[PREVIEW] 'The Spirit Of Christmas' Can Haunt Our Holidays Anytime

The idea of love as the perfect Christmas gift from Santa – whisked down the chimney and tucked underneath a fragrant, be-tinseled Scotch pine, “all my own in a big red bow” as Britney Spears memorably envisioned – is at the heart of most holiday romantic comedies. And yet, we’d argue, most don’t go far enough in bringing Britney’s vision to life. What sort of man actually can be produced from Santa’s big toy sack and given to you as a holiday gift, flawless and utterly devoted to you? Well, one who pretty much wasn’t real to begin with, and was merely summoned into being to ensure a happy holiday for one lucky woman. And “The Spirit of Christmas” goes there, summoning a soulmate for one hardened Boston lawyer (Jen Lilley) from the realm of ghosts. Much like “White Lotus,” “The Spirit of Christmas” is hard to pin down on the genre front. Is it a romantic comedy? A romantic… drama? A murder mystery? A ghost story? A costume drama? Honestly, all of the above. It ticks more genre boxes than any made-for-TV flick has any right to attempt. For Emma, this is an old favorite. For Claire, it was always a tough sell – for one, the concept sounded like sheer chaos, not the neat and tidy romcom she typically sought out, and also, ghost romances are annoying. But we finally came together for a “Spirit of Christmas” viewing and discussion this holiday season, and soon the film had minted a new fan. It’s not that it handles the chaos by executing everything it attempts well – the costumed flashbacks, set in the Prohibition era, are only slightly less brutal to watch than a high school play – but rather that it plunges into everything with gusto and a pretty charming cast. It’s never boring, rarely completely incompetent, and always utterly off-the-wall. In this episode, we recap “The Spirit of Christmas,” rate it out of 10 doors mysteriously swinging open, and revel in the most romantic haunting ever committed to the Lifetime Channel.This is our last podcast of 2022! We will be back with more pods in January. Happy holidays, everyone!Give a gift subscriptionWe’ve been reading…This New York Times report on how pricey daycare chains have figured out how to make big money from providing childcare, while undermining political efforts to subsidize costs for parents. It’s bleak reading, a look inside the process by which something that should be a public good (like libraries or the post office, or at least the subway) has been not only privatized, but kept private for the benefit of for-profit companies and their investors, to the detriment of the people who most need the services they offer. -ClaireAmy Kaufman’s recent L.A. Times investigation into 15-year-old YouTuber’s media empire and the abuses her mother allegedly committed against the other minor YouTube talent who worked with her in her “squad.” This investigation raises a lot of interesting and important questions about the burgeoning social media celebrity industry, and specifically “kidfluencers,” who have operated in a gray area of child labor laws for years. -EmmaWe’ve been watching…In my free moments lately, I’ve been catching up on season 2 of “Abbot Elementary,” which is just such a delightful, perfect network comedy. Greg and I have also, belatedly, started the newest season of “The Crown,” and are so far a bit perturbed at how well Prince Philip, Prince Charles, and Prince Andrew (three of the worst British men) are coming off. A kind of astonishing number of “isn’t Prince Philip terribly wise?” B-plots this season. Odd! -Claire“Something From Tiffany’s,” a charming, well-executed modern holiday rom com directed by Daryl Wein, which recently was released on Prime. It stars Zoey Deutch as a (Jewish!) bakery owner named Rachel Meyer and Kendrick Sampson as handsome writer Ethan. After Rachel’s boyfriend is hit by a taxi exiting Tiffany’s and helped by Ethan, who has just purchased an engagement ring at the store, the two end up accidentally switching gift bags. Hijinks ensue, romantic connections are made, the holiday season is bright and merry. This is the best new movie in this genre I have seen in quite awhile and I am so grateful to my dear friend Alison for bringing its existence to my attention. Absolutely recommend. -EmmaWe’ve been listening to…The “Beanie Babies” episode of “You’re Wrong About” with Jamie Loftus, which was bountiful with weird nuggets about the truly strange and unpleasant man behind Beanie Babies, Ty Warner, and also informed me that I was the only kid who, like, played with her Beanie Babies. (I had maybe three of them, and I thought they were so cuddly and fun. I have always lacked the entrepreneurship gene, and occasionally — very occasionally — it saves me from bad investment ideas.) -ClaireThe latest episode (#50) of “Heavyweight,” about a man named Nick, grief, music, and the bonds that tie even the most unlikely of friends together. Jonathan Goldstein is just so very good at what he does. -EmmaWe’ve been buying…Leggings and sweaters, as cozy season is here to stay. After several weeks of feeling that none of my sweaters were truly snuggly enough, I just impulsively bought this enormous Everlane cloud turtleneck. For years I’ve gone for lightly cropped sweaters, but I’m honestly tired of trying to make them work with wide-leg jeans for everyday wear: it’s time for leggings and long, blanket-like sweaters. -ClaireI have never been a statement earrings person, in large part because they are heavy and my ears are very sensitive. But my friend Liv turned me on to Hair Candy by Han’s rainbow (shaped) earrings, and I am officially obsessed. Just bought them in Cobalt Black and Champagne, and can’t wait to use these accessories to dress up otherwise casual outfits. -EmmaShare Rich Text