Three Days of Christmas

Three Days of Christmas is a Spanish-language miniseries original available on Netflix, released in 2019. The show is a gripping family saga that spans across three distinct epochs and is narrated from the perspective of four strong-willed sisters - Maria, Valentina, Esther, and Cristina. The series is set in the idyllic, snow-covered backdrop of Spain during Christmas time, making it visually appealing and adding another layer of depth to the narrative.

The series is arranged in three episodes, each corresponding to a specific timeline; the distant past, the near past, and the present. The daring yet distinctive feature of this mini-series is that each episode delivers an intriguing representation of the same house, same family, same sisters, but at different stages of life - childhood, adulthood, and old-age. Based on an innovative story-telling technique, Three Days of Christmas never actually discloses the specific year each episode is set in, allowing the mounting differences, secrets, and complexities of the relationships between the four sisters to gradually reveal themselves.

The protagonists of the series are the four sisters, whose distinctive personalities define the radiating dynamics of the family. Maria, the eldest, is a carefree spirit with progressive ideas. Esther is sturdy and sardonic while Valentina, the third sister, is sensitive and sentimental. The youngest sister, Cristina, is considered the most reasonable of the four, and she often takes on the role of peacemaker.

The narrative sparkles for its brave confrontations of culturally significant topics such as tradition, feminism, marital infidelity, and enduring patriarchy that parallels the women's gripping journey of self-discovery and personal development. Exhibiting a fascination for the undulating flow of life, this tangled family chronicle contemplates over love, loss, intrigue, and secrets buried deep within the heart.

The series appropriately showcases the challenges faced by the four sisters as they navigate through the lows and highs of life, enduring and celebrating together in their ancestral home. It is a heartfelt depiction of evolving female relationships against a shifting backdrop of distinctive era-specific social values and family customs.

Three Days of Christmas brilliantly captures the dual spirit of the Christmas season - joy and melancholy - as the radiating characters navigate their lives around hope, disappointment, love, resentment, bitterness, revelations, and the bittersweet beauty of familial ties.

The compelling narrative, combined with the magnificently delineated characters and commendable performances, the offbeat structure of the series hooks the viewers from the get-go. It is a blend of romance, drama, mystery, and comedy, embracing a powerful narrative style that oscillates between the past and the present, gradually unveiling the mysteries, love, and inevitable disputes that bind the four sisters together.

The cinematography of Three Days of Christmas deserves special mention as it stunningly captures the scenic beauty of the snow-covered landscapes, coupled with an authentic portrayal of bygone eras through stunning visuals, production design, and costumes.

The series also features a raft of secondary characters, each contributing their unique flavor to the boiling pot of family drama, which includes the sisters’ parents, their partners, and other relatives. With each passing episode, you're likely to find yourself more entwined in the siblings' relationships, growing more and more curious about their hidden secrets and the dramatic revelations which are to follow.

This mini-series is not just about highlighting the sisters' woes or the complexities of their lives; it also empathetically depicts their joys, their bond of sisterhood, their individual and shared histories, and how they influence each other through various stages of their lives.

Three Days of Christmas serves as an absorbing exploration of human relationships, a nostalgic trip down memory lane, and a profound investigation of the intricate bonds within a family. The alluring aura of Christmas forms an ever-present backdrop for this mini-series, intensifying the emotional gravity of the plot and making it a captivating watch that you wouldn't want to miss.