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Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Same Time, Next Christmas’ on Netflix, A Holiday Rom-Com Where Childhood Sweethearts Try To Find Love Again In Hawaii

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**Same Time, Next Christmas: Stream It or Skip It?**

First aired on ABC in 2019, *Same Time, Next Christmas* is back and streaming on Netflix, ready to transport you to Hawaii for a second-chance rom-com. The movie stars Lea Michele and Charles Michael Davis as childhood sweethearts who first met coincidentally on the beach as little kids while their families were both vacationing in Hawaii for Christmas.

The two form a quick bond and pledge to meet up at the resort each year for the holidays—until one of them suddenly cuts contact after a personal tragedy. Years later, they unexpectedly meet again as adults, with sparks flying all over. Is it meant to be, or is this a classic case of “right person, wrong time?”

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### The Storyline

Their usual promise of “same time, next Christmas” is suddenly broken when Jeff and his family fail to return the next year after the sudden death of Jeff’s mom, Katie. Unfortunately, timing proves to be an issue as a separated Jeff opts to get back together with his wife for the sake of their four-year-old daughter, Madelyn Williams (played by Dannah Lane).

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### What Movies Will It Remind You Of?

*Same Time, Next Christmas* might recall other second-chance romance holiday movies like *A Godwink Christmas: Second Chance, First Love*, *The Christmas Cottage*, and *Catch a Christmas Star*. It also fits nicely alongside Hawaii-set rom-coms such as *Just Go With It*, *Forgetting Sarah Marshall*, and *50 First Dates*.

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### Performance Worth Watching

A special shout out goes to Phil Morris for embracing the cheesiness of this genre wholeheartedly. He delivers many sports metaphor-filled lines with a smile and twinkle in his eye, adding a charming touch to the film. His performance stands out as a highlight in this holiday rom-com.

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### A Holiday Tradition

The movie features an annual Christmas luau and hula dance, so there’s never any doubt that the characters are firmly rooted in Hawaii’s festive spirit.

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### Does the Title Make Any Sense?

Absolutely. The title *Same Time, Next Christmas* refers to the pact between the young couple to reunite each Christmas at the same place and time—though life’s complications test that promise.

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### Our Take

*Same Time, Next Christmas* is just okay. It’s your standard holiday rom-com fare, but the filmmakers spice things up by setting the main action in Hawaii and using a series of occasionally jarring time jumps.

I appreciate the committed acting from Lea Michele and Charles Michael Davis. Their solid chemistry makes it easy to root for their characters to have a happy ending. However, some story elements, like the character Gregg, felt unnecessary and detracted a bit from the overall experience.

On the positive side, the Williams family is likable, and the older adult love story budding between Alec and resort manager Mariel (Christina Souza) felt natural and sweet.

Overall, though, the film is fine but not exceptional. The script is sometimes clunky and sports-metaphor dense, and the storyline is predictable. It’s an easy watch that you can enjoy here and there—not terrible, but not particularly memorable either.

If I had to give it a grade, it’d be a solid C.

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### Our Call

*Same Time, Next Christmas* is a decent enough mindless holiday watch, and the main couple is one you want to end up together. It’s a pretty good movie to have on in the background while you’re doing something else.

But if you’re looking for something to really grab and hold your attention this holiday season, you can probably **skip it**.
https://decider.com/2025/11/11/same-time-next-christmas-netflix-review/

culture, entertainment, media

Jock O’Lantern: Pumpkin carver goes viral for Taylor Swift creation, fans demand Kelce gourd

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They’re out of their gourds over these celebrity pumpkins. Karrah Youngblood’s amazing likeness of Taylor Swift carved into a pumpkin racked up 11.6 million social media views, with swooning Swifties demanding she do the same for Travis Kelce.

“I was like, ‘That’s a great idea. Plus he’s good looking.’ I thought he turned out great,” Youngblood, 47, told The Post ahead of Halloween.

The Oklahoma graphic designer posted the spellbinding squashes in a TikTok video she captioned “two of my pumpkins are getting married.” One viewer commented, “Bet the pumpkins last longer than the marriage!”

Last September, Youngblood had a mere 400 followers on TikTok and Instagram. But after she posted a video of her Beyoncé pumpkin—which now has a staggering 11.2 million combined views—she amassed nearly 70 million views of her A-list art.

The single mom, who makes her creations using only a 97-cent cutting knife, an $18 chisel, a thumbtack, and a $3.50 pumpkin, sells her carvings for as much as $1,100. She’s partnered with companies like Spotify, for whom she carved Megan Thee Stallion, and Comic Con, which asked for William Shatner.

“And I don’t even need to send them the pumpkin. I just need to send them a 15 to 30-second video,” she said.

Her process, which takes an hour and a half, begins with designing a pattern in Adobe Illustrator, printing it out, and taping it on the pumpkin. She then uses the thumbtack to make holes around the outlines and spends about 30 minutes carving it out.

“All of us have highlights, shadows, and midtones in our faces. And there are basically three depths of a pumpkin that are easily accessed: either cut all the way through, scraped off, or left alone,” she explained. “So before the light turns on, it appears as a blubbering mess, but when the light shines through, they become super realistic.”

The self-proclaimed music and sports nerd focuses her work on singers like Freddie Mercury, Kurt Cobain, Lady Gaga, and Rihanna, and athletes such as Peyton Manning, Kevin Durant, and Russell Westbrook—but also takes suggestions from fans.

“Somebody asked for a Paris Hilton, and then Paris Hilton followed me on TikTok, which was really cool.”

In September, she created one for the late Ozzy Osbourne, and his son Jack “liked” the post.

As for future creations, she is mustering up the courage to attempt a famous face she knows will be her trickiest.

“One of my followers told me if I can carve a spot on Post Malone, I’ll be crowned pumpkin queen for life. The diamond teeth and face tattoos might destroy me, but I like my chances.”
https://nypost.com/2025/10/25/lifestyle/pumpkin-carver-goes-viral-for-taylor-swift-creation-fans-demand-kelce/