Hallmark For All Seasons

“A Christmas Treasure,” starring Jordin Sparks and Michael Xavier, aired on November 7 during 2021’s Countdown to Christmas on Hallmark Channel. The movie was filmed in Abbotsford, Canada.  I knew immediately that was the filming location – I’ve learned to recognize that town’s main street when it appears on my TV.

The screenplay was provided by Judith Berg and Sandra Berg based on a story by Jennifer Notas Shapiro.  The Bergs broke into Hallmark movies back in 2016 and wrote the script for All Summer Long and A Little Daytime Drama, among others. Michael Robison (It Was Always You) directed.

This movie poster is so great.  I love the piano keys as a city skyline along the bottom, and the festive warm Christmas lights behind Sparks and Xavier.

Music: The opening credit song was Oh It’s Christmas (affiliate link) by Jordin Sparks. Later on, while doing some decorating, the song Ding Dong Singalong by Andrew Kingslow and Petrina Smith played. The closing credit song was Merry Christmas To Your Face, (affiliate link) also by Jordin Sparks.  Sparks also sang “This Christmas” at the Christmas Eve convert, but it almost sounded like it was done live and I can’t find any recorded version by her of that song.

In a nutshell

The movie itself was a bit boring, and had very little plot, but Jordin Sparks was so natural and effortless, and we had a cavalcade is Hallmark B-listers.  Those are the sole reasons this movie was as enjoyable as it was.

The Plot of “A Christmas Treasure”

After opening a 100-year-old time capsule and meeting a charming chef named Kyle, Lou questions whether or not she should move to New York after Christmas and further her writing career. 

Actors & Chemistry

Lest you think I did not like the movie at all, let me stress that there were things I loved.  I thought Jordin Sparks was fabulous as Lou Webb.  For someone that has only been acting for a short time, she was natural and at ease and completely believable.  I never felt I was watching SINGER JORDIN SPARKS in a movie. I also loved seeing so many Hallmark character actors.  We had Daniel Bacon playing Lou dad’s and the town’s newspaper editor.  We had Lossen Chambers as Marcy, Kyle’s aunt and the owner of the tavern.  And we also had Nelson Wong, as the mayor, whose first name I like to think is Kenny.

The only other project I’ve seen Michael Xavier in was Christmas Comes Twice.  I had to look up what I said about him for that movie, and it was interesting to note that I thought the exact same thing then as I do now.  Xavier’s Kyle was REALLY reserved – even when showing interest in Lou.  That stiffness caused me to never really see him as a viable love interest.

Case in point, when they were talking about what they look for in romantic partners, he said, “someone that will laugh at my jokes,” and I thought, “You’ve not been funny this entire movie.”  So while I thought Michael Xavier was decent, he didn’t do anything to make himself stand out against other Hallmark leading men.

As for chemistry, I didn’t necessarily feel it between Lou and Kyle, but I DID feel it as they intermingle with other characters.  Kyle and Marcy were great together, and Lou and her dad were great together.  Lou with her friends were fun.  I didn’t feel the connection between Lou and her mom but I think it’s because we didn’t really get to see them have a good scene together until 2/3rds through the movie.

Tropes

This time it was the guy that came home from the big city to visit his aunt. Christmas tree shopping. There was a gingerbread house contest.  Every house in this movie had a front porch.  Later, Kyle and Lou helped Marcy decorate the tree at the tavern AND Lou decorated her own tree.

The town had a large Christmas market. We had a cooking montage with the lobster ravioli.  Lou used the marble laptop.  Empty coffee cup that actually made the hollow “empty coffee cup” sound when it banged against the table at the Christmas market. Towards the end of the movie we saw cookie decorating.  And we had an almost kiss.  And I guess we had Christmas magic when the beacon lit up at the end?

Did I Hear/See That Right?

At the beginning of the movie, we find out that she quit her job to move to NYC (one of the most expensive cities in the world) to write a book?  She couldn’t do that from home?  How is she going to pay that NYC rent (even splitting it with her friend, her part HAS to be at least $800-100 a month)?  I’m glad the movie ended with her admitting she can write from anywhere.

“I learned 19 ways to make tapas.”  Dude.  A tapa is an appetizer or snack in Spanish cuisine.  And tapas aren’t found just in Spain anymore – we have quite a few tapas restaurants in my small town alone.  So to say he learned 19 ways to make tapas?  That’s not a thing.  ANYTHING can be made into a tapa.  It’s not specific to Spain anymore.

Lou went to her parent’s house to put a box in the garage, and upon entering it was set up with shelving with random items placed on the shelves. A globe, a vase, an old typewriter, a wooden clock, a leather briefcase.  Do people store things in their garages like this?  As though those things WON’T gather dust over time just sitting out on shelves in their garages?  We have a lot of crap stored in our garage, too, but it’s all in boxes or bins.  Not put on display in shelves randomly placed around the garage (because we like to actually park our cars in the garage).

Feelgoods

The debate between Chicago and NYC pizza has already been won by DETROIT style pizza.  Once you go Detroit you never go back.  Theirs is the best pizza.

I loved that Jordin Sparks got to sing twice, AND that her song at the Christmas Eve ceremony seemed as though it was done live.  The band sounded live, and her vocals sounded live as well.  If it WAS done live, then how fun for the filmmakers to be able to enjoy that while on set!

Re-watchability of “A Christmas Treasure”

I think this is the kind of movie where, if I was channel surfing and saw it was on, I’d probably watch what was left of it.  I wouldn’t seek it out.  But Jordin Sparks is good in this, and worth watching.

