This weekend two more new Christmas movie originals, which I enjoyed very much, premiered on Hallmark and Lifetime, one of which was “The Wishing Tree,” starring Jason Gedrick from “The Christmas Choir” Hallmark movie of 2008.

 

I really enjoyed this movie and from the trailers underestimated its depth. I really thought this was another romance Christmas movie surrounding a wishing tree, but it turns out it wasn’t that at all. I didn’t think that Hallmark movies could still surprise me but this one did. It was not your typical t.v Christmas movie formula but a story made to inspire. It was a movie about friendship, love, hope, letting go and believing that wishes can come true.

 

I thought the wishing tree was going to be the central part of the movie but instead it subtly stayed in the background. There is actually no evidence to suggest that the tree is a granter of wishes as oppose to the wishes placed on the tree simple coming true on their own.

 

The central character is Professor Evan Farnsworth, who teaches English at a Boarding school inMaine, and finds creative and unique ways to illustrate his lessons and inspire his students. During Christmas break, Professor Farnsworth finds himself overseer of the this year’s Christmas Orphans (children not going home for Christmas), which are three of his students; studious Albert, a very beautiful and talented Scholarship student name Juliet and a very angry and privileged student name Drew Breen, whose family’s financial contributions are an major asset to the school.

 

Angry and feeling abandoned and ignored by his parents this Christmas, Drew ditches class and heads to the Wishing tree, he starts yelling at the people placing their wishes on the tree and telling them they are all fools for believing in it and that wishes don’t come true. In Anger he turns over the Volunteer table and is arrested.

 

Madelyn Gurthrie, the Chairperson of the Wish Foundation and overseer of the Wishing Tree wants to press charges to teach him a lesson but Professor Farnsworth convince her to give him a second chance stating that is what the Wishing Tree is all about.  So Drew ends up doing community service at the Wishing Tree by keeping its surroundings clean.

 

Upon the advice of the Professor on how he can make friends, the very intellectual Albert convinces Juliet that they should be a friend to their fellow Musketeer (Christmas Orphan) Drew and help him with his community service. This action changes everything for all involved.

 

Drew has a change of heart and starts to feel not so alone and by Albert’s leadership they go beyond the call of duty and even raise more money for the Wish Foundation through the revitalization of their not so enticing concession stand.

 

Meanwhile, Drew’s mother uses her financial clot to try to get the Professor fired ignorantly believing that it is his fault her son was arrested.  This upsets the three students and they conspire to do something radical to stop this from happening. Nevertheless, the well-meaning attempt puts them in a dangerous situation and cause Drew to be injured.

 

While searching for the three missing teens, Drew’s mother gets to know the Professor a little more and discovers that he does have her son’s best interest at heart and that Drew’s hurt was not really caused by the Professor.

 

In the end, friendships and relationships bloomed, wishes came true and hearts were healed. It was a happy ending. I found this movie to a very inspirational one and not at all what I expected it to be. I’d highly recommend this heartfelt Christmas movie if you like movies that tug at your heartstrings.

 

It is my favorite of the four new Christmas movies I have watched so far for this holiday season. I hope you enjoy watching it and I’d love to hear your thoughts.