Rohan Jain
‘Falling for Christmas’ is a romantic comedy film set during the holiday season. Directed by Janeen Damian, the Netflix original follows Sierra Belmont (Lindsay Lohan), the heiress to her father’s resort business. Right after her boyfriend, Tad proposes, Sierra meets with an accident that causes amnesia. This leads her to the North Star Lodge, where she interacts with Jake Russell (Chord Overstreet), and the two form an unexpected connection.
In the film, Sierra’s accident occurs when she is atop the snow-capped hill and loses her balance due to a gusty wind. Interestingly, just before this scene, we see Jake’s daughter Avy go to a Christmas tree and wish for something. An old man in a red coat and snow-white beard gestures with his nostrils, and the wind starts blowing. Throughout the movie, he appears a few more times and seems to help Jake, Avy, or Sierra in some way. So, is the man Santa Claus disguised as a regular human being? Well, let us find out. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Unveiling the Mystery of the Old Man
The old man with a white beard and a red coat is most likely Santa Claus. There are several hints throughout the movie that confirm this. First, when Avy writes her wish on a card and sticks it on the Christmas Tree, the man whiffs with one of his nostrils and creates a windy atmosphere. The second instance is when Jake, Avy, and Sierra go to the town square to see the Christmas lights. They cross paths with the old man, who has a beautifully designed sleigh and numerous gifts. The man gives Sierra a snow globe akin to the one her mom gifted her when she was a child.
In another scene, we don’t see the old man, just his sleigh. When Avy urges Jake to express his love for Sierra, the two decide to go to the Belmont Resort. However, his snow ATV doesn’t seem to work, and here’s when Avy spots the same sleigh they saw earlier at the town square. Due to this, Jake is able to reach the resort, and when he arrives, the man in the red coat is seen for one last time. He guides Jake to where Sierra is, and in the climax scene, Jake and Sierra end up together.
If we look at the various scenes, it seems like some serendipitous energy brings the two star-crossed lovers together. However, the part which confirms beyond doubt that the man is Santa involves Avy revealing her wish to Jake. After Sierra returns to Belmont Resort, Jake seems to have lost all hope. At this moment, Avy tells her father how she wished for him to find someone to love and care for him.
When we look at all these moments while keeping this scene in mind, it is evident that the man in the red coat sets the ball rolling. With just one gust of wind, Sierra and Jake’s paths cross each other, and the two develop feelings and eventually decide to be together. So, to reiterate, the man with the white beard and red coat is Santa Claus.
