Hallmark’s new romantic movie Christmas at the Plaza left viewers a little confused when the actors kept uttering the phrase “finial d’arbre.”
Released on Thanksgiving, the film takes place in the Plaza Hotel in New York during the Holidays.
This article will contain minor spoilers.
The plot sees academic historian Jessica (Elizabeth Henstridge) hired by the Plaza Hotel to create a Christmas display. She teams up with handsome decorator Nick (Ryan Paevey).
However, viewers were left confused by two words uttered with surprising frequency in the movie. A large part of the plot seems to revolve around the characters finding a finial d’arbre from 1969.
English speaking viewers expressed their confusion at these two unfamiliar words that the cast seemed to be continuously saying.
I now know the term "finial d'arbre" which is a tree topper. And is uttered every 4 minutes by someone in the movie. (In fairness, this is her research and I appreciate this level of semantic particularity).
— Allison J Foley (@AlliJFoley) November 29, 2019
It turns out that a finial d’arbre is a type of Christmas tree ornament that sits atop the tree. “Arbre” is French for “tree,” and “finial” refers to the shape and type of ornament, typically decorated with leaves or leaf-like motifs.
Hallmark themselves helpfully offered a definition for Twitter users with the following post.
Finial meaning: a distinctive ornament at the apex of a roof, pinnacle, canopy, or similar structure in a building or an ornament at the top, end, or corner of an object. D’arbre meaning: French for tree. Interesting! ? #ChristmasAtThePlaza #CountdownToChristmas pic.twitter.com/McwhpmVMrh
— Hallmark Channel (@hallmarkchannel) November 29, 2019
One Twitter user suggested a fun drinking game to go with the movie.
Drink every time she says finial d'arbre too late you're dead #ChristmasAtThePlaza
— JL (@JessieLahrr) November 29, 2019
Why is a historian hired to design a Christmas display, you might ask?
The theme of the exhibition is supposed to honor the history of Christmas. Nick’s character has been hired to help install the display. The pair become romantically involved as they work on the exhibition and share traditional festive activities.
The movie was partially filmed in New York, but many scenes were shot in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
The Plaza Hotel is currently offering a special holiday season package based on the film complete with a free tree topper/finial d’arbre.
Christmas at the Plaza is available to watch now on the Hallmark Channel.
I heard a mispronunciation while watching this movie, Elisabeth says social mores instead of morays, never heard it stated in the former
If you were listening carefully to the movie dialog, finial dabre was identified as the tree topper on several ocassions. Admittedly before this movie, I did not know the term. It seems the Plaza finial dabra is issing from 1969, but the mystery is solved at the end of rhe movie. .