all over his face. I loved seeing the way that his face lit up for her. It’s one of the things that we all want in life – someone to look at us, filled with a sense of knowing that you’re the one. Being loved and wanted is absolutely one of the best feelings in the world.
Angela is a little oblivious with this whole thing. She is so busy that she doesn’t see what is right in front of her. It doesn’t matter though because her daughter sees it and she’s set her sights on two of the people that she likes finding their way together.
Like the most adorable child ever, she navigates little cute moments, feeding her Mom and William information on each other. She orchestrates moments for them to be together – to bond. She asks them to work together to pitch Sir Bakes A Bunch to the troop leader to do the sweets station at the ball.
Neither one of them are able to say no to Brooklyn and that’s part of what I loved. William has fallen for Angela, but when you fall for a Mom you need to make sure that you can and do fall for the family too. Falling for a single Mom means that you have to be willing to step in and be a father figure. You have to be a person who is going to love the children in their lives unconditionally.
The two of them working together and finding a road to each other was endearing. It reminds you that love can find its way to you at any age, at any time, and at any moment.
PUT A STOP TO IT
William finds a moment with Angela where he tries to make his move, and tries to kiss her, but she puts a stop to that pretty quickly. She doesn’t want to give it a shot, because in giving it a shot, there is a chance that it won’t work and that will affect Brooklyn.
The two are playing this weird game of two steps forward and ten steps back. It’s kind of sad to see because both of them have a lot of heartache to overcome. When you are living in a moment of life where there is a lot to come face to face with – things from the past and moments of being of keeping things bottled up – bubble to surface.
For William – it’s past heartbreak and the fear that he’s not moving forward the way that everyone wants him to. For Angela – it’s a divorce and the thought that she could experience that heartache again. This is all only heightened when Brooklyn’s Dad shows up out of the blue.
He’s returned from a dig somewhere and he wants his family back. Or does he? Angela isn’t buying it. Setting boundaries is something that we all should do, but the quickness with which she does it is actually somewhat inspiring.
She doesn’t play.
What she does though – she takes her own heart for granted and doesn’t see that in certain things that she does, she only punishes herself.
HE DIDN’T GET THE JOB
The one thing you can always count on though, in life, is that a child will be the most honest ever. When William doesn’t get the job for the ball, Brooklyn is extremely upset. But most of all, she’s upset that her Mom won’t ask for help. She preaches about help all the time to her daughter, but she won’t let her daughter help her.
It’s actually pretty heartbreaking to see that a child feels the responsibility to help a parent find love, but also to make them find happiness. It’s actually one of those things that can break a child, but even more, breaks the parents when they find out that a child is that worried about them.
But also, it can cause a lot of fear in a parent when their child is confused. Miscommunications, fear, and the easiness of keeping yourself isolated and in your cocoon is easier than the possibility of hurt.
IN NEED OF A CUPCAKE
When the baker that was hired for the ball has to back out due to a medical emergency, Brooklyn volunteers her Mom to go and ask William. He’s so heartbroken that he’s about to sign a lot of his business away (reminder, never ever make emotional decisions), but seeing Angela come in with Brooklyn is a sign to him that he doesn’t need to settle.
He needs to keep his business.
And he’s of course going to do the baking for the ball.
The best part of that moment though is that his Mom, who had been pushing him to make the deal, was like deals off, my son is happy. She’s the true MVP. Her joy over seeing her son happy was contagious and something that I loved to see.
It may have taken a moment, but Angela and William were able to find their way to each other and spend Christmas together.
Christmas is a time for togetherness, opening your mind to new things, and finding peace. It’s a time for wishes and hopes to come true. It’s a time for opening your heart.
Scouting for Christmas didn’t make me feel the Christmas cheer, but it did make me feel hope and that’s a beautiful thing.
