NORTH BY NORTH POLE: A DIAL S MYSTERY

Here's the good news up front: this is a genuinely enjoyable Christmas romance, funny and warm, with a mystery subplot that gives it a little extra spark. It stresses honesty, forgiveness, love, generosity, and charity — the kind of virtues a family is glad to sit with by the tree.

The one caution is real but small. In the emotional climax, Santa tells the heroine that no one can steal her faith "when you believe in yourself," and that believing in yourself means "following your heart." The movie plays it safe and never names God or Jesus as the true object of faith. That's a "believe in yourself" ending, not a "believe in Him" one.

So gather the family and enjoy it — the story is clean, the laughs are earned, and the message is mostly right. Just be ready to talk about that last little wish on the drive home.

Santa Claus decides the small town of Willow Creek needs his help — and Zoey, a young designer, needs it most. All she wants is to pull off the perfect Christmas Festival, a longtime hometown tradition. The funds will renovate the town's community center.

But someone is trying to sabotage the whole thing. Then Dalton arrives — the son of the festival's matching donor — and he and Zoey clash immediately. To save the festival, they'll have to work together to catch the culprit before Dalton's father pulls his funding. Whether they can is the fun of finding out.

Three stars, and they're well earned. This is a cute, harmless Christmas romance that tells a simple story well, with real laughs — the running gag of the "real" Santa clearing out the rival Santa candidates is a delight, and he keeps turning up in exactly the right place at exactly the right time.

The mystery elements are secondary but genuinely add a unique flavor, with suspects ranging from Zoey's flirtatious business rival to the town's elderly curmudgeon. And the film juggles three separate romances with a light touch — Zoey and Dalton, assistant Wilson and Zoey's friend Avery, and even Zoey's mother teaming up with her baking rival. It's engaging to watch each thread unravel. A polished, satisfying entry in the holiday genre.

For most of its runtime, this film honors what Scripture honors. It celebrates Christmas, small-town community, and honest work, and it stresses being truthful with the people we love, forgiveness, love, and charity. There are grace notes too: the male lead wears a cross necklace in a few scenes, and a church stands at the center of the town.

But the film keeps its faith carefully vague. Santa promotes "the spirit of Christmas" without ever saying what that spirit is, and the movie makes no overt reference to Jesus or the true origin of the holiday. It plays it safe.

The safe-playing turns into a genuine misstep at the climax. Encouraging Zoey to have faith, Santa tells her, "No one can steal your faith, not when you believe in yourself" — and when she asks how, he answers, "By following your heart." However kindly meant, that gets it backward. The whole New Testament witness about Jesus makes clear we aren't meant to rely on ourselves at all; we're meant to turn to Him and trust Him.

That's the ache underneath this pretty ending — a longing for something steady to believe in. Scripture points it somewhere other than the mirror: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5).

This one's a keeper for the holiday shelf — funny, kind, and full of the right virtues, with a mystery that keeps it lively. Its only stumble is a feel-good ending that trusts the heart instead of the Lord, which makes it a fine chance for a quick after-movie chat. So pop the popcorn: it's worth the trip.