This story doesn't fit the pattern of so many other of the Hallmark Christmas movies, but then this is a Hallmark Drama movie (now called Hallmark Movies and Mysteries - HMM). HMM shows movies that are more sentimental. They may or may not be about romance, but when they are, the romance usually takes a lesser role. This movie fits that mold.
The primary thread is about a family which is torn apart, first by the death of the mom in the backstory, and then by the overcontrolling dad. Eventually, the dad pushes his son too far and his son takes off to live on the streets of NYC. A woman, Catherine, who knows the family tangentially due to their annual trek to NYC to sell trees, helps the boy, Danny and keeps it secret from the dad. This presents a tremendous ethical dilemma which becomes a focus of the last half of the movie.
The story is compelling. The dad sets himself up as a real jerk and the viewer is torn between the two sides. The story develops some sympathy for the dad as the film goes on, even as the plot becomes more even complicated. But as far as the romance, I personally don't want to see Catherine and Christy get together.
There are some other secondary threads running through the story which enhance it.
The primary thread is about a family which is torn apart, first by the death of the mom in the backstory, and then by the overcontrolling dad. Eventually, the dad pushes his son too far and his son takes off to live on the streets of NYC. A woman, Catherine, who knows the family tangentially due to their annual trek to NYC to sell trees, helps the boy, Danny and keeps it secret from the dad. This presents a tremendous ethical dilemma which becomes a focus of the last half of the movie.
The story is compelling. The dad sets himself up as a real jerk and the viewer is torn between the two sides. The story develops some sympathy for the dad as the film goes on, even as the plot becomes more even complicated. But as far as the romance, I personally don't want to see Catherine and Christy get together.
There are some other secondary threads running through the story which enhance it.