Your Christmas or Mine? Parent Guide

James (Asa Butterfield) and Hayley (Cora Kirk) have been together for a couple of months and are quickly falling in love. As they board their separate trains to go home for family Christmases, they are struck with the same brilliant idea: why not surprise their new love by jumping on the other train and being together over the holidays?

Both of them are in for a shock when they wind up at each other’s home train station, alone, and in heavily falling snow. With nowhere else to go, they both trudge off towards each other’s homes, where the surprises are only beginning…

Your Christmas or Mine? is not a typical rom-com. There are no meet-cutes or syrupy montages; no sunset kisses or Instagram moments. In this story, Hayley and James get better acquainted through each other’s families. As Hayley wanders through the ancient home built by James’s aristocratic forebearers, she is first angered by his lies of omission and then (after a fair bit of alcohol consumption) starts to bring some Christmas spirit to the chilly old mansion. James is bombarded by the exuberant energy of Hayley’s extended family, angered by Hayley’s withheld secrets, and finally charmed by the open-hearted genuineness of the clan.

It’s a bold choice to keep lovers apart in a romantic comedy, but director Jim O’Hanlon makes it work as do Asa Butterfield and Cora Kirk. Even apart, their affection for and frustration with each other is clear, and viewers will find themselves rooting for the young couple. The movie is also surprisingly funny, leaning in to the “comedy” part of the “romantic-comedy” equation. It’s a British film, so, of course, the humor heads straight for issues of social class and, with the exception of a few culturally specific jokes, the comedy works just fine on this side of the pond.

As for negative content, the biggest issues involve alcohol consumption, with frequent scenes of social drinking. Both main characters find themselves drinking liquor straight from the bottle and becoming intoxicated. The movie also has over two dozen profanities, most of which are terms of deity or scatological terms. The PG-13 rating is accurate and this movie can be watched by teens who enjoy romantic films or British humor.

For fans of rom-coms, Your Christmas or Mine? is a lighthearted festive treat. While the ending is predictable, there is enough novelty in the story to keep it interesting and enough laughs to make it fun. It also delivers solid messages about honesty, love, and the importance of family ties, which are garnished with plenty of sweetness and charm. As Christmas confections go, this film is more substantial than most, but it’s still entertaining.