Should You Stay Through A Merry Little Ex-Mas? The Post-Credits Answer — And What It Teases for a Sequel
Skip the credits: Netflix’s new holiday rom-com A Merry Little Ex-Mas has no post-credit scene. Released November 12, the Steve Carr-directed, Holly Hester-written charmer stars Alicia Silverstone and Oliver Hudson, with Jameela Jamil in support.
Quick holiday heads-up: Netflix just dropped a new Christmas rom-com, and if you came here wondering whether to stick through the credits or start the hot cocoa cleanup, I got you.
There is no post-credit scene in Netflix's A Merry Little Ex-Mas.
What this is and who made it
'A Merry Little Ex-Mas' is a Christmas romantic comedy directed by Steve Carr and written by Holly Hester. It hit Netflix on November 12. The setup is very much second-chance romance with tinsel: a separated couple decides to stage one perfect last holiday before they finalize the divorce, and things get messy (and, predictably, cozy).
The cast
- Alicia Silverstone as Kate
- Oliver Hudson as Everett
- Jameela Jamil as Tess
- Pierson Fode as Chet
- Melissa Joan Hart as April
- Wilder Hudson as Gabriel
- Emily Hall as Sienna
- Timothy Innes as Nigel
So, sequel or not?
Short version: there is no sequel announced. This was made as a standalone holiday movie, not the start of a franchise. That said, if it performs and lands on Netflix's global Top 10 with a strong audience response, a follow-up is always possible. Streamers love numbers more than Santa loves cookies.
The premise
Kate and Everett are separated and circling divorce. They agree to give their kids one great final Christmas together. Complication: Everett shows up with a new girlfriend, Tess, which does not help the 'peace on Earth' vibe. The awkwardness nudges Kate and Everett into actually looking at what went wrong, which is the whole point of these movies.
How the ending actually plays out
If you want the clean, spoiler-y version, here it is. If you want to go in blind, skip to the last section.
Kate tries to keep it together while Everett keeps prioritizing Tess. The jealousy and frustration boil over during the family's annual gingerbread house competition. Everett apologizes for not putting their family first, which sounds promising until he adds that he'll try to be a better husband and dad the next time he gets married or becomes a father. Yes, he actually says that out loud. That pushes Kate to reveal she's planning to move to Boston after the divorce.
On Christmas Eve at Everett's place, he gives Kate a handmade perfume that hits all her nostalgia buttons, which understandably rattles Tess. A near-fire incident cuts the night short. Later, Everett heads to the family home (they call it The Mothership), and he and Kate fall back into their old groove, hanging with the kids and reading the family scrapbook like they always do.
The next morning, Kate swings by to drop the kids off and finds Tess on her way out. After spending Christmas together, Kate and Everett realize there's still something real there and decide not to get divorced. One year later, Everett is actually prioritizing his family, and Kate is running her own sustainability company. The movie sticks the classic holiday rom-com landing: everyone ends up where they should, with a bow on top.
Where to watch
'A Merry Little Ex-Mas' is streaming now on Netflix. If you were hanging around for a post-credit tag, you can safely hit stop when the credits roll.