It’s Christmas, Carol is a 2012 A Christmas Carol adaptation produced for The Hallmark Channel in the U.S.  This is now the third time I’ve put it on the annual blog. It’s Christmas, Carol belongs to the increasing number of adaptations with a female lead. It’s one of two female versions that plays with the title by naming the female lead’s “Carol.”

Carol Huffman (Emmanuelle Vaugier) is a ruthless business woman running a top publishing company.  Her employees hate her and wish the she ran the company the way it used to be by its deceased founder, Eve Miller (Carrie Fisher). She insists they come into work on Christmas Day.

At a Christmas Eve publishing party, Carol runs into her old boyfriend who also happens to be an author.  While in the ladies’ room, the ghost of Eve Miller, Carol’s former boss and founder of the business, visits her.

As this adaptation’s version of Jacob Marley, Eve appears to show Carol how she’s lost her way. A twist with Eve is that she is not a suffering, wandering spirit to warn Carol against a similar fate. Reminiscent of some of the silent movie versions of ACC, Eve tackles all the roles of past, present, and future spirits.  Eve takes Carol to the various timelines to learn her needed lessons.

Another original take is Eve showing Carol her older self in a happy life in the future. Eve the goes on to show her a bad future. Each is presented as an alternate of what could be. The choice is up to Carol.

The is generally a sentimental, feel-good adaptation with some genuine comedic moments inserted throughout.  It’s a middle-of-the-road but watchable version.