Trading Up Christmas

Three years after her husband died Emily Spengler, a 2nd grade teacher in the small Washington town of South Woodbourne, is preparing for the arrival of her daughter, Heather, who is a Boston College student. When Emily finds out that Heather wishes to do other things for Christmas, she calls her friend Faith Kerrigan, for advice. Faith is a divorced event planner based in San Francisco.

Meanwhile in Boston, Charles Johnson, an English professor and writer, is working on the finishing draft for his latest novel. Struggling to finish his book after missing several deadlines, his brother Ray, the owner of a software security company, suggests he go someplace to concentrate on his writing.

Meanwhile in Washington, Emily decides to surprise her daughter in Boston. Unfortunately, she is unaware that her daughter has already made plans to go with her boyfriend Jason, to Phoenix, Arizona, and stay at his grandparents’ home.

Emily and Charles find each other on a house swapping website and trade houses for the week. He arrives in Washington to discover her home full of Christmas decor, despite his bad memories of Christmas. Emily arrives at Charles’ in Boston only to discover her daughter had gone to Phoenix.

Meanwhile, Emily’s friend Faith takes a plane and bus to surprise her in Washington, only to discover that Charles is there. As the next bus back to Seattle does not leave until Christmas, she stays at Emily’s to Charles’ dismay. Meanwhile in Boston, when Emily triggers the apartment alarm, Ray arrives with a police officer as Charles hadn’t told him he had taken his advice. He offers to show Emily around and take her to dinner.

Over the course of the week Emily and Ray spend a lot of time together, revealing their past Christmas memories. In Washington, Charles struggles to finish his book, until Faith reads the draft, and makes suggestions. He is at first reluctant to take her advice, but eventually does, overcoming his writer’s block to finish his novel.

Meanwhile in Arizona, Jason notices how homesick Heather is, so he buys plane tickets to Boston so she can spend Christmas with her mother. After Heather arrives in Boston, Ray gives Emily a pair of earrings as a Christmas present, and since Emily is leaving in a couple of days, decides it would be best to not make things more difficult.

On Christmas Day, Charles drives Faith to the bus station, only to stop the bus because he doesn’t want her to spend Christmas on the bus. She is delighted and they kiss as the bus leaves without her. In Boston, Emily, Heather, and Jason arrive at Ray’s apartment with a Christmas tree, and the four of them spend Christmas together. Emily learns that Ray finally sold his company, as he awaits the next chapter in his life.

One year passes, and it is revealed that Ray and Emily are married, living in Washington. They are visited for Christmas by Faith and Charles, who are also married and expecting a child. The film ends with everyone celebrating Christmas together.

Last Updated: August 20, 2025 at 13:00