Mystery Christmas Movies

Wonderful Life  (Note: for the latest Christmas Mystery movies, go to Christmas Mystery Movies 2013.)

The tradition of trying to identify mystery Christmas movies began a number of years ago, and you can see our early mysteries (and solutions) toward the bottom of our Favorite Christmas Movies page.

What are mystery Christmas movies?  Simply put, these are Christmas movies that we remember (or, as is often the case, half-remember), for which we cannot recall a title or other pertinent information.  Here's one from Kristina:

I saw it seven or so years ago.  I don't remember much.  There were these kids, they were selling newspapers, one of them had a little white stripe on his hair.  They became really good friends.  I remember also that I think that boy bought a present for his sister for Christmas.  It was a doll, an angel; but his sister died on Christmas eve or Christmas, I'm not sure .. or, that may be the boy that died, but that's all I can remember.

Update: Mystery Solved by Laura (and this was not an easy mystery to solve!):

The film is called The Angel Doll, I have been looking for it myself and found it after numerous searches on Google. It was released in 2002.

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Set in World War II:

I remember a made for TV movie...prob late 80s to early 90s. It was set during WWII and featured a family waiting for their son/husband to get home for Christmas. I have no idea who was in it, but remember it was charming. I particularly remember the mother with the daughter in law cooking on Christmas Eve...I think the soldier arrived during Christmas Eve services. Ugh...can you help?

Update: Mystery Solved by Jon R. of Indiana, who advises:

Regarding the Christmas movie from the '80's about a family waiting for their sons to return home during World War II, the name of the movie was "I'll Be Home for Christmas", and sometimes called "A Rockport Christmas". I believe it's set in Rockport, Mass. The movie was from 1988 and starred Hal Holbrook and Eva Marie Saint, and no, I've not been able to find it at all on video or anything else. It's not even mentioned as a movie credited to Holbrook of Miss Saint on their Wikipedia filmography. It also stars Peter Gallagher, Whip Hubley, and Courtney Cox. It is one of my favorites, but it's been years since I last saw it.

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And here's another, sent in by Melissa:

I remember seeing this movie when I was younger like the early to mid nineties I have asked people before and they say its like a Mexican movie with the devil and its not. Okay the movie takes place all around the world with different people in one there is a little girl that wants a new dolly for Christmas and she steals one and her mom makes her take it back but she sings to the doll in a different language and when she goes to sleep that night she has a dream about life size dolls that dance all around her. And there is Merlin who has that crazy telescope with like an eye at the end of it. And Santa Claus is having a hard time I think trying to get to all the houses. That's really all I remember hope someone can find that movie for Me Also I don't believe its on DVD only VHS I remember the box it has like a starry night sky on it.

Update: Mystery Solved by Suzanne W. (and this was a tricky one, so good job, Suzanne!), who identified the movie as an alternate version of the 1959 Mexican film Santa Claus.  Suzanne tells us:

Melissa IS talking about the Mexican movie with the devil in it.. It's just the English dubbed version where many of the devil scenes were cut. Was my favorite Christmas movie as a kid and I had the VHS version but has long been gone.

Apparently, the 1989 dubbed-in-English home video release version was titled, Santa Claus: The Motion Picture, and was abridged to remove "objectionable material;" thus, every scene with the character Pitch in it was taken out, and the running time reduced to 63 minutes. 

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Heather K. asks about a film where Santa isn't getting any letters:

I was wondering about a Christmas movie I saw as a child. I don't remember a whole lot except for this- Santa isn't getting any letters from children and thinks that no one believes in Santa anymore so there is no use for him. A girl elf finds out that the letters are being stolen inside the mailbox by a mean woman who wants to stop Christmas. The way the elf saves Christmas is by saying I'll always believe in Christmas and she says it like 3 times and is blown out of the mailbox along with all the letters just in time to save Christmas. Please help! I was born in 85 if this helps.

This one sounded so familiar to us, but we couldn't come up with the title.  Was it an animated film?  Does anyone recall the title?  I can see those letters flying through the air in my mind's eye . . .

Update: Mystery Solved by Andy S., Who Was Also Searching, and Writes:

I have been on a hunt for many years for a certain Christmas movie. I thought my hunt was over when I stumbled upon your site, sadly I just found that someone else was in the search for exactly the same thing. Today my search is complete! Heather K. was searching for a Christmas movie where a woman lives in Santa's mailbox and steals his letters... that movie is called The Elf Who Saved Christmas (1992).

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Richard Chamberlain, Maybe?  Deborah R, Writes:

A wonderful (I think) TV movie that I saw many years ago but it left such an impression on me with the sweet almost magical way it was filmed and narrated. I'm not sure who the lead was but I keep thinking Richard Chamberlain although I haven't been able to find any evidence to support that theory. One of the final lines of narration are "...and as he walked away, I noticed he left no footprints in the snow ...". Somebody please help me! I really would like my kids to see it.

Update: Mystery Solved by Val S., who tells us . . .

The answer to this question is a Christmas special I watched as a child in the 70's called "The Christmas Messenger" starring Richard Chamberlain as an Angel narrating the 3 stories. It's one of my favorites!

