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Project Christmas Wish

Project Christmas Wish

“Project Christmas Wish” aired on December 20, 2020 on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Channel and starred Amanda Schull and Travis Van Winkle.  Jeff Beesley, director of last year’s The Christmas Club, also directed this movie, with a well-written script by Joie Botkin and Anne Abramowitz Junget. It was filmed in Winnipeg, Canada.

Music from the movie: During the gingerbread building scene, the song you heard was once again Sleeping at Last, one of my favorite musicians.  The song was Christmas is all Around and was apparently also featuring in the movie “Love, Actually” which I know a lot of people like. Later, they danced to Kelly Clarkson’s version of Please Come Home for Christmas. (affiliate link)

In a nutshell

Um….you guys?  This was the PERFECT movie to finish off this year’s movies.  I. LOVED. IT.

Plot of “Project Christmas Wish”

For years Lucy has played Santa to her small town’s community. As she grants a little girl’s wish for a “Christmas like it used to be,” she unexpectedly finds her own wishes coming true.

Actors

This cast was so, so great. Travis Van Winkle came back to Hallmark and made all the Winkleheads happy with that gorgeous COVID hair and scruffy beard.  And while Amanda Schull is not someone who is often on Hallmark (her last Hallmark movie was 2018’s “Love Once and Always” co-starring Peter Porte), she was GREAT.  And Averie Peters, who played the daughter, Max, was delightful in her first role ever.

Image: Hallmark Crown Media

Six Degrees of Kristoffer Polaha:  Amanda Schull is only one step away.  She starred in “Suits” which also featured HRH Megan Markle, who co-starred with Polaha in Hallmark favorite “The Dater’s Handbook.”

Chemistry

Schull and Van Winkle were fabulous together. I found myself randomly smiling at my tv during some of their interactions. In fact, the whole cast was great.  Between the bickering, the jokes, and the family dynamics, this cast won me over early in the movie.  The parents were great, the soon-to-be-engaged couple were great (the guy was particularly funny), and I loved Lucy’s mom AND the fact that they actually kind of looked like.

Tropes

Lucy and her mom like big scarves. Lucas doesn’t care for Christmas and is a widower with a cute kid named Max.  We briefly saw a cute pup at the shop. Lucy dressed up like an elf. When Lucy and Lucas first met it didn’t go so well.

We had a military vet thrown in there by a wish from a mom to have her son be home for the holidays.  Lucy took Lucas and Max tree shopping.  That night they decorated it.

Later on they baked some cookies before heading to the town festival to make some wreaths. In this movie egg nog stood in for hot cocoa, but we still got empty cups to show for it.  And in more food tropes, they all made a gingerbread house, except this time with non-food items like moving boxes, plastic plates and wrapping paper.

And it started snowing CGI snow in the final scene when we had our last kiss of the Christmas movie season!

Bingo Card Score for “Project Christmas Wish”

Sadly, I did not get a bingo during this final Christmas movie, but I did cover nine spots on my card.

Did I Hear/See That Right?

If you can believe this, I wrote down NO NOTES regarding any plot holes or trouble spots in this movie.  I loved it from beginning to end and this was a tightly written script.  I do remember doing a doubletake when I saw the heavily decorated scrapbook for Max’s Christmas wish, but other than that, I was ALL IN on this movie.

Feelgoods

Next year I’m TOTALLY going to decorate my main tree with a mix of small and big white lights.  GORGEOUS.


In the “I’m not crying, you’re crying” category, YES I teared up when the soldier showed up to surprise his mom.  I cry at all those YouTube homecoming videos, so of course I’m going to cry at a fictional one in a Hallmark movie.  I’m not a monster.

I loved Lucas’ parents.  When they came over and Lucas as all pro-Christmas, they gave each a look like, “Uh, what is going on HERE?” and I loved it.

I loved that he asked her if he could kiss her by the firepit.  It was spontaneous, and she said yes, and they kissed, and he freaked out.  But that moment when he asked was incredibly sweet.  And as she walked away in confusion he whispered, “It’s just…” but she didn’t hear him and he didn’t speak up because I don’t even think he knew WHAT was he freaked out about – how he felt about “betraying” the memory of his wife, or how much he liked Lucy.  Both, maybe?  But then there was that moment where she DID look back at him, and paused, before walking away.  GREAT SCENE, even if it made me sad.

