The Spirit of Christmas (2015)

The Spirit of Christmas has a quietly irresistible hook: a cozy holiday romance that’s also a gentle ghost story, where the magic isn’t loud and flashy but woven into longing, snow-dusted charm, and the ache of time running out. Set in a Vermont inn that feels like it’s been steeped in candlelight and secrets, it pairs Jen Lilley’s grounded, capable warmth with Thomas Beaudoin’s old-soul charisma in a connection that’s sweet, wistful, and surprisingly sincere. The film keeps a soft-mystery pulse in the background as it drifts through Christmas atmosphere, letting you enjoy the comfort of the season while still giving you something to lean in toward. If you want your holiday movies more heartfelt than zany—and you don’t mind a touch of melancholy and talk of a long-ago murder—it’s an easy, satisfying watch that lingers like a carol you didn’t expect to love.

The Spirit of Christmas is clearly aiming for a cozy, wistful holiday romance with a supernatural twist, mixing a gentle murder mystery with the “love that can’t quite happen” ache. The setup is genuinely catchy and the leads have enough warmth to sell the fantasy, but the script doesn’t do the hard work of making its ghost rules or plot turns feel solid, so you may find yourself asking questions the movie never answers. It also moves at a TV-movie pace, leaning more on mood than momentum, which can read as soothing or simply dull depending on your tolerance for low-stakes storytelling. If you want tight logic, satisfying mystery payoffs, or fantasy world-building that holds up to scrutiny, this likely won’t be your thing—but if you’re fine with soft chemistry, seasonal atmosphere, and a lightly spooky romance, it can be an easy background watch.