The Spirit of Christmas ends on a quite ambiguous note — here is what transpired towards the film’s finale. Directed by David Jackson, The Spirit of Christmas tries to evade the conventions of a holiday romantic comedy. While the Lifetime holiday film still possesses the clichéd tropes of its genre, it presents an ingenious angle: one involving murder mysteries, ghost sightings, and interdimensional attachment.
Set in the fictional Hollygrove Inn, The Spirit of Christmas chronicles the complicated development between Daniel Forsythe (Thomas Beaudoin) and Kate Jordan (Jen Lilley). Daniel, an Edwardian Era ghost murdered within the inn’s property line, clashes with an ambitious lawyer in Kate, who has been sent on an urgent task. As the news of Daniel’s appearances will derail her mission—and subsequently, her promotion—Kate seeks to resolve his cause of death.
Similar to the original Christmas movies on Lifetime and other viewing platforms, The Spirit of Christmas ends happily, maintaining the warmth and lightheartedness of the season. Fans of the film have praised The Spirit of Christmas's cast of characters, as well as its intriguing concept, putting a rather unique spin on a holiday romance.
Walter and Molly host a Christmas Eve party at the Hollygrove Inn. In spite of Kate’s apologies for not solving his murder, Daniel thanks her for the experiences he has had while living temporarily. When their slow-dancing gets interrupted by Sheriff Bell, Daniel has an inexplicable recollection of what happened to him on the night of his death. Suddenly, he is holding Lilly’s hand, and amidst the present-day party, he witnesses the 1920 events. Daniel then sees a first-hand account of that night, including his murderer's identity: cousin Harry.
After confronting Harry, Daniel forgives him, allowing him to be free. He then talks to Kate about their relationship, and she promised to wait for him every year if needed. Strangely, Kate passes out after their kiss, and while she is sleeping, Lilly pushes Daniel to make a choice: cross over the Hollygrove Inn property line and finally be liberated or stay with Kate. The following morning, Kate receives a call that Walter and Molly bought the inn, and outside, she sees Daniel hurrying towards her. The two share a passionate kiss.
Daniel John Forsythe has become a rural tale because of him allegedly haunting the place. Every year for almost a century, Daniel returns to his corporeal form and stays in the Hollygrove Inn during the 12 days before Christmas. He then disappears by midnight of December 25, only to return the following year. At the start of The Spirit of Christmas, he has no memory of what happened to him or how he could be free of the curse. However, as Kate theorizes early on in the film, the identity of Daniel’s murderer is the last piece of the puzzle, which would then allow him to cross over.
During the modern-day Christmas Eve party, Daniel suddenly sees what transpired during the night of his death. He hears how Charles berates Lilly for still waiting for her fiancée’s return, which forces him to consider possible suspects for the murder. Daniel has just arrived at the conclusion that perhaps Conrad, his former boss, has sent one of his men to kill him when he saw his cousin Harry holding a bloodstained rock.
As it turns out, Harry has also been haunting the inn for decades, and although neither of them knows who cursed them, he knows that he needs Daniel’s forgiveness to get out. It is later implied that Lilly, despite being a ghost, somehow has the ability to keep Daniel within the inn’s vicinity until he discovers the truth, and resurrects him every year. While there is no clear ruling on how Daniel still physically exists on Christmas Day, The Spirit of Christmas' viewers can infer that his love for Kate is enough to create a miracle.
Throughout The Spirit of Christmas, Kate questions the “curse” placed upon Daniel—specifically the number of days he has every year. She points out that the rules are far too specific to be random. During the 1920s party, the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” plays in the background while Charles and Lilly engage in a heated discussion outside. Lilly firmly believes that Daniel will return from making a living as a rum runner in Montrea on Christmas Eve—12 days after leaving.
In Christian tradition and theology, twelve days span the period between the birth of Christ and the coming of the Magi. However, the carol itself is not based on any religious belief, as it enumerates the various gifts a lover might give to prove his true intentions. Perhaps, Lilly has chosen to bring Daniel back for twelve days to compensate for the time he lost while working for his family.
Towards The Spirit of Christmas’ ending, both Daniel and Kate make remarkable decisions about their lives. For the first time, Kate learns to prioritize herself and her personal life above her work, similar to Nina Dobrev’s character in Love Hard. Additionally, she discovers the ability to love deeply—in fact, she even considers dedicating herself to and waiting for Daniel just to prove her love for him.
That in and of itself is already a miracle, considering how self-centered and damaged Kate is made out to be at the start of the film. Furthermore, Daniel decides to instantly forgive Harry and help him cross over the line. He also abandons his shot at leaving the mortal world and settling into the afterlife by picking Kate. In the process, both Daniel and Kate exercise agency in breaking the status quo, deliberately choosing to love and be loved — which is truly the most humanizing part of The Spirit of Christmas' ending.
source https://screenrant.com/the-spirit-of-christmas-movie-ending-explained-what-happened/
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