Carroll Newman Productions, Hearst Entertainment Productions
Shelley Long, Barry Bostwick, Nathan lawrence, Nancy McLoughlin, Michael E Knight, Bruce Kirby, Richard K Olsen
Lizzie (Shelley Long) is the city attorney and trying to do a good job. The problem is that some crazy guy has moved into the neighborhood and this guy thinks he’s Santa. He turns his house into a year round Christmas village complete with snow, lights, and even reindeer. Trouble is, it’s Lizzie’s father! Growing up with a dad who thinks he’s Santa is tough enough. Santa wants to be near his grandson, and after Lizzie shuts him down, he’s got to find a regular job, but he just doesn’t have the heart for anything else. Plus her new boyfriend is a reported who’s looking to break his big story. As things get worse and worse, the family has to pull together to make things right.
The last half hour or so of this film is an emotional roller-coaster. They certainly pull out all the stops! As everyone readjusts their sights and tries to find the right mix of wants and needs, we learn a lot about the characters. Each one has a lot to learn and has to let go of some of their issues. In the end they’ll work it all out.
This is a heartwarming Christmas story and enough is left unsaid to make you think about what it all means. It’s a good story.
** A Different Kind of Christmas (1996),
