Oh gosh, what a pure, precious movie.
A Very Vintage Christmas had not one but two endearing love stories to give you all the feels.
It was adorable in all the right ways, and one can’t help but grin and squeal in delight by the end.
A Very Vintage Christmas was an ode to the quirky, eccentric girls out there. Rarely do you experience the delightfully weird and unique female characters with an appreciation for vintage and retro as if they’re from a different time.
It’s even rarer to see a quirky, eccentric black woman with niche interest and in a sweet love story too.
In an age of championing Black Girl Magic, what’s truly magical is when it’s all-encompassing, and it extends to the underrepresented types.
Again, it’s rarely space for the quirky and awkward black girl on television, for whatever reason, so kudos again to Lifetime for broadening their offerings this holiday season.
It has been nothing but delightful.
Dodie was such an exuberant and sweet character. She was spirited and saw the world in a way, unlike what you’re accustomed to seeing.
She was passionate about her tiny vintage shop and everything in it. When she came up with elaborate stories behind every article in the shop she touched, she pulled you into her world with her.
It was easy to understand why Ed fell for her so hard and fast, and it certainly was understandable how she fell for him too.
Ed was one of the best leading men from the batch of Christmas movies this year. He was kind and unassuming; he was attractive and helpful. He had layers and was full of surprises.
Ed: Not much into the past myself. I have enough trouble living in the present.
He was down to earth, and one of the best parts about him was how his behavior didn’t fluctuate depending on if he felt he had a chance with Dodie or not.
He respected her wishes when she mentioned she wasn’t ready for anything romantic. He didn’t distance himself when she said she wanted them to remain friends.
He didn’t shy away from doing all the things he did before when she declined his subtle but respectful romantic overtures.
For Ed, friendship was enough for him, too, and it was something gratifying and refreshing about that, and his response.
He wished he could have more with Dodie, but he was willing to take whatever it was she was comfortable giving him.
Tia Mowry-Hardrict and Jesse Hutch had great chemistry — the type that made you cup your face, squealing in delight. They made you root for them and their love story as they spent all of this time trying to crack another one.
Ed seemed like he would be a bit of a hardass when it came to Christmas, but he was the opposite.
Ed: Maybe I shouldn’t have done that. I know it’s not what you want right now.
Dodie: Yeah.
Ed: Any idea when that might change?
He was wrapped up in the Christmas magic, and even though he didn’t understand Dodie’s fascination with figuring out the story behind the box of trinkets, he was devoted to her and their quest.
He got wrapped up in the magic too.
You can’t blame Dodie for wanting to solve a Christmas mystery and go on a quest. The moment she found the box and realized the sentimental value of it, the romantic in her jumped out.
She didn’t let the daunting task of solving a 45-year-old mystery get to her. Most people would’ve been discouraged or feared the worst.
Ed: I still don’t get your fascination with the rusty, dusty old stuff. What’s the draw for you?
Dodie: It’s history. Everything has a story.
After all that time, wouldn’t you be scared of what you might find out? Ed was right; it was no guarantee of a happy ending. They never brought up the topic, but it was always a chance Ginger, Carl, or both had passed away.
Ed’s sentiments about the past rang true. The past can be scary, and it comes with baggage. It isn’t always pretty and sweet.
He liked blank slates and new starts. He liked the possibility of something new.
Yet, that’s what balanced them out so well. Dodie was diving headfirst into this mystery with a glamorized version of what she thought would happen — she was hopeful and optimistic.
Ed: How is it that I have more faith in you than you have?
He was more realistic and pragmatic. He was a grounding force for her, but he managed to be that without stifling her or expecting her to be something else.
Ed wasn’t unlike many people, so it wasn’t anything remarkable about Dodie embracing and accepting him for who he is, but Dodie was a rare gem.
It was beautiful how he accepted and embraced her quirks, and he never made her feel like a weirdo. If anything, she livened up his world.