The Ranking

“A Christmas Treasure” is dead center of the pack for 2021.  That’s entire due to how great Jordin Sparks was, the number of tropes, and the general chemistry among the cast.

1. The Santa Stakeout (air date: Oct 24) – 730 pts – weighted score: 122.3 (85.8%)
2. You, Me and The Christmas Trees (air date: Oct 22) – 716 pts – weighted score: 121.3 (85.1%)
3. Crashing Through The Snow (air date: July 10) – 705 pts – weighted score: 118.1 (82.8%)
4. A Mrs. Miracle Christmas (air date: Nov 6) – 688 pts – weighted score: 116.2 (81.5%)
5. Boyfriends of Christmas Past (air date: Oct 23) – 673 pts – weighted score: 116.1 (81.5%)
6. Next Stop, Christmas (air date: Nov 6) – 682 pts – weighted score: 114.7 (80.5%)
7. It Was Always You (air date: Feb 27) – 668 pts – weighted score: 114.2 (80.1%)
8. The Christmas Promise (air date: Oct 30) – 675 pts – weighted score: 114.1 (80.0%)
9. Gingerbread Miracle (air date: Nov 5) – 671 pts – weighted score: 114.0 (80.0%)
10. Christmas In My Heart (air date: Oct 23) – 675 pts – weighted score: 113.9 (79.9%)
11. You Had Me At Aloha (air date: June 5) – 675 pts – weighted score: 111.4 (78.1%)
12. Sweet Carolina (air date: May 15) – 648 pts – weighted score: 110.1 (77.2%)
13. Taking a Shot at Love (air date: Jan 2) – 641 pts – weighted score: 108.9 (76.4%)
14. Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (air date: Mar 27) – 636 pts – weighted score: 108.5 (76.1%)
15. Right in Front of Me (air date: Apr 18) – 637 pts – weighted score: 108.0 (75.8%)
16. As Luck Would Have It (air date: Apr 10) – 638 pts – weighted score: 107.7 (75.5%)
17. Her Pen Pal (air date: June 19) – 636 pts – weighted score: 107.1 (75.1%)
18. The Baker’s Son (air date: June 13) – 637 pts – weighted score: 106.3 (74.6%)
19. South Beach Love (air date: Oct 9) – 615 pts – weighted score: 105.8 (74.2%)
20. Love Strikes Twice (air date: Oct 2) – 608 pts – weighted score: 105.2 (73.8%)
21. Christmas Sail (air date: Oct 31) – 606 pts – weighted score: 105.1 (73.7%)
22. Christmas in Harmony (air date: Oct 29) – 605 pts – weighted score: 104.8 (73.5%)
23. A Christmas Treasure (air date: Nov 7) – 625 pts – weighted score: 104.6 (73.4%)
24. A Winter Getaway (air date: Jan 23) – 620 pts – weighted score: 104.4 (73.3%)
25. Coyote Creek Christmas (air date: Oct 30) – 614 pts – weighted score: 104.3 (73.2%)
26. Love, For Real (air date: July 31) – 607 pts – weighted score: 103.6 (72.7%)
27. Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone (air date: Oct 1) – 595 pts – weighted score: 103.0 (72.2%)
28. Mix Up in the Mediterranean (air date: Feb 20) – 590 pts – weighted score: 102.5 (71.9%)
29. Advice to Love By (air date: Oct 16) – 599 pts – weighted score: 102.2 (71.7)
30. Two For The Win (air date: Jan 16) – 603 pts – weighted score: 101.8 (71.4%)
31. Taking the Reins (air date: Sept 28) – 574 pts – weighted score: 101.2 (71.0%)
32. Raise a Glass to Love (air date: Sept 18) – 590 pts – weighted score: 100.7 (70.7%)
33. Chasing Waterfalls (air date: Mar 20) – 570 pts – weighted score: 100.3 (70.4%)
34. Roadhouse Romance (air date: Sept 11) – 571 pts – weighted score: 100.2 (70.3%)
35. Sweet Pecan Summer (air date: ) – 576 pts – weighted score: 97.3 (68.3%)
36. Sand Dollar Cove (air date: June 26) – 557 pts – weighted score: 96.8 (67.9%)
37. Hearts Down Under (air date: Apr 24) – 547 pts – weighted score: 95.2 (66.8%)
38. Fit for a Prince (air date: Mar 6) – 546 pts – weighted score: 94.6 (66.4%)
39. A New Year’s Resolution (air date: Jan 9) – 516 pts – weighted score: 90.5 (63.5%)
40. Finding Love in Mountain View (air date: ) – 504 pts – weighted score: 89.5 (62.8%)
41. A Little Daytime Drama (air date: Aug 21) – 511 pts – weighted score: 87.7 (61.5%)
42. Baby, It’s Cold Inside (air date: May 8) – 495 pts – weighted score: 85.6 (60.0%)
43. Playing Cupid (air date: Feb 13) – 466 pts – weighted score: 82.6 (58.0%)
44. Beverly Hills Wedding (air date: Feb 6) – 431 pts – weighted score: 80.6 (56.5%)
45. Journey of my Heart (air date: ) – 450 pts – weighted score: 76.0 (53.3%)
46. Snowkissed (air date: Jan 31) – 402 pts – weighted score: 76.0 (53.3%)

To see where this movie lands in my overall rankings of Hallmark movies, visit my Hallmark Movie Rankings page!

What did you think of “A Christmas Treasure”?  Comment below and let me know!