‘A Not So Merry Christmas’ centres on Chuy, who realises that he has lived a whole year but can only remember Christmas Day due to a curse. The movie is now streaming on Netflix.
Warning: This article contains heavy spoilers
Plot summary
On Christmas morning, Chuy Padilla’s children and wife Daniela wake him from his sleep and wish him a happy birthday. The fact that Chuy’s birthday comes on Christmas Day and that his family only cares about Christmas, not his birthday, makes Chuy despise Christmas.
Chuy’s parents, brothers, sisters, uncle and aunt gather at his house for the Christmas eve celebration. After a quarrel with his family over Thanksgiving dinner, Chuy leaves the house and makes his way to a bar.
At the bar, Chuy runs upon his Diva godmother, who is posing as a bartender. The godmother casts a spell on Chuy that leads him to relive Christmas, every day.
When the same things that happened on Christmas day happen again the next day, Chuy is taken aback and perplexed. When Chuy meets the godmother again at the mall, she advises him to love and appreciate Christmas to break the curse.
He receives a letter from the godmother, who requests that he follow its instructions, and he does so. Chuy makes an effort to carry out each instruction in the letter.
But Chuy finds himself celebrating the same Christmas and his birthday the next morning.
When Chuy again complains to the godmother, she responds that Chuy didn’t alter his attitude the entire time he was following the directions to break the curse.
Chuy becomes annoyed when the godmother attempts to explain to him how pleasant and right it is to rejoice and enjoy Christmas. Chuy learns about the numerous changes that take place in his family every year over the Christmas feast.
But all he can recall is what occurred the night before Christmas.
Chuy is still going through the same Christmas day loop eight years later. Chuy is still entangled in the same dilemma even though his children are adults.
On Christmas Eve, the Godmother breaks Chuy’s spell and counsels him to cherish his family during the present. The following day ends up being a typical day in Chuy’s life.
However, he learns that his mother has passed away and that his wife has decided to divorce him.
Chuy’s life is turned upside down, and he makes an effort to make amends to every member of his family, including his wife and kid, for how he previously treated them.
He extends heartfelt gratitude to everyone and invites them to join him for a holiday meal.
The following morning, he emerges as the same youthful Chuy with two small children and a wonderful wife.
Realizing that all that occurred was a dream, he learns how to treat his family and the people he loves with great love and support. This realisation transforms his life.
A Not So Merry Christmas ending explained in detail:
Why did Chuy hate Christmas?
Every year, Chuy’s birthday and Christmas Eve fall on the same day. All of his family phones him that day to wish him a Merry Christmas and give him a lot of work to do, which Chuy despises.
He is annoyed that his family just cares about Christmas and doesn’t care about his birthday or his aspirations in life.
How does Chuy learn that he was cursed?
The morning after Christmas, Chuy received another birthday greeting from his wife and children. His sisters and brothers started calling him to wish him a happy birthday.
His wife and children informed him that Thanksgiving dinner will be served that evening as part of a Christmas get-together.
He startlingly realises that he is experiencing Christmas every day and can only recall what took place the day before Christmas the prior year.
The fairy godmother informs him that the spell was put on him since he detested Christmas when they meet at the mall.
How did Chuy try to cast the spell out?
First of all, Chuy was instructed to stop making the grinchy expression when his family would come over for Thanksgiving dinner on Christmas eve.
The second directive was to prepare a sizable dish of Christmas mixture, to dress only in boxers, and to cover himself in lights to resemble a Christmas tree.
He was forced to consume three sizable spoonfuls of the Christmas concoction while grinning.
Chuy was made to repeat a spell by the godmother but he ends up reliving Christmas the next day as well. Then, Chuy was instructed to act like Santa Claus, Buddha, and a Jew while bringing happiness to others around him.
Chuy pays attention to every piece of advice the godmother provides him, but he is unable to lead a regular. When Chuy’s godmother breaks the enchantment at his request, he is put in a challenging situation.
Was Chuy able to undo the spell?
The godmother agrees to remove the curse on Chuy after he complains to her about his busy schedule and his compliance with all of her directions.
But after he escapes the Christmas loop, things go south for him, and he has to fight to rebuild his family.
He apologises and expresses gratitude to everyone who supported him, including his family, and this causes him to go back to the day when everything began.
It is finally his 41st birthday again when he wakes up, and his wife and kids are there to wish him a good occasion.
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