In a festive coup that’s turned Netflix’s holiday lineup upside down, Alexandra Breckenridge—beloved Mel Monroe from Virgin River—has stormed the charts with her latest feel-good flick, My Secret Santa, a light-hearted rom-com that’s become the platform’s biggest surprise hit of the season. Premiering December 1, 2025, the film has skyrocketed to No. 1 in the U.S. Top 10 Movies, racking up over 25 million hours viewed in its first week and earning a 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Fans are gushing: “Charming, sweet, and everything a Christmas movie should be,” with one viewer tweeting, “Alexandra as a single mom Santa? I’m in love—cozy perfection!” Directed by Shaun Paul Piccinino (A Christmas Spark) and written by Hannah Davis, My Secret Santa follows a bold single mother who disguises herself as a man to land a seasonal Santa gig, only to tumble into a whirlwind of holiday magic, mistaken identities, and unexpected romance that reaffirms the spirit of the season.
Breckenridge shines as Holly Monroe, a resourceful but down-on-her-luck single mom in snowy Evergreen Falls, New Hampshire, juggling a dead-end job and her precocious 10-year-old daughter Ellie (newcomer Lila Crawford, stealing scenes with her wide-eyed wonder). When Holly loses her holiday temp gig, she hatches a desperate plan: donning a bushy beard, oversized red suit, and a deep voice to audition as “Saint Nick” at the town’s annual Christmas Village. Her ruse works—sort of—landing her the role but sparking chaos when she catches the eye of the village’s handsome event coordinator, Jake (Marc Blucas, Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘s Riley Finn reborn as a rugged single dad). As Holly juggles Santa shifts with secret Santa duties for Ellie’s class, sparks fly amid snowball fights, festive mishaps, and heartfelt confessions under the town tree, all while her disguise threatens to unravel in the most hilarious ways.
What elevates My Secret Santa beyond standard holiday fare is its warm, witty script that tackles single parenthood with grace and humor, refusing to sugarcoat the struggles while wrapping them in tinsel. Breckenridge, 44, channels her Virgin River vulnerability into Holly’s fierce determination, delivering a performance that’s equal parts laugh-out-loud funny and lump-in-your-throat tender. “Playing a mom who’s all heart and no quit was pure joy,” she told People. Blucas brings easy charm as Jake, a widower rediscovering joy, while Crawford’s Ellie steals hearts as the pint-sized matchmaker who sees through Holly’s beard from day one. Supporting turns from Jane Lynch as the no-nonsense Christmas Village director and Betty White in her final on-screen role as a sassy grandma add sparkle and sentiment.
Critics are smitten: an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, with The Hollywood Reporter calling it “a cozy triumph that sneaks in real emotion amid the eggnog.” The film’s soundtrack—featuring original tunes by Breckenridge herself—has spawned viral TikTok carols, and its message of self-reinvention resonates: “Holly’s not just saving Christmas—she’s saving herself,” raved Variety.
In a holiday season bloated with sequels and snow machines, My Secret Santa is the fresh, feel-good escape that reminds us the best gifts come wrapped in courage and laughter. Stream it now on Netflix—your heart (and your ugly Christmas sweater) will thank you.
