If you watched Lifetime’s 2021 holiday film and need the ending of Under the Christmas Tree explained, you’re in the right place. This breakdown covers what happens in the final scenes, how Charlie and Alma’s story resolves, and what the tree lighting ceremony ending means for the characters.
The movie was a milestone as Lifetime’s first lesbian Christmas rom-com, and its ending tied together several threads I found genuinely heartwarming when I watched it. Below, I’ll walk through the plot, the final scenes, and the thematic significance of the closing moments.
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What Is Under the Christmas Tree About?
Under the Christmas Tree is a 2021 romantic comedy television film directed by Lisa Rose Snow in her feature directorial debut. The story follows government worker Charlie (Tattiawna Jones), a self-described “tree whisperer” sent on a mission to find the perfect evergreen for the Maine Governor’s Holiday Celebration.
Charlie discovers the ideal tree on a family-owned Christmas tree farm in Camden, Maine. The problem is that Alma (Elise Bauman), the business owner, initially refuses to sell it. Alma has her own complications: her family is considering selling the property to a developer with an Arizona warehouse operation waiting for her.
As Charlie and Alma spend more time together searching the farm for the right tree, their professional relationship develops into something romantic. The gingerbread competition subplot and a quirky cast of small-town characters add warmth to the holiday atmosphere. By the time we reach the final act, Charlie has secured the tree, but Alma’s future in Maine remains uncertain.
The Ending Explained: Charlie and Alma’s Story Concludes
The Under the Christmas Tree ending resolves in three connected moments: the tree lighting ceremony at the governor’s mansion, Alma’s decision about her future, and Charlie’s surprising career revelation. Each thread lands in a way that gives both women what they need without forcing either to compromise who they are.
Here’s how the final sequence plays out. Charlie delivers the tree, which takes its place of honor at the official state celebration. The tree lighting ceremony scene is the movie’s emotional centerpiece, with the snow-covered grounds, the warm glow of the lights, and the quiet intimacy between the two leads.
At the ceremony, Charlie reveals to Alma that she’s accepted a position running a reforestation project in Maine, which means she’s staying in the state rather than returning to her previous post. This news lets Alma realize that the future she’s been dreading no longer has to pull her away from her home and the woman she’s falling in love with.
What Happens to Alma at the End of the Movie
Alma chooses to stay in Maine and run the family tree farm with her sister. By the end of Under the Christmas Tree, she turns down the Arizona opportunity and recommits to the family business that’s been her family’s legacy for generations.
This decision matters because it reframes Alma’s earlier resistance to selling the tree. When she refused at the start, she was protecting more than a single evergreen. She was defending the land, her family heritage, and her sense of place. The ending confirms that her instinct was right.
The Arizona thread wraps up quietly but definitively. Alma tells her potential business partner that she’s chosen Maine, and the warehouse deal falls through. The final shots of the farm in full holiday operation, complete with families picking out trees, drive home that Alma found her answer where she always belonged.
Charlie and Alma’s Final Scene: The Tree Lighting Ceremony
The tree lighting ceremony is where Under the Christmas Tree lands its emotional payoff. After weeks of searching the perfect tree, Charlie and Alma attend the official Maine Governor’s Holiday Celebration together. The tree they found stands tall at the center of the event, decorated in lights and surrounded by the community.
In the final scene, Charlie and Alma share a quiet moment beneath the tree after the main ceremony ends. The dialogue is restrained, but the visual storytelling does the heavy lifting. The evergreen that almost didn’t make it becomes a symbol of what they built together, and the soft snowfall wraps the moment in classic holiday romance framing.
There’s no dramatic kiss in the rain or over-the-top gesture. Instead, the movie ends with Charlie and Alma holding hands, looking up at the tree, and choosing each other without fanfare. It’s the kind of ending that trusts the audience to feel the weight of the moment rather than having it spelled out.
Thematic Meaning of the Under the Christmas Tree Ending
The ending works because it ties the tree to the romance so directly. Charlie came to Maine looking for a tree and found a person. Alma had a tree and didn’t know she was also looking for someone. The closing moments make that parallel explicit without becoming heavy-handed.
The tree itself becomes a symbol of rootedness. Charlie’s reforestation project is about planting new trees and protecting old forests, which mirrors what she and Alma are doing with their relationship. They’re not uprooting themselves; they’re choosing to grow in place.
On a broader level, the ending delivers a kind of holiday-movie reassurance that LGBTQ audiences had rarely seen on Lifetime before this film. The story treats a lesbian romance with the same gentle, optimistic tone the network gives any of its straight holiday rom-coms. That quiet normalcy was the point, and the ending earns its warmth by never making a spectacle of the relationship.
How the Ending Compares to Other Lifetime Holiday Movies
Lifetime holiday films typically end with a big romantic gesture, a job relocation that conveniently solves everything, and a snow-drenched kiss. Under the Christmas Tree follows some of those beats, but it softens them in ways that feel intentional.
Charlie’s career change isn’t a sacrifice; it’s an upgrade that happens to align with where her heart is. Alma’s decision isn’t a rejection of growth; it’s a redefinition of what growth means to her. The ending avoids the trap of forcing one partner to give up everything for the other.
Compared to typical Hallmark-style closings, this movie’s resolution is less rushed and more grounded. The tree lighting ceremony gives the characters a public moment together, and the final scene gives them a private one. That balance is what makes the ending feel complete.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens at the end of Under the Christmas Tree?
At the end of Under the Christmas Tree, Charlie and Alma attend the Maine Governor’s Holiday Celebration where the tree they found is the centerpiece of the lighting ceremony. Charlie reveals she has accepted a reforestation job in Maine, and Alma decides to stay and run the family tree farm instead of moving to Arizona. The film closes with the two women together at the ceremony.
Does Alma stay in Maine or move to Arizona?
Alma stays in Maine. By the end of the movie, she turns down the Arizona warehouse opportunity and recommits to running her family’s Christmas tree farm in Camden with her sister. Her choice confirms that her earlier refusal to sell the governor’s tree was about protecting her home and legacy.
Does Charlie get the tree for the governor?
Yes. Charlie successfully secures the perfect tree from Alma’s family farm, and it is used at the official Maine Governor’s Holiday Celebration. The tree lighting ceremony scene is the emotional centerpiece of the film’s ending.
Where was Under the Christmas Tree filmed?
The movie was filmed in Ottawa, Ontario, rather than on location in Maine, though the story is set in Camden, Maine. Christmas tree farm sets and small-town backdrops were constructed to recreate a New England holiday feel.
Will there be a sequel to Under the Christmas Tree?
No sequel has been officially announced. The 2021 film stands on its own as a complete romantic comedy, though its GLAAD Media Award nomination for Outstanding TV Movie and positive reception have left fans hoping for a follow-up.
Final Thoughts on the Ending
The Under the Christmas Tree ending works because it gives both leads a future without requiring either to abandon who they are. Charlie finds work that matches her values and keeps her close to Alma. Alma keeps her family’s land and chooses the woman who helped her see it clearly.
For a movie that was Lifetime’s first lesbian Christmas rom-com, the ending’s quiet confidence is part of its significance. It treats a same-sex romance as just another holiday love story, and the emotional payoff hits the same beats any viewer would expect from the genre. That understated approach is exactly why the Under the Christmas Tree ending explained in full still resonates with audiences looking back at this 2021 holiday film.