‘In a Holidaze’ Trailer Traps Maddie Ziegler in a Christmas Time Loop on Netflix
Netflix has become a regular home for festive romantic comedies, and its 2026 holiday lineup is already shaping up. The streamer has confirmed a mix of seasonal releases, from a family dog adventure to a Tyler Perry drama, but one of the most anticipated is a rom-com with a twist.
That film is ‘In a Holidaze’, an adaptation of the New York Times bestseller by Christina Lauren, the pen name of writing duo Lauren Billings and Christina Hobbs. Fans of the book have been waiting to see how its time-loop romance translates to the screen.
On October 15, Netflix released the trailer for ‘In a Holidaze’ and confirmed that the film premieres on December 2. The streamer describes the story as following a directionless romantic stuck reliving the same Christmas again and again until she figures out what truly makes her happy.
Maddie Ziegler leads the film as Maelyn “Mae” Jones. The trailer highlights the cozy, snowy setting of a family cabin, along with the confusion and comedy of reliving the same holiday over and over.
At the start of the story, Mae is stuck in a rut. She lives with her parents, is unhappy at work, and is still recovering from a romantic mistake. It’s also the last Christmas she’ll spend at her family’s beloved snowy cabin in Utah.
A directionless romantic is stuck reliving the same Christmas again and again until she discovers what makes her truly happy. Maddie Ziegler stars in IN A HOLIDAZE, based on the best-selling novel by Christina Lauren. Premiering December 2. https://t.co/2nlSpUnbEu
— Netflix (@netflix) October 15, 2026
Desperate for change, Mae makes a wish asking the universe to show her what will make her happy. After a car crash, she wakes up on a plane headed back to Utah and realizes she’s reliving the holiday. To escape the loop, she has to figure out her life and win over her true love.
Ziegler is joined by a strong supporting cast. Graham Phillips plays Andrew, and Rob Lowe, Elias Kacavas, Patton Oswalt, Andrea Anders, Jackie Sandler, Gil Bellows, Meredith Salenger, Christopher Shyer and Samer Salem also star.
The cast also includes Luke Roessler as Myles, Joelle Farrow as Astrid and Danyella Angel as Thea Harper. Nolan Raitt, Sébastien Duncan and Aliyah McLachlan play younger versions of Andrew, Theo and Mae, suggesting flashbacks to the characters’ childhood holidays together.
Tiffany Paulsen directs, bringing experience from ‘Holidate’, another festive Netflix romance. She co-wrote the screenplay with Billings and Hobbs, keeping the original authors closely involved in the adaptation.
Mark your calendar for the most wonderful time of the year! Nov 4: A Dog’s Perfect Christmas Nov 11: Tyler Perry’s The Gospel of Christmas Nov 18: Guarding Stars Dec 2: In a Holidaze https://t.co/Wyx46UUBAk
— Netflix (@netflix) October 11, 2026
That collaboration should reassure readers. Having the authors help write the script suggests the film will stay true to the book’s humor, romance, and emotional core. Production took place in Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia, from January 29 to March 12, 2026. The snowy locations stand in for the family’s Utah cabin.
Alloy Entertainment is producing, with Leslie Morgenstein and Elysa Koplovitz Dutton as executive producers. The film is one of several holiday titles Netflix is releasing this season. ‘In a Holidaze’ joins a busy lineup of Netflix holiday films. ‘A Dog’s Perfect Christmas’, starring Dennis Quaid, arrives on November 4, followed by ‘Tyler Perry’s The Gospel of Christmas’ on November 11.
‘Guarding Stars’, starring Leighton Meester and Jared Padalecki, follows on November 18. ‘In a Holidaze’ then arrives on December 2, kicking off the final weeks before Christmas. Christmas can be the perfect setting for a time-loop story.
The season already comes with repeated traditions, family routines, and memories, which makes it a natural backdrop for a character who has to relive the same day until she changes. With Ziegler leading the cast and the authors helping adapt their own story, ‘In a Holidaze’ could become a new holiday comfort watch for book fans and Netflix viewers alike.
Are you excited to watch Netflix’s holiday rom-com In a Holidaze when it premieres on December 2?
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