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Dean M. Asks About the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Movie:

I've been trying to find the name of a Christmas movie I recall watching a number of years ago with my wife and daughter and have not seen since. I vaguely remember the movie is about a man assigned to find a Christmas tree for Rockefeller Center. I don't recall many details other than he finds a tree that belongs to a convent and a sister is very attached to the tree. The sister, I believe, is was orphaned as a child and became attached to the tree growing up. The movie is about her life story. 

I believe it was a made for TV movie and may have been a Hallmark movie. I know it brought tears to my wife and daughter's eye, but we've never seen it on again. Do you have any idea what movie I'm talking about? I apologize for the limited and possibly inaccurate details. It's been at least 10 years since I saw the movie.

Update: Mystery Solved by Mary J., Who Advises Us:

The movie about the Rockefeller Center tree is called "The Christmas Tree" It was made for TV in 1996. It is my favorite Christmas movie!

Update 2:  James adds . . .

Regarding the movie "The Christmas Tree" Starring Julie Harris as Sister Anthony and Andrew McCarthy as the Rockefeller Center guy- it was only shown once--I don't know why because it was a great story- I have found a copy on DVD- but I believe it's a bootleg. It is available on the internet but only this way. Many people have requested Hallmark to re-broadcast it but they never have. 

[Editor's Note to Hallmark -  a lot of people read this page.  Wouldn't it be great if you could make them all happy by re-airing this show?]

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Marian D. Inquires About a 1970's Film:

I also have a mystery Christmas movie I would love to see again. I think it was made in the 70's. It deals with a poor black boy who finds a kitten and wants to keep it but his grandma or mama says no we can't afford to feed it. He steals cans of cat food from a store.

Update: Mystery Solved by Alice D., Who Writes:

That movie is called "J.T." - it was a made-for-TV movie made in 1969.

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Gemma B. And The Mysterious Chair . . .

I hope you can help me I'm trying to find a Christmas movie I saw as a child. it was about some kids whose parents needed money and they befriended a dept store Santa who told them he could help them he was only tricking them to use them to get money out of a Santa grotto chair. they had to solve a riddle and find a key to open the back of the grotto chair.  I really hope u can help me its driving me crazy.

Update: Gemma solved her own mystery.  She wrote to say:

I have found the film, it was the Christmas star from 1986.  Thanks for your help.

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Santa Rides a Bus.  Lizzy Writes:

Hi I'm Lizzy I have this mystery movie. It's this girl who runs away and ends up sitting on a bus next to Santa. They started looking for the little girl's dad and end up saving a factory on the way.  Also there is a black man dressed as Santa with a fake parrot on his shoulder. By the end they find her dad playing a piano in a mall. Also at some point in the movie Santa falls, forgets who he is, and everyone has to say "I believe," for him to remember.  Thanks.

Update: Mystery Solved by Tracy S., Who Writes:

Santa rides a bus mystery movie….  That movie is “It Nearly Wasn’t Christmas”. It is with a little girl named Jennifer Baxter played by Risa Schiffman.

Tracy goes on to say that the disillusioned Santa was played by Charles Durning.  Thanks!

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Jimi H. Could Use Help With Two Movies:

I was wondering if anyone could tell me the title of either of the following two Christmas films.

The first film was set in a shopping mall and involved a Santa Claus and a young boy. It must have been from the 1980s or possibly early 1990s. I think the mall may have been getting robbed or something and it may have been in Minneapolis but not sure. Can't remember much more detail but I really loved this film when I was younger!

The second film I'm sure was either produced or directed by Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy, and possibly Steven Spielberg was involved somehow. It involved a policeman who hadn't got a toy he'd wanted when he was young and was miserable as an adult because of this.

Any help identifying either of these films would be greatly appreciated!

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Martha K. Wonders . . .

Does anyone remember the made for TV movie that involved a family preparing for Christmas in the country, and the young boy being terribly upset about the goose that would become the family's meal? The boy sets off to free the goose, and ends up falling through the ice on the pond. I don't remember anything else....perhaps an 80's movie?

Update: Mystery Solved by Tracy S. (A Very Good Mystery-Solver!), Who Writes:

Martha K was wondering about a movie about a little boy that was upset about the family making a goose for Christmas and he tries to save the goose. I believe that movie is “Saving the Christmas Goose”.  Here is a short description I found:

"11-year old Jannik lives with his parents on a farm,
which like most farms is struggling to stay afloat.
Jannik has grown up around animals – his favorite
one is the goose Hermine, whom he has cared for
ever since she was born five years ago. She even
sleeps in his room."

Update II:  Or, is the mystery Solved by Laura T., Who Writes:

The name of the movie with the little boy trying to save the Christmas goose, is "The Gift of Love" with Lee Remick. It was made for TV and first aired in 1983. It is not available on DVD.

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Christmas Movie With Malamute Sought by Veronica, Who States:

I've been looking for a Christmas movie. I believe it is from the 70's or 80's. It's about a boy and his father and their dog (Alaskan malamute). The boy is dying from some form cancer and I believe he actually dies on Christmas day.

Update: Mystery Solved by Dawn H., Who Writes:

I believe the movie the person below is looking for is called "The Christmas Tree aka When Wolves Cry" starring William Holden.

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If a reader has an idea as to the titles of the movies described, please let us know at djmcadam@gmail.com - thanks!  And many thanks to our mystery-solvers - you've made our readers happy!

Continued on next page



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