I kinda hated this movie

I don't know if I am getting fatigued from watching all the Hallmark knock off movies they got going on the streaming channels but I gave this a shot last night and the movie just really annoyed me. The cast was all great. I love Cindy Busby so it was cool she was the lead. The ski lodge setting was fun as well.

But there are certain plots in these movies that I just can't stand. It's the 'lying to the love interest' plots. Maybe I find them too far fetched l because there's no way you can get away with it that long or maybe I just find it a major turn off on the characters. Kate's character was really unlikeable in this movie. Normally, in these types of stories, the lie usually comes from an innocent mistake that just becomes overwhelming for the lead to try and straighten out. Here, she blatantly lies to Jason for no other reason than ... I dunno...to move the plot of the story and it was disgusting to see. I just don't understand why she wouldn't tell her sister or family what happened that made her run away. Especially when they all showed up at the lodge together in mass confusion. She had every right to be angry and upset at how Alex treated her so no one would hold it against her but she just kept holding back. Did the family even ever find out what really happened?!?! I understand there was an attempted theme of 'not running away from your problems' I just found it dumb in the way they tried to show it. It was lazy. There was a great moment where Kate is talking to her mom and says a great line of 'I'm not runny away, I am running TOWARD something' and the mom doesn't listen to a word she says. This is where she could have finally stood up, told the family what happened and tried to make things right with Jason or move on only for him to realize he needed her. But all that went away and the scene was made pointless. Again, it just felt half-assed.

Then on top of all of that, they add in this mysterious Santa for no reason. It was just very weird and unneeded.

Over all, it was fine...I would have liked to see Kate's journey happen with something other than the lie plot. I love stories where women trapped in the status quo have to learn to be more themselves and to discover other things about life. Like Rose and Jack in Titanic. But I didn't find the deceit funny, charming, or endearing and it make Kate look like an unsympathetic character. I felt the selfish Alex had a better character arch and he's supposed to be the 'bad guy'.