CHRISTMAS CARDS SYNOPSIS

After becoming a widow, Greta Strobel reluctantly moves into the Treetops Retirement Community with the help and encouragement of her granddaughter Annie Chambers, who has just started a new public relations firm with her colleague Claire Strauss. When residents Nancy Lakin and Wanda Williams enthusiastically reach out to welcome her, Greta learns to adjust to her new home.

Across the hall from Greta lives Frank Palumbo, a somewhat stubborn gentleman who founded Marie’s restaurant years ago to honor his now-deceased wife’s lovely spirit and culinary expertise. Now, Frank’s grandson Michael Palumbo runs the restaurant while raising his son Lenny. One afternoon, while Frank is napping when he’s supposed to be watching Lenny, the young boy walks across the hall and introduces himself to Greta. The two unlikely friends immediately hit it off and get to know each other by playing a friendly game of cards while enjoying some of Greta’s delicious Christmas cookies.

At their office, Annie and Claire discuss the need to find one special client that can help to kick off their new public relations venture. At the same time, Michael’s colleague Jerry Levin suggests to him that, perhaps, he reimagine Marie’s to become a new restaurant concept for which Michael has more personal passion.

When Annie and Claire visit a Christmas tree farm to pick out a tree for Greta, they bump into Michael and Lenny who are shopping for a tree as well. After initially arguing over the same tree, Michael and Annie each find the perfect tree and head home to decorate them.

At the business meeting he arranged, Jerry is surprised to learn that Annie and Michael already know each other from the tree lot and Treetops. When he leaves them to discuss a potential business relationship, Annie and Michael grow closer as he tells her more about his family history and the restaurant.

As they become closer, Greta and Frank discuss some of their favorite Christmas traditions. Greta’s late husband wrote her a special Christmas card on every one of their Christmases and she now decorates her Christmas tree with those cards as a reminder of their time together. Frank’s late wife collected snow globes from all the places they visited together; however, the globes were destroyed in a fire. He does recall that his wife gave him a special Christmas card one year, but he cannot remember where he stored it.

When a massive snowstorm hits and residents are required to stay indoors, Treetops manager Terri McIntyre asks Annie and Michael if they’d be willing to stay at Treetops during the duration of the blizzard to help her entertain the guests. They agree and, together with Terri, plan a variety of activities. Growing increasingly fond of Michael, Annie secretly writes him a lovely Christmas card but debates whether or not to deliver it.

Despite Claire’s warning to be careful about delving into Michael’s past, Annie uses the lockdown as an opportunity to speak with Frank about Michael’s relationship with his grandmother. When Frank reveals that Michael feels guilty for not being present at his grandmother’s bedside when she passed away, Michael overhears the conversation. Angered and upset, Michael asks Annie to stay out of his life for good.

Realizing she has ruined any hope of a future with Michael, Annie returns home from Treetops when the storm ends. Together, Annie and Claire begin the search for a new client. However, Greta and Frank put together a plan of action to reunite their grandchildren.

Visiting his grandson at the restaurant, Frank encourages Michael to finally deal with his guilt about his grandmother so he can put the past behind him and begin living his life. At the same time, Greta finds the Christmas card that Annie wrote to Michael and decides to deliver it to him. Upon returning from a visit to his grandmother’s gravesite where he finally puts his guilt to rest, Michael receives Annie’s card and reads it. Realizing that she feels the same way that he truly feels about her, Michael sets out to reconcile with Annie.

When Frank finally finds the Christmas card that his wife wrote to him many years ago, he decides that it’s time for him to move forward as well. He invites Greta to join him on Christmas Eve for the traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes. She hesitates to accept his invitation, citing Annie and Michael’s split as the reason.

As Christmas approaches, Annie and Michael acknowledge their love for one another, which motivates Greta to accept Frank’s dinner invitation. Along with Michael’s father Anthony and Annie’s mother Marcia, everyone celebrates Christmas Eve together. After the wonderful feast, Greta presents Frank with a very special present: a snow globe with a miniature model of Marie’s restaurant inside of it. Likewise, Michael presents Annie with his own heartfelt Christmas card.
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One year later, Michael has reimagined Marie’s into Palumbos’ Place, a trendy restaurant whose menu features Michael’s spectacular Italian beef. The new restaurant serves as a beautiful backdrop for the Christmas double wedding of Greta and Frank and Annie and Michael.