Synopsis: Elle Bennett (Brooke Nevin) is an ambitious ad agency executive in Chicago who is looking forward to putting together her annual Christmas party with her close friends – a holiday tradition since their college days which has taken on greater importance since her grandmother passed away. While planning the festivities at her best friend Alexis’ (Lara Gilchrist) coffee bar with friends Jay (Jeremy Guilbaut) and Ryan (Nelson Wong), Elle catches a glimpse of a handsome gentleman who appears to be new to the neighborhood. Despite her friends’ insistence she ask for his name, Elle makes it clear she’s much too involved with work and holiday planning to get romantically involved with anyone. As if to prove her point, Elle receives an emergency call from her boss Fiona (Catherine Lough Haggquist) who’s at the office on a Sunday, handling a crisis with one of their clients. Never one to miss an opportunity to prove her worth, Elle heads to the office to help.

Back at the office, Fiona appreciates Elle’s offer of help but ets her know the company is bringing in another executive, Maxwell “Max” Turner (Michael Cassidy) from the New York office to solve the problem. Concerned that Max, who she knows only from emails, might put a damper on her plans for a promotion, Elle re-doubles her efforts at work, putting her Christmas party plans at risk. Despite her best effort to take control of the work situation, Elle’s boss asks her to work with Max, who she will meet next day.

While out shopping later that day, Elle stops by her favorite Christmas ornament booth, run by Nancy (P. Lynn Johnson), where she again runs into the handsome guy from the coffee shop. Turns out that he’s Nancy's son who is visiting from New York and also works in advertising. Finally introducing themselves, Elle is shocked to learn that the mysterious coffee guy is Max Turner who, unbeknownst to the company, had traveled to Chicago the previous week to help his mother with her business.

Despite the obvious attraction, their differences when it comes to work quickly become clear as they disagree about how to solve the problem for their client. Max calls on his sister Oakley (Andrea Brooks), a professional party planner, who can help at the last minute and manages to bring both of their ideas together. But just as it seems all is working out between Elle and Max, things take an awkward turn when she discovers he intends to stay in Chicago and apply for the same job she’s been angling for. On top of this, she’s been invited by Nancy to come to their house for a holiday dinner. At the dinner, Max makes a bold statement; he’s willing to bow out of pursuing the job if it makes Elle feel better, but she prefers the best candidate get the job.

As the big day for their interviews arrives, the two have become friends and decide to let their bosses make the final decision, but when Elle accidentally overhears Max in his interview using her ideas which she shared in confidence with him, she feels heartbroken and betrayed. Even worse, the interviews are running so late it looks like she will miss her beloved Christmas party. However, she soon learns she has misread Max, who has bigger plans for them, and with some help from Oakley, the night shapes up to be the best Christmas ever for both of them. 

The Cast:
Brooke Nevin as Elle
Michael Cassidy as Max
Jeremy Guilbaut as Jay
Andrea Brooks as Oakley
Nelson Wong as Ryan
Catherine Lough Haggquist as Fiona
P. Lynn Johnson as Nancy
Lara Gilchrist as Alexis
Latonya Williams as Kate
Antonio Cayonne as Jason
Alex Kliner as Jim Yuletide
Tosca Baggoo as Ms. Bezanis
David Stuart as Mr. Szabo
Katerina Katelieva as Sara
Tanaka & Mutumwa Mudzamba as Baby Lucy
Emma Pedersen as Hillary
Jacqueline Robbins as Woman in Hat

Production Credits:
"Jingle Around the Clock" is from Lighthouse Pictures Inc. Kristofer McNeeley and Brooke Nevin are executive producers. Shawn Williamson, Jamie Goehring and Johnny MacCarthy are producers. Paul Ziller directed from a script by Joie Botkin and Zac Hug.

Airdate:
It premiered Saturday, December 22nd, 2018 on the Hallmark Channel.