An Avonlea Christmas (1998): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1998, An Avonlea Christmas is a drama, war, family and romance film, running about 92 minutes.

What it’s about. An Avonlea Christmas pays tribute to the indomitable and sometimes intolerable matriarch of the King family, Hetty King. When she suddenly collapses during the holidays, Hetty is hospitalized. Feeling homesick and alone, she begins to re-evaluate her relationships and her accomplishments in life. The story takes place against the backdrop of World War I as the King family prepares for its traditional Christmas dinner. The reunion is marred by the fact that one of its youngest members, Felix, is missing in action; making differences of opinion about the war effort glaringly obvious. This wonderful and accomplished cast comes together in an uplifting drama that illustrates the frailty of life and the importance of strength of family in turbulent times. (from DVD liner notes)

Who’s in it. An Avonlea Christmas stars Jackie Burroughs as Hetty King, Mag Ruffman as Olivia Dale, Lally Cadeau as Janet King and Cedric Smith as Alec King, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 8.0/10, An Avonlea Christmas sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.

Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch An Avonlea Christmas page.

If you liked it. Fans of An Avonlea Christmas tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.