While watching this movie, I found out that Hallmark paired with the USO this year. Maybe that is why there are so many military references in this year’s Christmas movies.

Every year in Pine River, a tree appears in the town square. Residents place their Christmas wishes on the tree. Like magic, an unknown person known only as Angel grants everyone’s wishes.

The Angel Tree is an adorable movie. The idea that a group of people get together secretly every year to make Christmas magic happen for their fellow townsfolk is a perfect Christmas movie plot.

Rebecca (Jill Wagner) grew up in Pine River and was devastated when her Angel Tree wish wasn’t granted. (I mean, her wish was to stop her parents from moving out of town…) As an adult, she decides to write an article about the Angel Tree and is pressured by her editor to find out who is granting all of the wishes. Matthew (Lucas Bryant) is her childhood best friend who still lives in the town. He makes it his mission to keep Rebecca from finding out Angel’s identity while also helping Angel grant wishes. As Rebecca and her daughter, Cassie (Cassidy Nugent), help Matthew and his nephew, Owen (Oscar Farrell), grant Angel Tree wishes, they find out how good it feels to make other people’s wishes come true.

This movie is practically perfect in every way. I already said I liked the plot. The acting is very good. Even Matthew’s stupid coffee puns add to the feel-good mood. Owen’s mom is a soldier deployed overseas but they actually fit it into the story. It doesn’t feel like it was jammed into the script just to have a character related to the military.

You should absolutely watch The Angel Tree. Even if you aren’t into Christmas movies, this is less about Christmas and more about giving back to your community. A great movie for pretty much anyone.