This year’s Thanksgiving was a little different for us. My husband, son, and I didn’t travel to be with our out-of-town family, so I found myself with a quiet house and some extra time on my hands. Instead of rushing between gatherings and going out shopping, I found an interesting movie that I decided to watch. My Favorite Christmas Tree, a Christmas movie with a genealogy twist.
As a family historian, I am always interested in anything genealogy related. So I couldn’t resist a movie with a storyline that turns family records, old letters, and long-lost connections. The main character follows a trail of clues that leads her to more than names and dates.
The thing I loved the most about this movie, is that the main character’s occupation was an historian for the Michigan Heritage Society and owned her own genealogy research business, something we don’t often see in holiday movies. It was so nice to watch a storyline that highlighted genealogy as a real profession, and not just a hobby. Representation like this matters. It shows the world that the work that genealogists do, preserving stories, uncovering history, and reconnecting families, is meaningful and worthy of being the center of a storyline.
Watching this movie was a reminder that genealogy isn’t just research. It’s a celebration of family, both past and present. This movie reminded me of why I do this work: to honor the generations before us and build connections into the future. Now that I know that genealogy Christmas movies are a thing. I’m looking for another one to watch while I decorate my Christmas tree this weekend.
***You can stream My Favorite Christmas Tree on Prime Video***
Movie Synopsis: A genealogy researcher, Kayla, travels to a charming town of Conifer, Michigan, to trace her family tree. Her investigation leads her to a generations old Christmas tree farm and it’s stubborn but handsome owner, Joel. While working to solve both her ancestry mystery and a secret about the farm’s unique silver spruce trees, she finds herself falling in love with Joel.
Journey Through the Generations 
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