The Santa Class

This was a fun and unique premise for a hallmark holiday movie and I loved the chemistry between Kimberley Sustad (Kate) and Benjamin Ayres (Dan).

Kate inherits her dad's Santa school, The North Star, when he retires. Their biggest competition is a corporate Santa School, Saint Nicholas, that has moved into town, but in order to cut costs they fire their best Santa trainer, Dan, who comes to work for The North Star Santa School. Dan and Kate went in one date prior to working together...and now they have quite a challenge with the misfits in this session of the school and hoping to win the Santa Cup.

On the way to meet their new class of Santas, Kate and Dan meet the real Santa on the side of the road...only Santa seems to have amnesia. They bring "Nick" back to the school hoping to help restore his memory.

They end up with the most unconventional group of Santa's to enter into the Christmas Cup...skinny Santa, cool Santa, hippy Santa, woman Santa, ventriloquist Santa...and well...the real Santa.

The humor in this was great. It was creative, magical and fun...not to mention romantic with just the right amount of Christmas. I think Christmas and romantic fans will enjoy this one.

Loved Trevor as Nick he fitted the part very well,hope to see him in more holiday movies.

Now onto the remaining review.. Although a bit clichéd,it wasn't anything typically overdone by Hallmark-Such as festivals,etc.

It was cast & acted decent,music didn't overly drown out speaking.

The holiday decor was fine & not sure if this took place in Canada,pretending to be elsewhere but felt"almost"season/temperature realistic.

The opening credits to the movie was refreshing,get rather bored with the cookie cutter productions-Quality over quantity matters!

Was a fun storyline in general,one might actually watch again.. Check it out!

Hallmark has rolled out a charming Christmas movie directed by Lucie Guest and written by Alexandre Coscas, Joseph Kelbley, and Russell Hainline! This delightful holiday tale takes us to the quirky yet challenging world of the North Star Training Academy for Santas, which reflects bigger themes of legacy and ambition. Kate North, played by Kimberley Sustad, inherits this struggling academy from her dad, showcasing the classic conflict between family duty and personal dreams. The weight of her heritage looms large, shaping her present and holding back her aspirations, much like how jingle bells symbolize both joy and the burden of expectations.

When Kate teams up with her former rival, Dan (Benjamin Ayres), to help an amnesiac Santa-who, in a twist that echoes It's a Wonderful Life, embodies the true spirit of Christmas-the stakes rise beyond just personal goals. The film prompts us to reflect on what it truly means to embrace the Christmas spirit in a time when those values often get lost in the hustle and bustle of consumerism.

The chemistry between the leads is fantastic, and the acting is top-notch! The supporting cast at North Star is a delightful mix of quirky characters, each showcasing a different facet of the holiday spirit. From a Jewish hippie to a ventriloquist Santa, these characters highlight the variety of holiday experiences, each contributing their own unique touch to the training program.

The eclectic group at North Star reminds us that the real magic of the season lies in our shared moments and connections. In a time when the holiday spirit can feel overshadowed by commercialism, The Santa Class encourages us to think about what it means to celebrate, suggesting that the most meaningful gifts often come from the heart rather than the store.

I loved this movie! Kimberly Sustad is one of my favorite Hallmark actors and I watch all of her movies. She was fantastic in this, and as always handled comedy and deep emotions very well. Her chemistry with Benjamin Ayres was wonderful and very believable. He was hilarious! He is usually more subdued in his roles, so this was a nice departure for him and he handled the comedy well.

Paul Campbell's role was priceless! The entire cast was great and the man who played Santa was perfect.

I'm sure there were flaws in the movie, but I never noticed because I was enjoying the movie so much! I will definitely watch The Santa Class again!

I can't remember ever giving ANY Hallmark movie a ten. I have loved most , tolerated some , cringed through a few , but never a 10. This movie hit all the right notes. Funny , sentimental, and , of course , romantic. Kimberley Sustad and Benjamin Ayres are perfect in their roles. Kimberley's realistic doubts of her future came across as totally believable. Benjamin plays a his role perfectly, and the chemistry between the two is undeniable, even if it starts a bit slowly. Adding in Paul Campbell doing research for a role is perfect. Trevor Lerner is great as a confused Santa , Lindsay Winch is starting up the Hallmark ladder , expect her to be a lead soon . Carmel Amit( great in Field Day also) is wonderful , as is Graeme McComb . The rest of the cast is good also , just not that much to do. There are numerous one liners thrown out that you need to pay attention for. You may not give it a 10 , but I think you'll want to see this one every year at Christmas time.