Re-watchability

Oh yeah, I’m not deleting this off my Tivo and I’ll definitely watch it again.

Image: Hallmark Crown Media

The Ranking

“Project Christmas Wish” came in second for the year from a final percentage standpoint, but this movie handily won the ENTIRE YEAR from a raw score perspective.  That is how much I loved this movie.  And not only that, but if you look at my overall Hallmark rankings it is in the All Time Top 5!

Also, I won’t be reviewing “Cross Country Christmas” but it’s ranking is listed below as well.

  1. One Royal Holiday (air date: Oct 31) – 722 pts – weighted score: 121.8 (85.5%)
  2. Project Christmas Wish (air date: Dec 20) – 738 pts – weighted score: 121.7 (85.4%)
  3. On the 12th Date of Christmas (air date: Nov 1) – 707 pts – weighted score: 119.2 (83.6%)
  4. The Christmas House (air date: Nov 22) – 710 pts – weighted score: 118.6 (83.2%)
  5. Sweet Autumn (air date: Oct 17) – 693 pts – weighted score: 118.5 (83.1%)
  6. Good Morning, Christmas! (air date: Nov 25) – 698 pts – weighted score: 118.2 (82.9%)
  7. A Timeless Christmas (air date: Nov 14) – 700 pts – weighted score: 117.7 (82.6%)
  8. Deliver by Christmas (air date: Oct 25) – 697 pts – weighted score: 117.4 (82.4%)
  9. Christmas With the Darlings (air date: Nov 8) – 691 pts – weighted score: 117.2 (82.2%)
  10. Christmas Waltz (air date: Nov 29) – 694 pts – weighted score: 116.1 (81.5%)
  11. Christmas by Starlight (air date: Nov 26) – 689 pts – weighted score: 115.9 (81.3%)
  12. Unlocking Christmas (air date: Dec 12) – 687 pts – weighted score: 115.9 (81.3%)
  13. A Glenbrooke Christmas (air date: Dec 12) – 695 pts – weighted score: 115.8 (81.2%)
  14. Five Star Christmas (air date: Nov 27) – 688 pts – weighted score: 115.8 (81.2%)
  15. Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Sweater (air date: Nov 7) – 681 pts – weighted score: 115.8 (81.2%)
  16. Love, Lights, Hanukkah! (air date: Dec 12) – 677 pts – weighted score: 114.1 (80.0%)
  17. Christmas in Evergreen: Bells Are Ringing (air date: Dec 5) – 672 pts – weighted score: 113.9 (79.9%)
  18. The Christmas Bow (air date: Nov 8) – 676 pts – weighted score: 113.2 (79.4%)
  19. Cranberry Christmas (air date: Oct 31) – 650 pts – weighted score: 112.1 (78.6%)
  20. The Angel Tree (air date: Nov 21) – 670 pts – weighted score: 110.9 (77.8%)
  21. Matching Hearts (air date: Feb 8) – 640 pts – weighted score: 109.0 (76.5%)
  22. Winter in Vail (air date: Jan 4) – 623 pts – weighted score: 108.8 (76.4%)
  23. Wedding Every Weekend (air date: Aug 15) – 639 pts – weighted score: 108.3 (76.0%)
  24. Love in Store (air date: Feb 22) – 637 pts – weighted score: 108.2 (75.9%)
  25. Swept Up By Christmas (air date: Dec 19) – 631 pts – weighted score: 107.5 (75.4%)
  26. Christmas in Vienna (air date: Nov 14) – 636 pts – weighted score: 107.0 (75.1%)
  27. Cross Country Christmas (air date: Dec 20) – 636 pts – weighted score: 107.0 (75.1%)
  28. A Nashville Christmas Carol (air date: Nov 21) – 634 pts – weighted score: 107.0 (75.1%)
  29. A Little Christmas Charm (air date: Dec 6) – 656 pts – weighted score: 106.9 (75.0%)
  30. Love on Harbor Island (air date: Aug 8) – 634 pts – weighted score: 106.9 (75.0%)
  31. Holly & Ivy (air date: Oct 31) – 615 pts – weighted score: 106.8 (74.9%)
  32. A Christmas Carousel (air date: Dec 19) – 610 pts – weighted score: 106.1 (74.4%)
  33. Time for Us to Come Home for Christmas (air date: Dec 5) – 615 pts – weighted score: 105.3 (73.9%)
