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The 12 Days of Christine (2015) movie poster

Timeline

The 12 Days of Christine (2015) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2015 · 30 mins · English
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Directed by
Guillem Morales
Starring
Tom Riley, Reece Shearsmith, Sheridan Smith, Jessica Ellerby, Steve Pemberton, Paul Copley

After bringing a man back to her apartment from a New Year’s Eve celebration, Christine Clarke finds her life spiraling out of control. She becomes increasingly disturbed by a mysterious stranger who repeatedly appears in her flat at night, leading her to question his identity and the unsettling changes happening around her.

Cast, crew & box office
On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Categories
  6. 6 Every angle
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15 events in order · contains spoilers

The 12 Days of Christine Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The 12 Days of Christine (2015) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. New Year and the spark

    Christine arrives home with Adam after meeting him at a New Year’s party, and they begin a fragile romance. The flat becomes the starting point for their evolving relationship as the year unfolds. The moment marks the first step toward a life they hope to build together.

    When
    New Year's Eve
    Where
    Christine's flat

  2. Valentine’s Day: echoes from the past

    Thirteen months later, Christine chats with Fung about her evolving relationship with Adam, while a card from Christine’s first boyfriend arrives and lingers. The note stirs memories she had thought were forgotten, hinting at unresolved feelings. The quiet exchange sets a tension between past and present.

    When
    Valentine's Day
    Where
    Christine's flat

  3. Mother’s Day: family history resurfaces

    Christine’s mother Marion visits and digs into family history, revealing that Christine’s first boyfriend died when he was 16. The revelation unsettles Christine and reframes the meaning of her choices. Marion’s presence nudges Christine toward considering marriage with Adam, even as her father’s illness casts a shadow.

    When
    Mother's Day
    Where
    Christine's home

  4. Easter: Adam moves in

    The following year brings a shift as Adam moves in with Christine at Easter, signaling a deeper commitment. Christine quietly plans a small surprise for him, hinting at hopes for a stable future. The simple domestic change marks the beginning of a more intimate life together.

    When
    Easter
    Where
    Christine's flat

  5. Egg crack and the Stranger's blunt message

    A seemingly ordinary moment is punctured by an egg smashing against a wall, unsettling Christine. In the kitchen, she is approached by the Stranger, who murmurs a heavy message: ‘I’m sorry.’ The encounter inserts an ominous thread into their otherwise quiet life.

    When
    Easter
    Where
    Christine's flat

  6. Becoming a family: pregnancy and marriage

    Christine discovers she is pregnant and, soon after, she marries Adam. The couple rachets together to form a fragile, intimate unit as external pressures begin to press in. The domestic peace is complicated by the creeping sense of something being wrong.

    When
    Late spring
    Where
    Christine's flat

  7. May bank holiday: assembling a cot

    On a May bank holiday, Christine and Adam work together to assemble a cot for their expected child. The task becomes a quiet test of their partnership as normal life is layered with tenderness and unspoken anxiety. The scene emphasizes how ordinary rituals keep time inside their fragile world.

    When
    May bank holiday
    Where
    Christine's flat

  8. Father's Day: a hidden warning

    Thirteen months later, on Father’s Day, Adam tends their son Jack while Christine’s nerves hum with danger. The Stranger’s voice returns from the baby monitor, whispering: ‘Come on little man, let's get you out of there.’ The sense that something has crept into their routine grows stronger.

    When
    Father's Day
    Where
    Christine's home

  9. The cot: panic and relief

    Christine rushes to Jack's room and finds the cot empty, fear gripping her as she calls for Adam. He returns from another room carrying Jack, having contained the crisis, yet the air remains taut with unspoken fear. The incident deepens the sense that their life is haunted by something that doesn't belong.

    When
    Father's Day night
    Where
    Jack's room

  10. Thirty and a widening rift

    Thirteen months pass to Christine’s thirtieth birthday, a milestone shadowed by growing distance. Ernie no longer recognises Christine, and Adam grows more interested in his colleague Zara. The quiet rituals of family life begin to crumble under the weight of unresolved past and present betrayals.

    When
    Christine's 30th birthday
    Where
    Christine's flat

  11. Blindfolded birthday and looming fear

    Marion blindfolds Christine for the annual birthday game of blind man’s buff, a ritual Christine has played since she was six. Suspicious noises drift from behind a door, forcing Christine to remove her blindfold and confront what she cannot name. The moment heightens the sense that danger hides in the ordinary.

    When
    Around her 30th birthday
    Where
    Christine's flat

  12. Divorce and Jack’s first day

    Christine is now divorced from Adam, filming Jack as he prepares for his first day of school. She finds some solace with Ernie, who remains a fragile anchor in the house that feels labyrinthine. The routine of memory continues to fracture as her life moves forward without the partnership she once envisioned.

    When
    Post-divorce
    Where
    Christine's flat

  13. Halloween: Jack in the Stranger's arms

    At Halloween, Christine dresses with her friend Bobby when an intruder who resembles Adam comes to collect Jack. Christine hurries toward Jack’s room and discovers him in the Stranger’s arms, another devastating fracture in a life that loops through the same scenes. The uncanny recurrence intensifies the sense of predestined tragedy.

