John Schneider serves as both director and star of this heartwarming made-for-TV film. It all begins when a cute little girl named Felicia Wallace (Jenna Boyd) writes a letter to Santa asking for a "new mommy" as a Christmas present. No-nonsense TV reporter Mary Maloney (
Cynthia Gibb) is assigned to spend the Christmas holidays with Felicia and her wealthy widowed father Joel Wallace (Schneider). Though this set-up would seem to automatically guarantee a happy ending, it turns out that the "real" Santa Claus really has his work cut out for him.
Tom Bosley rounds out the leading players as an enigmatic old duffer named Les Turner. Mary Christmas premiered November 29, 2002 over the PAX network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide