Abby Sutton is a talented photographer who feels trapped in a job she hates. She lives in a friendly small town with a close family that wants her to choose safer work. Her grandfather gives her an old Advent calendar, and its daily pictures seem to predict events in her life. Abby follows the clues while she dates a single father and deals with her longtime friend Josh, who has hidden feelings for her. The movie has a warm holiday tone, light magic, and a gentle but predictable love triangle.
The movie places a black and mixed-race family at the center of a Christmas romance, and several supporting roles also go to people of color. Abby keeps fighting for photography as a real career, and the story rewards her with a studio of her own. The film presents this as a personal dream rather than a speech about feminism, race, or social change. The main message stays with love, family support, hard work, and the courage to follow a dream.
Community feedback
Was our 30% Woke rating accurate?
Loading review details…
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for The Holiday Calendar.
Woke representation / casting
Abby is a mixed-race black and white woman who leads the story, and Josh is a black man who becomes her partner. Abby’s family is mainly Black or mixed-race, while Mr. Singh and Mayor Martinez add other visible minority roles. This gives the small-town holiday romance a clear pattern of non-white leads and supporting characters. Kat Graham also described the biracial family and inclusive approach as reasons she joined.
40%
Woke political dialogue
Not present. The characters do not use lines about modern identity politics, DEI, or activist causes. Their talk stays on work, dating, family, and the calendar.
0%
Identity-driven story themes
Abby repeatedly argues that photography is more than a hobby and keeps working toward a studio of her own. The story presents her career goal as a positive form of self-belief and personal independence. The plot does not tie that goal to feminism, race politics, or a wider fight between men and women. Love, family support, and following a dream matter more than identity.
24%
Western institutional / cultural critique
Not present. The film does not attack men, family life, religion, business, or Western institutions. Abby’s bad job and her parents’ doubts are personal obstacles, not a modern activist critique.
0%
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant. The film is an original holiday romance with no established characters, source story, or historical figures being changed.
0%
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Not present. The separate X research pass reported no anti-woke reaction. Other coverage did not show a clear complaint that the film pushes DEI or identity politics.
0%
Creator track record context
Writer Amyn Kaderali has spoken about underrepresentation. He also directed The Other Side, which addresses illegal immigration. Director Bradley Walsh, producer David Anselmo, and the casting team have no strong public record of identity activism, so the overall creator signal is mild.
18%
Production
Movie · 2020
While gathering evidence to support closing a tropical U.S. Air Force base, a congressional aide warms to its generous captain.
Movie · 2023
Carl Fredricksen reluctantly agrees to go on a date with a lady friend—but admittedly has no idea how dating works these days.
Movie · 2022
Follows Ralphie, now adult, who returns to the house on Cleveland Street to give his kids a magical Christmas like the one he had as a child, reconnecting with childhood friends…
Movie · 2022
When the Primm family moves to New York City, their young son Josh struggles to adapt to his new school and new friends.
Movie · 2020
A young rabbit embarks on a journey to dig the burrow of her dreams, despite not having a clue what she's doing.
Movie · 2026
Music, comedy, and a whole lot of chaos is bound to ensue when The Muppets once again take the stage of the original Muppet Theatre with their very special guest, Sabrina…
Movie · 2021
Shaun's seasonal excitement turns to dismay when a farmhouse raid to get bigger stockings for the flock inadvertently leads to Timmy going missing.
Movie · 2018
Elizabeth, a charming morning show news anchor, seeks advice from her dog's therapist after a breakup. Tara, a spunky barista, dreams of a life beyond the coffee shop.