    When
    Halloween
    Where
    Christine's flat

  14. Bonfire Night: scars and truth

    Christine brings Jack home with a burn on his hand from a sparkler, and Marion notes that the injury mirrors a scar Christine bore at Jack’s age. The revelation tightens the loom of fate around the family, underscoring how past wounds echo through the present. The holiday ritual becomes a somber reminder of cycles that cannot be broken.

    When
    Bonfire Night
    Where
    Christine's home

  15. Christmas and the final revelation

    During Christmas, Christine and Adam seem set to reunite, and she opens a present that crystallizes the life she has lived. The Stranger reveals that he stepped onto the road by accident and could not reach Christine, uncovering the truth behind the haunting events. In a final montage, Christine dies in a road collision as memories replay, leaving the family to say goodbye and carry her memory forward.

    When
    Christmas
    Where
    On the road and in the home

Last updated: October 03, 2025 at 06:46

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Timeline questions answered

The 12 Days of Christine Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The 12 Days of Christine (2015): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Who is the Stranger who keeps appearing in Christine's flat?

The Stranger is revealed to be the man who was involved in the road collision that kills Christine. He explains that he stepped onto the road by accident and could not reach her in time. His appearances throughout Christine's memories represent the moment he failed to save her, with his repeated attempts to reach Jack symbolizing his guilt over not being able to rescue Christine herself.

Foreshadowing: The Stranger first appears at Easter saying 'I'm sorry,' establishing his connection to Christine from the very first memory.

  • stranger
  • reece shearsmith
  • accident
  • road collision
  • who is the stranger
Q2

What really happens to Christine at the end of the movie?

Christine dies in a road collision. The entire film, every scene from New Year's Eve through Christmas, takes place in her dying mind as emergency services work to free her trapped in the wreckage. The Christmas dinner is the final memory, where her family gathers and Marion signals that it's time for Christine to let go.

Foreshadowing: The Stranger's claim that he 'couldn't reach Christine' at Christmas directly hints at the accident that claimed her life.

  • christine death
  • road collision
  • ending
  • final scene
  • car crash
Q3

Why does the Stranger have Jack in his arms on Halloween?

The Stranger appears holding Jack multiple times throughout Christine's memories because he is trying to save the child. At Christmas, he reveals he 'rescued Jack but could not reach Christine,' explaining that in the aftermath of the collision, he was able to pull Jack to safety but could not reach Christine in time before she died.

Foreshadowing: The Stranger's first appearance at Easter with his cryptic 'I'm sorry' begins this pattern of attempted rescue.

  • jack
  • halloween
  • stranger
  • rescue
  • child
Q4

Why does Ernie no longer recognise Christine on her 30th birthday?

Christine's father Ernie has Alzheimer's disease, which has progressed significantly by her 30th birthday. The disease causes him to lose recognition of family members, including his own daughter. This subplot adds to the film's themes of loss and the fragility of memory, paralleling how Christine herself is losing her life.

Foreshadowing: Ernie's battle with Alzheimer's is introduced earlier in the story, showing his gradual decline.

  • ernie
  • alzheimer
  • father
  • recognition
  • memory loss
Q5

Why does the Stranger say 'I'm sorry' to Christine?

The Stranger says 'I'm sorry' because he was the driver or witness involved in the accident that kills Christine. His apology represents his guilt over stepping onto the road accidentally and being unable to save her, despite his attempts to reach her during the collision.

Foreshadowing: His first words to Christine at Easter, 'I'm sorry', are the key to understanding his presence throughout.

  • sorry
  • apology
  • guilt
  • accident
  • stranger
Q6

Why do Adam and Christine get divorced?

After their son Jack is born, Adam becomes increasingly distant and interested in his colleague Zara. The marriage fractures under this emotional distance, leading to their divorce. By the time of Jack's first day of school, they are no longer together, though they briefly reconcile at Christmas before Christine's death.

Foreshadowing: Adam's growing interest in Zara is first hinted at on Christine's 30th birthday.

  • adam
  • divorce
  • zara
  • marriage breakdown
  • affair
Q7

What is the significance of Jack's burn on Bonfire Night?

When Jack burns his hand on a sparkler, Marion notes that Jack's injury mirrors a scar Christine herself bore at his age. This revelation emphasizes the cyclical nature of fate in the film, suggesting that history repeats itself and that certain patterns, whether wounds or tragedies, echo across generations within Christine's family.

Foreshadowing: The scar connection reinforces the film's theme of predetermined fate woven throughout the timeline.

  • bonfire night
  • burn
  • scar
  • fate
  • cycle
Q8

What is the significance of the 12 days structure in the movie?

The film spans key dates across approximately three years, from New Year's Eve through Christmas, mirroring the traditional 12 days of Christmas. Each significant date (Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Easter, Father's Day, Halloween, Bonfire Night, Christmas) represents a milestone in Christine's life that plays out in her dying mind as memories.

Foreshadowing: The title itself 'The 12 Days of Christine' directly references this structure of annual milestones.

  • 12 days
  • christmas
  • dates
  • structure
  • timeline
Q9

What happens on Father's Day with Jack and the baby monitor?

