Although we don’t get snow in California, the substantial drop in temperature, the emergence of Christmas trees in parking lots, and decorations in retail shelves are already tell-tale signs of the on-coming winter. And winter, despite the chilly weather, brings along the beloved holiday of Christmas, bringing together families, bestowing presents upon children, and furnishing tables with an abundance of food. Although this year’s pandemic dampens the spirit of family reunion, family Christmas movies have yet to lose their appeal to celebrators during social distancing. Netflix’s new original, The Christmas Chronicles 2, continues America’s tradition of Christmas movies for every family to enjoy together.

A sequel to the 2018 popular film of the same name, The Christmas Chronicles, The Christmas Chronicles 2 maintains most of the same cast and characters while also hosting many newcomers. The story follows Kate Pierce, who, disgruntled with her mother’s new relationship two years after the death of Kate’s father, is unhappy spending a family Christmas in Mexico. Nostalgic for the snowy climate of Massachusetts, Kate attempts to run away on an early flight back to Boston. As she boards the shuttle to the airport, Jack — her mother’s boyfriend’s son — sneaks on as well. 

All of a sudden, the two are taken to the North Pole in the shuttle by Belsnickel (historically, a figure in German folklore known to bring gifts to children), a troublemaker elf who sets out to ruin Christmas. At the North Pole, Jack and Kate are greeted by Santa Claus, whom Kate had helped to deliver presents in the prequel movie. However, shortly after the reunion, Belsnickel and his crew hatch a plan to sabotage Santa’s village, forcing Jack and Kate to work together to save Christmas. 

As The Christmas Chronicles 2 is a holiday film, I was happy to see prevalent themes of family, love, and teamwork pertaining to Christmas and jovial celebration. At the end of the movie, Kate, who had at first been suspicious of her new family members — Jack and his father, Bob, — becomes more accepting of them after being influenced by her trip to Santa’s village and her adventure to save Christmas with Jack. 

The film culminates with a happy ending for Kate who learns to love the two as her own family, reflecting the familiar family-oriented Christmas fever. Joyce Lin (11) shares her thoughts on why Christmas is so popular. “Everyone loves Christmas because of Santa and also because we get presents.” “It’s also really cold so families like to get together to cuddle.” While COVID continues to prove a major obstacle for families to overcome today, there is no doubt that Christmas will continue to unite families and instill an atmosphere of coziness in the chilly California air.