Christmas By Candlelight

Rating: 7/10 

Reason: Kinda slow. I thought for sure it was getting to the end, and I was less than halfway through it. There were some good moments, and other than the daughter, the acting was good. I thought the fully inflated Santa decoration was going to be featured a bit more as well... 

*Watched on Amazon Prime Video (Age 13+)

SPOILERS BELOW!

                                                                  

(The main character works in an office. It's a Wellness/Lifestyle company. She is a Working Lady)

Working Lady is carrying a fully inflated Santa decoration through the streets. It's unclear why it's fully inflated. Working Lady delivers fully inflated Santa decoration to her friend at the office. Apparently Working Lady is delivering Office Friend's order of a fully inflated Santa decoration. (I don't believe for a second that the Santa decoration came fully inflated in the first place. I'm 2 minutes into this movie and I already need to suspend reality...). Office Friend wants to win the office decorating competition. That's why she needed a fully inflated Santa decoration.

Working Lady informs Office Friend that she broke up with her boyfriend because she made a spreadsheet, and they didn't look good on paper. 

Boss Lady breaks the news that profits are down 15% since last year. The board is freaking out! So Boss Lady told the board there's a new product launching before Christmas...

Working Lady doesn't understand.

Boss Lady tells Working Lady she is in charge of figuring it out. Create a scarcity mindset! Something new and luxurious!  If Working Lady succeeds, she will become the Senior VP! The pitch is due by 5pm! Good Luck! 

With the clock winding down, Working Lady heads out for inspiration. She ends up in Hot Candle Guy's candle shop. Working Lady knocks over a candle display. Hot Candle Guy is not too worried. Working Lady runs back to the office inspired. 

Working Lady pitches smelly candles to Boss Lady.

Boss Lady gives Working Lady 1 week to collaborate with Hot Candle Guy (HCG) and present a sample pack. 

HCG has a Daughter, but no special lady of his very own.

HCG is not on board with Working Lady's collaboration idea. He needs to protect his brand integrity. Working Lady is frustrated, and determined to change HCG's mind. 

HCG is against collaborating because he was burned by the last company he worked with. 

HCG's Mom (we'll call her Grandma) runs a charity, but they just lost a major donor, so now Grandma can't make it for Christmas. HCG's Daughter makes a wish that Grandma will come for Christmas.

Working Lady is just about to tell Boss Lady the smelly candles are not going to happen when HCG stops by. He realizes his company needs revitalization, so he is in.

HCG and Working Lady are having difficulty agreeing on the project. (I don't think they would make it past spreadsheet stage either).

Working Lady has made some spreadsheets about the scents for the candles (she really loves her spreadsheets). HCG says they need to explore the smells. Spreadsheets will not get them to a successful smelly candle.

HCG is ready. He's come up with 4 samples. All of them are 4 inch white pillar candles. 

Working Lady is not happy with HCG's offerings. She wants them to be different. 

HCG says they smell different.

Working Lady wants them to look different. 

HCG insists his brand is one singular look.

Working Lady convinces HCG to try different looks.

Candle making montage, complete with unnecessary touching of hands and giggling. The signs are pointing to them liking each other.

HCG invites Working Lady to come make Christmas cookies. HCG's Daughter helps. They bond over the family activity. 

Working Lady and HCG come up with the scents for the new smelly candles, and start working on them when the power suddenly goes out! Luckily they are surrounded by candles.

Just as they get the candles lit, the power comes back on. HCG's Daughter has a tummy ache, so HCG needs to go. Now HCG's Daughter will have to miss her Santa visit, and romance time is over!

Working Lady has a surprise up her sleeve. Office Friend happens to have a Mrs. Claus costume, so Working Lady brings Office Friend to HCG's Daughter in place of her Santa visit. 

HCG's Daughter has 1 Christmas wish. She wants Grandma (HCG's Mom who can't come for Christmas because her charity lost its donor) to be able to come for Christmas. 

Boss Lady is looking through the numbers. These smelly candle costs are too high. They'll need to be priced at $150 each!  Working Lady says they are worth it (That's insane)! Boss Lady thinks Working Lady is getting distracted by HCG, and she needs to focus on the project and get it done. 

Working Lady tells HCG they need to lower costs. HCG will not lower his standards! It feels like a bait and switch!  Working Lady tells HCG her promotion is riding on this! HCG doesn't want to be a pawn in her career moves! They figure out a compromise they are both happy with.

Working Lady managed to get the price down to $75 per smelly candle. Boss Lady is happy, and is ready to put the order in after she makes a few tweaks to the contract...

HCG receives the new contract, and he's angry! Boss Lady has activated an option to increase production and extend the collection of smelly candles. This isn't what HCG signed up for!  There's no way HCG will be able to fulfill the new requirements, and keep his smelly candle company standards. 

Working Lady has no idea about the tweaks to the contract. She didn't review the contract before it went out... Working Lady has no authority to change the contract, but she can help HCG expand operations.  HCG doesn't want to expand operations. He wants to stay small and protect what he has. This is why HCG was so against collaborating in the first place!

Boss Lady wants to do a live launch from the candle store. I don't think Boss Lady knows how mad HCG is. Working Lady announces during the live launch that the smelly candles will be produced by a sister company which will be revealed soon. HCG has no idea what Working Lady is talking about. Boss Lady also seems to be in the dark.

Working Lady smooths things over with Boss Lady by throwing HCG under the bus just to appease Boss Lady. Unfortunately for Working Lady, HCG heard her saying uncomplimentary things about him. HCG thought they had something special, but apparently Working Lady thinks he's weak. Working Lady assures HCG she just said that to make Boss Lady happy, but she didn't mean it. HCG doesn't like Working Lady talking about him behind his back, and saying things that aren't true. 

Boss Lady is pleased with the end result of the candles, so Working Lady got her promotion. Working Lady asks Boss Lady if she can choose the charity to make the Christmas donation to. Boss Lady says ok.

HCG's Daughter is sitting at home missing Grandma. Grandma comes in the front door. Someone made a donation to the charity, so she was able to come after all. 

Grandma wants to meet Working Lady since she made the donation on behalf of her company. HCG goes in search of Working Lady. 

HCG starts by apologizing. He was suspicious and stubborn. HCG thinks Working Lady is nice after all. He invites Working Lady to spend Christmas with him & his family. She says ok.

Kissing.

The end