  34. The Secret Ingredient (air date: Feb 15) – 617 pts – weighted score: 105.2 (73.8%)
  35. The Christmas Doctor (air date: Nov 15) – 605 pts (weighted score: 104.8 (73.5%)
  36. Country at Heart (air date: Oct 3) – 611 pts – weighted score: 104.1 (73.1%)
  37. You’re Bacon Me Crazy (air date: Apr 4) – 591 pts – weighted score: 104.0 (72.9%)
  38. My Best Friend’s Bouquet (air date: Oct 10) – 599 pts – weighted score: 103.4 (72.5%)
  39. The Christmas Ring (air date: Nov 7) – 609 pts – weighted score: 103.3 (72.5%)
  40. Fashionably Yours (air date: Apr 11) – 594 pts – weighted score: 102.6 (72.0%)
  41. Follow Your Heart (air date: Oct 4) – 585 pts – weighted score: 101.6 (71.3%)
  42. A Godwink Christmas: Second Chance, First Love (air date: Nov 22) – 587 pts – weighted score: 100.9 (70.8%)
  43. Christmas Tree Lane (air date: Oct 24) – 574 pts – weighted score: 100.3 (70.4%)
  44. A Valentine’s Match (air date: Feb 1) – 562 pts – weighted score: 99.8 (70.0%)
  45. Love On Iceland (air date: Jan 18) – 563 pts – weighted score: 99.4 (69.7%)
  46. Christmas She Wrote (air date: Dec 6) – 591 pts – weighted score: 99.2 (69.6%)
  47. Christmas Comes Twice (air date: Dec 13) – 583 pts – weighted score: 99.1 (69.5%)
  48. Hearts of Winter (air date: Jan 25) – 561 pts – weighted score: 98.2 (68.9%)
  49. Heart of the Holidays (air date: Nov 23) – 570 pts – weighted score: 97.9 (68.7%)
  50. Jingle Bell Bride (air date: Oct 24) – 558 pts – weighted score: 97.9 (68.7%)
  51. Just My Type (air date: Mar 28) – 565 pts – weighted score: 95.4 (66.9%)
  52. A Christmas Tree Grows in Colorado (air date: Nov 24) – 541 pts – weighted score: 91.3 (64.1%)
  53. Meet Me At Christmas (air date: Nov 15) 532 pts – weighted score: 91.1 (63.9%)
  54. Bad Date Chronicles (air date: Feb 28) – 520 pts – weighted score: 91.0 (63.9%)
  55. Love in Winterland (air date: Jan 11) – 508 pts – weighted score: 90.7 (63.6%)
  56. Nature of Love (air date: Apr 18) – 520 pts – weighted score: 90.3 (63.3%)
  57. If I Only Had Christmas (air date: Nov 29) – 535 pts – weighted score: 90.0 (63.2%)
  58. USS Christmas (air date: Nov 28) – 521 pts – weighted score: 87.5 (61.4%)
  59. Chateau Christmas (air date: Oct 25) – 502 pts – weighted score: 87.3 (61.3%)
  60. Amazing Winter Romance (air date: Jan 20) – 487 pts – weighted score: 85.6 (60.1%)
  61. Love Under the Olive Tree (air date: June 20) – 473 pts – weighted score: 85.0 (59.6%)
  62. In the Key of Love (air date: Mar 14) – 470 pts – weighted score: 82.5 (57.9%)
  63. Love in the Forecast (air date: Jun 13) – 440 pts – weighted score: 72.5 (50.8%)
  64. Midway to Love (air date: June 26) – 410 pts – weighted score: 69.0 (48.4%)
  65. Falling at Look Lodge (air date: Sept 26) – 350 pts – weighted score: 64.0 (44.9%)
  66. Romance in the Air (air date: Aug 1) – 367 pts – weighted score: 63.2 (44.3%)
  67. Follow Me to Daisy Hills (air date: Sept 19) – 337 pts – weighted score: 62.8 (44.1%)
  68. How to Train Your Husband (air date: May 16) – 350 pts – weighted score: 62.5 (43.9%)

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

In any event, what did you think of “Project Christmas Wish”?  Comment below and let me know!

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I've been a fan of Hallmark movies for as long as I can remember. In 2018 I decided it was finally time to write about it, and thus this website was born.

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