My Santa

Santa’s son Chris is on the prowl. He needs a wife, for some reason, and he’s searched thirstily in “Chicago, New York AND  Miami” – which seems like an unusually wide net, though I suppose if a humble little Asshole such as myself could have visited all of those gleaming metropolises, I guess Santa must have at least as much access. Anyway, the point is he’s hard up, until he meets plucky single Mom Jen, who’s bitter about Christmas ever since her ex chose that exactly holiday on which to leave her. Anyway, the more Chris falls for Jen, the more magical Santa powers he inherits from his Dad – like uncooking turkeys, and upcooking cookies, that kind of thing, super logical stuff.

Anyway, Jen’s heart remains unconvinced until her dead mother sends a sign, and then guess what: she becomes Mrs. Claus? Yeah, I don’t know: but fun fact – Chris is played by Matthew Lawrence…you know, Blossom’s Joey Lawrence’s younger brother? Star power!

Dear Santa

As you know, every good Christmas movie needs one of two things: a single mom, or a dead mom. In this case, there’s a dead mom, with the mom slot open and waiting to be filled – that’s the one and only thing Olivia is asking from Santa this year. And so it turns mail fraud into a fortunate situation! It just so happens that on the very day Crystal is cut off from mommy and daddy’s vast fortune, she happens to find Olivia’s note to Santa on the sidewalk (thanks a lot, negligent mail carrier!), and since the only way she can think of to fund her lifestyle is to marry, she decides to pursue the widower for all he’s worth.

The hilarious thing is that handsome widower Derek “owns a soup kitchen” cause, you know, that’s a thing that people own. Just the kind of small business that would keep a family comfortable. So spoiled Crystal sets about impressing Derek by donating her best fedoras and Walmart-brand spices to the homeless – and then competing shamelessly and degradingly against another woman she believes to be a love interest of Derek’s. It’s a humiliating movie for women and humankind, but a real boon to the makeup and costuming departments, who outfitted all the homeless extras with real nasty teeth. But fun fact: it’s directed by your teenage crush, Jason Priestly.

Small Town Santa

Dean Cain is  small town sheriff Rick (real heroes don’t wear capes – wink) and a real Christmas grump. When Santa “breaks” into his house on Christmas Eve, he pulls a gun on him before throwing him in the clink! But Santa’s got his number: Rick wasn’t a good husband and is maybe even deluding himself about being a good dad. All his daughter wants this Christmas is for him to be around but he’s too busy feeling sorry for himself to come through for her.

Can “Doctor” Santa successfully shrink sheriff Rick from inside his cell? And can he escape it in time to deliver presents to all the good boys and girls the world over? And why is he wearing acid-washed jeans? It’s nail-biting thrills, thrills, thrills. AND WILL ANYONE FIND JESUS? (He’s missing.) A not-so-fun fact I’m totally stretching for: this movie co-stars Christine Lakin, one time star of Step By Step, a forgettable part of ABC’s TGIF Friday night lineup.

So what we’ve learned today: Christmas movies must have a single mother or a dead mother, and both if they’re serious about it. Some sort of eviction\foreclosure scenario is also preferred, as is some sort of 90s teen sensation you forgot existed. But if your standards are low, low, low, you just might find yourself entertained for the holidays. But probably not.