essential christmas movie: the 12 dates of christmas

I've had a thing for Mark-Paul Gosselaar since I was probably about eight. Zack Morris was my first real-life crush (I don't count JTT, I didn't know what a crush was, I just knew Home Improvement gave me warm feelings) and it carries on to this day. It has probably helped that I rewatch my Saved by the Bell DVD's at least once a year, or the discovery of this gem of a movie.

Netflix brought The 12 Dates of Christmas into my life last year (and will probably take it away this year and you cannot buy it anywhere believe me I have looked) and I had no idea the effect it would have on me. I watched it as may times as I'd watched Love Actually which believe me, is a lot. I'll never forget the first viewing though, it was about midnight and I just wasn't tired so I watched and watched and then I sobbed and sobbed and crushed MPG and crushed MPG. And it also stands out because I wrote this post immediately after watching it, so you know I was totally emotional. That's a good thing!

A brief overview, gal gets spritzed by cheap perfume at a mall counter on Christmas Eve and is forced to relive a blind date 12 times (a la Groundhog Day). Each time is a little different but overall she learns (of course) a valuable lesson and Christmas and friends/family.

It's amazing, please watch it on Netflix if you haven't already. And then lets relive the 12 dates so that you can see what you're missing.


Date 1 - Sets up the story. Kate has been set up with a dude named Miles by her dad's girlfriend Sally. Truth is Kate isn't exactly over her ex boyfriend Jack. She's kind of a jerk. She gets spritzed at the mall and faints. On her way home she ignores all the people on the street being kind to her, also blows off her neighbors good will gestures of cake. Before the date her girlfriend comes over to talk clothes, she gets a voicemail to meet Miles at a bar, also picked out by Sally. When she arrives a nerdy gentleman mistakes her for his blind date, Phyllis. She sees Miles. Miles is cute. He tries to be sweet and ordered her a lager. She is kind of a jerk. She orders wine and says her name is Kate, not Katie. She doesn't stay long after her ex calls to trade off their mutual dog but finds out that Jack has moved on and has a new fiance, Nancy.

Date 2 - Wakes up and realizes that she gets a do-over. She knows Miles is a nice guy but still wants to hook up with Jack. She dresses for him, still hates better. In passing, Miles mentions a wife, but Kate doesn't give him any time to explain. She tries to meet up with Chad again and it's a no. When Kate confronts Sally about the wife, she explains that she had died about a year ago. Kate feels like crap.

Date 3 - This date is probably one of my favorites. Thinking something is going on because this is try 3, she shows up really early at the bar only to find Miles is there, too. She sits with him but doesn't give away her identity. She gets to hear all the good stuff about him without him really trying. She gets to hear about his wife's passing and is starting to really like this dude. She admits in a way that she isn't over her ex. She then meets up with her lonely neighbor that she is also typically a jerk too and they bake until midnight.



Date 4 - Probably still reeling off the good deed baking with her neighbor, she notices a gal in the streets she passes each day, holding a bundle of Christmas lights. Her boyfriend seems to be making from her. She hijacks the girl, skips the date and have a "girls night". Her parents come over because she ditched Miles. Miles meets her at her parents house, they walk around, talk, turns out he's an architect. She admits she's been a jerk. He thinks she has a good heart. Still talking about Jack. He tells her that she can't change fate. Back at the bar, nerdy guy, Toby, seems to know what's going on and she doesn't know how to make the night end. Miles overhears and bails.

Date 5 - She and Miles go Christmas tree shopping, decorating and attend midnight mass. It's fairly perfect.

Date 6 - One of the men who have been picking her up off the mall floor, Jim, has been so kind to her each time. She's starting to notice people and so she takes him for a walk around the gardens and they talk a bit. She figures she'll just get to do this again tomorrow so like we all wish we could, she spends a crap-ton of money on herself and others, gathers her ladies in lonely ladies apartment to bake, again. There is absolutely no date.

Date 7 - This time she tries to help out light guy. Calls Miles and says she'll meet him at his hockey gig, finding out he is a coach for inner-city kids (aw). One of the kids, Michael, bailed the other night. He laughs at her introduction of Kate, says that Sally said to call her Katie because it bugs her. They go ice skating and she wow's him with her moves. They end up at the architecture he designed in the city and the kissing begins.



Date 8 - She meets up with Chad and tells him that his new gal Nancy is great and they know they wouldn't have worked out. He tells her that he was going to propose to her but then her mother died and now he's wanting to propose to Nancy. Can't change fate. Kate realizes that their talk distracted him and he didn't buy the ring. She tries to go back and fix it, in turn making Miles think that she is a nutjob. She definitely sounds like one so Miles takes off. She goes to meet up with Nancy and Jack only to find he did propose, just without the ring.

Date 9 - She see's Toby at the bar. She goes home and watches Hoarders and then attends mass with her lonely neighbor, Margene.

Date 10 - She tries to help out light guy once again but gets a bit distracted by Michael, the missing kid from Miles's team. She tries to run after him but isn't wearing the right shoes. She decides she'll try again on her do-over tomorrow...



Date 11 - Ends up with light guy again. Follows Michael this time in running shoes and workout clothes. She is super prepared. He found a dog and can't have him at the group home. She meets Miles, again doesn't tell him who she is and he ends up ditching Kate for "Kate".

Date 12 - Jim and Margene hit it off, lonely neighbor is lonely no more! Toby gets a bit of a makeover and Kate introduces him to her friend from the beginning and they also hit it off! Light guy turned his gift of light into a proposal! She finally tells Miles she is cool with the lager. She is no longer a jerk! She apologizes to Sally for also being a jerk since she isn't anymore. She invites everyone to Christmas dinner and celebrates with all of her newly formed friendships.

And I'm assuming that she and Miles get married and have lots of sex and babies (Love Actually reference, I'm not that forward, jeez).

So again, do yourself a favor and hop on the Netflix and watch this gem 12 times before it's gone! And if anyone can find a DVD copy for sale online please point me in that direction.