On Father's Day, Christine hears the Stranger's voice through the baby monitor saying 'Come on little man, let's get you out of there.' She rushes to find Jack's cot empty, but Adam returns with Jack from another room. This scene represents the Stranger's attempt to rescue Jack from the wreckage of the collision.

Foreshadowing: The Stranger's voice through the monitor foreshadows his later claim of rescuing Jack.

  • fathers day
  • baby monitor
  • voice
  • jack
  • cot
Q10

What is the card from Christine's first boyfriend about?

On Valentine's Day, a card arrives from Christine's first boyfriend, who died at age 16. This triggers Christine to remember a past she had tried to forget. The revelation comes when her mother Marion tells her the truth about his death, adding emotional weight to Christine's unresolved past.

Foreshadowing: The unresolved past with her first boyfriend adds emotional complexity to Christine's character.

  • valentines card
  • first boyfriend
  • death
  • marion
  • memories
Q11

Is the entire story taking place in Christine's mind?

Yes. The entire narrative, from New Year's Eve through Christmas, occurs in Christine's dying mind as she lies trapped in the wreckage of a road collision. The story is a montage of her most cherished memories and pivotal life moments, replaying as she slips away. The Stranger's presence throughout represents his failed rescue attempt.

Foreshadowing: The non-linear timeline and recurring images hint from the start that this is not a straightforward chronological story.

  • memories
  • mind
  • dying
  • flashback
  • montage
Q12

What happens during Christine's blindfolded birthday game?

On Christine's 30th birthday, her mother Marion blindfolds her for their traditional blind man's buff game, the same ritual Christine has played since age six. When suspicious noises come from behind a door, Christine removes her blindfold in fear. This moment represents the fear and uncertainty that haunts her throughout the memories.

Foreshadowing: The ritual birthday game connects to Christine's childhood and the family traditions that repeat throughout her life.

  • birthday
  • blindfold
  • game
  • marion
  • ritual

Movie threads

More Movies Like The 12 Days of Christine, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The 12 Days of Christine tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Reflective Life Stories like The 12 Days of Christine

Stories where a protagonist's life is revisited through poignant, non-linear memories. Discover movies like The 12 Days of Christine that explore a person's life through a mosaic of memories. These films often feature a non-linear narrative, a melancholic tone, and a heavy emotional focus on family, love, loss, and the bittersweet act of looking back.

  • reflective
  • poignant
  • melancholic
  • bittersweet
  • nostalgic
  • unsettling
  • Tone: melancholic, poignant, reflective
  • Pacing: steady, contemplative
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These films often unfold non-linearly, presenting key moments from a character's past that initially seem disjointed. As the story progresses, the true context—often a death, a major life change, or a moment of deep reflection—is revealed, re-framing the memories into a powerful, coherent whole about the meaning of a life.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here because they share a specific narrative structure and emotional goal: using the device of memory to explore a complete life journey. They prioritize emotional resonance over plot, creating a deeply reflective and often melancholic viewing experience centered on themes of time, regret, and acceptance.

In This Our Life movie poster

In This Our Life

1942
Memories of Tomorrow movie poster

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2007
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2018
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In His Mother’s Eyes

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The Big Picture

2000
The Return movie poster

The Return

2004
The End of the Road movie poster

The End of the Road

2001
Love Story movie poster

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1970

Supernatural Dramas of Grief like The 12 Days of Christine

Where spectral presences are metaphors for profound loss and emotional trauma. If you liked The 12 Days of Christine, explore movies where a ghost or mysterious presence symbolizes deep emotional pain. These films blend drama with subtle supernatural elements, creating an unsettling and melancholic vibe focused on processing loss rather than pure fear.

  • unsettling
  • somber
  • anxious
  • dreamlike
  • poignant
  • psychological
  • Tone: melancholic, unsettling, somber
  • Pacing: steady, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative often follows a protagonist who is haunted, either literally or figuratively, by a presence tied to a past tragedy or their own impending death. The supernatural mystery is slowly unraveled, paralleling the character's emotional journey toward a painful realization or a form of closure, leading to a cathartic but sad resolution.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their unique blend of tone and theme. They use the language of ghost stories or psychological thrillers to tell deeply human dramas about coping with loss. The similarity lies in the melancholic mood, the steady pacing of revelation, and the high emotional weight of the core theme.

A Ghost Story movie poster

A Ghost Story

2017
Wetherby movie poster

Wetherby

1985
The 12 Days of Christine movie poster

The 12 Days of Christine

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Wander Darkly movie poster

Wander Darkly

2020
So Long, My Son movie poster

So Long, My Son

2019
Guest of Honour movie poster

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The Souvenir: Part II movie poster

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2021
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2024

Categories

Movie Lists Featuring The 12 Days of Christine

The 12 Days of Christine appears in these hand-built movie categories. Each one groups movies by a specific mood, theme or story type, with their plot summaries and endings explained.

View all movie categories
Generation Ship Born Dramas movies

Generation Ship Born Dramas

Sci-fi movies about generation ships

Every angle

The 12 Days of Christine (2015) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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