A BOYFRIEND FOR CHRISTMAS

In every person’s heart is a dream for true love. Take Holly Grant (Kelli Williams, The Practice)—at age 13, she’s missing what her two best friends Beth (Erica Gimpel, Freaky Friday) and Diane (Maeve Quinlan, General Hospital) have, and she’s feeling miserably ill-informed about the opposite sex. With no boyfriend on Christmas Eve, her life is totally lacking. For things to get better, it’s going to take a miracle.

Beth has snagged the high school quarterback and the insanely popular, fashion-conscious Diane levels all competition with nothing more than a smile. Isn’t it Holly’s turn? Then one day at the mall, Holly sees an adorable boy (Patrick Muldoon, Starship Troopers), a dream come true—and she doesn’t even know his name. Goaded by a department store Santa (Golden Globe winner Charles Durning, Dog Day Afternoon), she wishes for the young man who caught her eye. Not that Holly believed in Christmas wishes, but she’s still disappointed when she finds the only present under the tree from Santa is a snow globe, inscribed with a promise of love “between now and the end of the twentieth year.” Twenty years? An eternity! Then again, life seems to unfold before we know it.

At 33, Ms. Grant fights pro bono in court for the little guy—this time, a mother trying to regain custody of her kids. With Christmas around the corner, it’d be a nice gift if Holly could count on her legal counsel to show up in court. He’s some hotshot attorney named Ryan Hayes whom Holly’s never met and yet can’t stand—or so she thinks. At least she can count on her best friends Beth and Diane—one married, one still playing the field—to provide the support she needs, and she needs it. Her old beau, Ted Powell (Bruce Thomas, Legally Blonde), has shown up out of the blue to rekindle a flame—and then a new beau has come gift-wrapped, just like Santa promised twenty years ago. He calls himself Doug, but there’s something strangely familiar about him. If Holly ever guessed his real identity, she never speak to Santa again. It appears that Ryan Hayes has his work cut out for him. He’s got an in with the big guy up North, and this Christmas he’s planning to make one lady’s wish finally come true.

Are you wishing for a delightfully disarming magical romance? Throw in a case of mistaken identity, a touch of providence, and the promise of destiny, and unwrap A Boyfriend for Christmas this season. It’s the happiest surprise of the year.