Is deception the key to a lasting relationship? Probably not! But it kind of works for people-pleaser Chloe (Danica McKellar, above) and naysayer James (Sam Page) in this holiday flick. In The Great American Family Channel’s The Christmas Yes List, food performance agent Chloe thinks she has it all figured out until her “yes” tendencies cost her the promotion of her dreams. “Her boss tells her [that she] should try rejection therapy, so her challenge is to get 10 people to say no to her before Christmas — she’s making a ‘Christmas No List,’ basically,” McKellar shares with us.
“The first person she tries it out on is this unsuspecting stranger at the airport. She overhears that his car isn’t coming as soon as he’s hoping, so she offers him a ride, assuming, of course, he’s going to say no. But little does she know, this Christmas, he’s decided he needs to say yes to more in life,” she continues. “So not only does he agree to that, but she keeps asking for more ridiculous requests, and he keeps saying yes.”
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What started as two competing personal challenges becomes something very real for Chloe and James, and they both end up feeling a bit betrayed when they figure out what’s been happening. “His sister tells Chloe that she’s changed him a lot, and she says, ‘Well, he’s changed me too,’” notes McKellar. “He’s shown her that you can be open and willing to try new things and say yes to life.”
The ultimate lesson Chloe needs to learn to make is the right decision might just be in saying no. “You can’t please everybody all the time. But to see what your motivations are to really find out what’s important to you and what is your life’s purpose… Following that sometimes is going to involve saying no to somebody,” McKellar explained.
Chloe’s heart, though well intentioned, may also be her fault amid newfound love. “You do see Chloe say no to someone, you get to see that growth. But it can really be seen as saying yes to what she’s meant to do and what she’s meant to be,” the star said. In Chloe saying no for the first time, she might just be saying yes to herself, finally.
So, there’s just one question: Is Chloe ready to open her heart? James is about to find out if that’s a yes or a no.
The Christmas Yes List, Movie Premiere, Saturday, November 14,8/7c, Great American Family