He was genuinely happy to help her with the shop. He volunteered any chance he got, and it made him happy to be of service.
Ed jumped at any chance to be around Dodie. It was endearing and romantic. The man was thirsty, and he couldn’t even hide it.
At some point, the shop started to feel like a joint business venture with him, Dodie, and Olivia. It was their project and baby.
Dodie: Olivia. He’s not my type.
Olivia: Dodie, please. He is everybody’s type.
Once he decided he was invested in its outcome, he did whatever necessary to help the ladies out. As if he wasn’t attractive enough as a man who works with his hands, he stayed up all night and fixed their wall, salvaged their products, and resolved the flooding issue while they slept.
Seriously, find you an Ed. And if and when you do, sure as hell don’t let him go.
Five minutes into the movie, and he was a goner, and therefore, so was I. It only feels right to have this much swooning in regards to a film about a woman who appreciates classic romance and the man who loves her.
Dodie was someone who hyper fixated. She loved her vintage shop to death, and she wanted it to be a success, but it’s a good thing she had Olivia around.
They needed to do well if they ever hoped to pay back Dodie’s father. It was a huge risk to open up a niche shop in a small town.
How well does a vintage shop do? Can you support yourself with something like that? It always seems like something you do because of your love for it, as a hobby or side job, but not the primary one.
Dodie: I was the one who could never figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. Here I am, still not sure.
Dodie was the oddball of her family who wasn’t a doctor like her brother, nor did she have her life planned out. She didn’t know what she wanted to be when she grew up, and she never found a career that suited her.
She opted to focus on what she enjoyed, and that was old bric-a-brac and knick-knacks. She had her head in the clouds. She was a bit of a dreamer.
Once she found the box of trinkets, all of her attention was devoted to finding out who it belonged to, no matter what it cost.
When she told Ed that she needed to see this quest of hers through, and suggested that she never sees things through, it was easy to believe her.
We knew how much the shop meant to her, and she still got distracted from it in favor of the trinket box. She left much of the finances and promotion up to Olivia.
She flitted back and forth between knowing how important it was that they make money and unintentionally ignoring customers and attempts to sell.
It almost seemed like she would be against the store website because of how modern it was, but she didn’t put up a fight when Olivia suggested it.
She was too distracted to bother. It was probably the thing that gave their story a necessary boost.
Dodie was adorable, and the love stories were precious as ever, but let’s put some respect on Olivia’s name.
She was the unsung hero of this movie. The vintage shop would be nothing without her. It probably wouldn’t have made it to the new year.
Although, this was a perfect example of the importance of business partners balancing out. Olivia had the business acumen and did the number-crunching and promotion, and Dodie was the one with the eye, passion, and charm.
Together they made a hell of a team. And Olivia didn’t get annoyed when she saw her friend going down a rabbit hole over a box.
They are nailing the second-chance at love B-love stories for these movies. The secondary couple is always as entertaining as the primary.
In this case, we didn’t get to see the secondary couple until the end of the movie, but it was worth the wait. Was anyone else shocked to find out Margaret was Ginger?
As addictive and delightful as these movies are, they often tend to be predictable. It’s what you expect from them, and it’s half the reason for tuning in.
However, the Ginger reveal was a genuine shock. For some reason, it never dawned on me that Ginger was a nickname and a reference to Ginger Rogers.
Dodie and Ed spent all of that time looking for a Ginger, and they never would’ve found her on that alone.
Their Christmas scavenger hunt, or crusade, took them to all the places they could identify from the photos and pieces in that box.
Small towns are the best, especially when most of the people remain in them their entire life. How else would you expect to find the same elf from 45 years ago taking the same pictures in a similar pose at the annual Santa photoshop?
Only in a small town with a pleasant name like Mountain Ridge or Sunshine Hope Valley or something would you see such things.
The one town library still possessing the ledger from the ’70s where they found out Carl’s name was another insane clue. The most realistic part about it was the librarian asking them to pay the 45-year-old overdue fee.
Also, the one postal office in town with only a handful of mailboxes was a doozy of a clue, too. Carl was a romantic to the hilt for keeping the engagement ring locked away for all those decades.
Why wouldn’t he take the ring home with him and save it? He was paying to keep the ring and note locked in there for years, and he didn’t even have the key for it.
He truly was keeping hope alive.
It was such a thrilling reveal when an excited Dodie cast her frustration with Ed aside and told him to come with her to meet “Ginger.”
It spoke volumes how even though he knew she was upset with him, and they were in the midst of a fight, he joined her anyway.
They only knew each other for a short time, but Ed was willing to follow her to the end of the Earth if she asked.
Ed assumed the diner waitress was Ginger. She spoke with such wisdom before about love and gave him advice about his relationship with Dodie.
Dodie: Did you set this up? You did this for me?
Ed: I’d do anything for you. You should know that by now.
She was right, too. Dodie cared about him so much it scared her, and she didn’t know what to do with it, so she tried to keep their mutual feelings at bay.
However, the waitress’s advice wasn’t from personal experience. She said she found the love of her life and married him, so she wasn’t a candidate.
Margaret was a surprise. We didn’t know much about her previous marriage. Until that point, it seemed like her husband died.
But it sounds like she and her husband divorced, and she raised Ed by herself.
Ed was shocked to find out the woman he and Dodie were searching for was right in front of his face the whole time and his mother at that.
Margaret’s story was unfortunate. She felt like she had to choose between love and her career. It’s insane how much that still resonates with women nearly 50 years later.
Why do we allow ourselves to believe we can’t have both?
Carl was trying to tell her that she could, but she didn’t listen and spent nearly 50 years regretting her choice.
She got married and had Ed, but she didn’t love her husband the same.
Did your allergies flare up too when she got choked up about the broach? She was touched to have her belongings back, and it was the reaction Dodie was living for.
Margaret’s reaction was the reason Dodie embarked on her journey in the first place.
Dodie couldn’t leave it there, though. She saw how much Margaret still cared about Carl, and she knew how much Carl loved Margaret when she tracked him down before.
It was only natural for Dodie and Ed to reunite Margaret and Carl.
The reunion was enough to have you holding your breath until Margaret figured out who Carl was. It was such an endearing moment when she recognized him. SO. Many. FEELS.
We got two love stories for the price of one, and I am eternally grateful for it.
Dodie learned she didn’t want to be like Margaret, and she didn’t want to miss her chance with the man who meant so much to her.
What was the point of putting things off with Ed? They were perfect for each other.
Ed’s romantic grand gesture of dressing up like a 19-century caroler was so thoughtful, but all of his gestures and the little things he did for her along the way were the most romantic.
Even their sweet kiss at the end looked like something ripped from a vintage postcard.
Other Thoughts:
- Winter Storm Megan remains the MVP of these movies. She’s bringing people together this holiday season, and she gave our girl the snow she wanted.
- The fashion and hair choices were perfect for this movie. Dodie’s love of vintage and retro came through with every outfit she wore and most of her hairstyles. The polka-dots and dresses, and the hair pinned up like a young dame in the 40’s, all of it was fantastic and added something special to the movie.
- Despite his comments, Ed had a pretty damn sweet vintage pickup truck, loved It’s A Wonderful Life, and he knew how to use an old radio and a record player. He really was a man after Dodie’s heart.
- I know Tamera Mowry is the one who starred in the series, but Tia and Patricia Richardson sharing screentime is the closest to a Strong Medicine reunion as I’m ever going to get, and I loved it.
- Dear Lifetime, what am I supposed to do with all of these warm and fuzzy feelings? It’s getting overwhelming!
Over to you, Lifetime Fanatics! Did you love this movie? Hit the comments below!
Jasmine Blu is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.