A 102-year-old World War II veteran appears on the big screen in Karen Kingsbury’s new holiday film The Christmas Ring, a faith-forward story that spotlights military families, honors veterans, and includes real service members among its extras.
The Christmas Ring opened in theaters November 6 and blends family drama, faith, and military memory into a holiday narrative. It follows a military widow on a search for a lost family heirloom while exploring the costs borne by those who serve and the families who wait for them. The film frames its emotional core around a Gold Star family and the spiritual meaning of the season.
The plot centers on Vanessa Mayfield, a military widow who has been hunting for a treasured ring her great-grandfather found on D-Day. Along the way she crosses paths with an antique dealer who helps her look through shops and auctions in hopes of reuniting her with the heirloom. A short description of the film reads: “A military widow falls in love while searching for her lost family heirloom.”
One of the film’s most moving sequences is an annual Christmas Military Dance Vanessa hosts for a local organization. For that scene the filmmakers made a deliberate choice to cast real service members, both active and retired, as background actors. The authenticity of that crowd work gives the sequence real emotion, with veterans and families reacting as themselves rather than as paid extras.
“Now, in the Christmas Ring, we decided early on, since we were going to need about a hundred background actors who were military, that we would ask real military, retired and active, to come and join us on set to wear their own uniforms,” Kingsbury explained. “So, we have a hundred actual military members in the Christmas ring.”
Kingsbury and the director invited readers and local veterans to join the shoot, and one veteran in particular captured everyone’s attention: James Daniels, age 102, a World War II veteran whose entrance on set moved the cast and crew. Speaking about that moment, Kingsbury said, “From the day of filming, when James Daniels came in, I mean, you would’ve thought it was President [Donald] Trump, or it might’ve been Brad Pitt. All these military guys, men and women, lined up, tears in their eyes, and they wanted to shake James Daniels’ hand.”
On screen, Daniels has a direct interaction with Vanessa’s character, who thanks him during the dance for his service and presence. The production also looked for ways to support veterans beyond casting, partnering with organizations that build homes and provide services for those who served. That outreach was woven into the film’s publicity and community engagement efforts.
“Donating ad space to the Gary Sinise Foundation was a privilege, as I can only hope that more people come to know and support this life-changing organization,” Kingsbury exclusively tells PEOPLE. “By putting information about the GSF in front of moviegoers who see The Christmas Ring, we will expose millions more people to the work the Gary Sinise Foundation is doing. I’m so excited to see many more veterans helped through this partnership.”
Audience reaction has been strong among viewers who appreciate the film’s respectful treatment of military sacrifice and its faith-centered perspective. “The Christmas Ring was such a heartwarming movie. It really showed the sacrifices our military families make for our country. I found it uplifting and inspiring, and it put a human face on the struggles, fears, heartbreak, and joy they live with every day,” said one moviegoer after seeing the film. Another viewer described the story as a “magical story of the way God works wonders in our lives to bring people together.”
Beyond the dance and the veteran cameos, the film aims to balance lighthearted holiday romance with sober themes of loss and remembrance. It places actual service members in visible roles, lending credibility to scenes that honor uniforms, fallen comrades, and the families left to carry legacies forward. The Christmas Ring is playing in select theaters now and continues to be discussed for its blend of faith, romance, and military tribute.
The use of real veterans on set shifted the atmosphere from performative to sincere, and many who’ve seen the film highlight moments that feel unscripted and genuine. Laughter, tears, and quiet salutes appear in equal measure, and the film leans into those human moments rather than spectacle. That restraint gives several scenes real emotional weight and keeps the focus on people rather than politics.
“They’ve given up so much for us, and work for very little money, and as we were looking at casting, we said maybe we can give a little back,” Kingsbury said. “And honor them in a different way. And the way we thought was to put a call out to the readers and just see if some actual military, retired or active, would be willing to join us on set as background actors.”
The production choices extend to wardrobe and casting, letting veterans wear their own uniforms and share small, personal gestures on camera. Those touches create a patchwork of real lives intersecting with a fictional story, and they help the audience connect with the lived realities behind the uniforms. For many viewers, those moments are the heart of the movie.
For anyone interested in holiday films that blend faith, romance, and genuine respect for service, The Christmas Ring offers a different kind of seasonal watch. It foregrounds the courage of families who serve, includes genuine veterans in its crowd scenes, and centers a story about love and remembrance tied to a small, meaningful object. The film’s emphasis on earnest emotion over flashy effects is what makes it stand out.
Thank you to all the veterans!
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