What could be more beautiful than the glittering snow falling to the ground at Christmas time? Perhaps it’s the fresh love story between two young London residents, Kate and Tom, played by Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding. A story to warm the heart and surprise you all at once, this Paul Feig film could join a list of Christmas classics.

The film introduces us to Kate, who is seen couch surfing from one friend to another a year after a serious illness nearly ended her life. She is trying to avoid her family, especially her crazy mother (played by writer and producer Emma Thompson).

Kate is struggling to come to terms with adult life. She is lost and seems to have given up searching for something to make her want to live again. With her shining singing career seamlessly slipping away, she spends her days working in a peculiar little Christmas shop serving as one of Santa’s elves.

The days seems to drag along until a young man named Tom appears outside the shop. Little does Kate know, he’s about to change her life forever.  

Tom is undoubtedly endearing and oddly determined to make sure Kate knows her meaning and purpose in life. He shows her the dreamy Christmas scene in London and lets her figure out the secret wonders and beauty of a place she has known for years.

From the secret garden to midnight ice skating, he gives her a gift she was unaware she had been longing for: someone to make her feel safe. 

Though viewers may not expect it, there is some mystery in this film. The suspicious nature of Tom’s mysterious appearances is at the center. The couples’ moments, while beautiful, turn out to be fleeting. Some people are meant to be a part of your story, but others are just there to help you write a few pages. 

This film isn’t necessarily a love story; it is a story of a girl who needed to find her way in the world after her life was turned on its side. It is never easy trying to figure out who you are when you are young. It is okay to be lost and confused.

Just like Kate, sometimes we need a little guidance by the right person to put us on the path we were meant for, even if they’re not meant to be in our lives forever. 

Christmas isn’t just special because of the gifts we get. It is magical and sacred because of the people and experiences we surround ourselves with each holiday season.

In “Last Christmas,” Kate’s eventual reconciliation with her family, connection with her boss, Santa and the folks at the homeless shelter — for which she becomes a volunteer — give her something to love and fight for. She gets a new beginning, and whether or not Tom is there to see it through, he set in motion a life beyond what Kate thought she had a year ago.

This film shows viewers a much deeper meaning to Christmas.