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It’s the best time of the year: Christmas movie time, that is! I was in full-blown Christmas mode pretty much all year this year. And thanks to the Christmas movies starting before Halloween, it was easy to jump right into my movie marathon binges early!
Hallmark did not disappoint this year, keeping up with their impressive new movie lineup for the holidays. Great American Family upped their number again this year from last. Surprisingly, Lifetime’s new holiday movie count dropped a lot this year. UPtv had a smaller amount as well (most likely due to the writer and actor strikes throughout Hollywood this past year). Between all four networks, they had a combined total of 84 new Christmas movies this year. I also watched 7 new Christmas movies from other networks.
My favorites have always been Hallmark, but their competition grows every year. While Hallmark still had many high-rated ones for me, they also had quite a few not-impressive ones as well. Great American Family upped their game this year. They had many great ones and not as many duds as last year. Overall, I was disappointed in many of Lifetime’s movies again this year, and UPtv’s were about half great and half not so much.
For those not as lucky as me to be able to catch all the new Christmas movies, I have come up with my top favorites for your reading pleasure. Trust me, you don’t want to miss these wonderful holiday stories full of love, laughter, (some tears), and all the fun holiday festivities!
Top 10 New Hallmark Christmas Movies
Without further ado, here is what I like to call “The Best of the Best,” or better known as “Hallmark’s Top 10,” listed from 10th best to 1st best. In my opinion, when it comes to Hallmark, there are no ‘worst’; they’re all the best.
10. A Not So Royal Christmas
“A Not So Royal Christmas” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring Brooke D’Orsay & Will Kemp. When tabloid journalist Charlotte (D’Orsay) requests an interview with a famously private Count — not knowing he fled town years ago — the royal family convinces their groundskeeper (Kemp) to pose as him.
I feel like royal Christmas movies nowadays are so often overdone; there is only so much you can do. This one felt fresh and unique. Liked how both leads had a secret and not just one of them; it leveled the playing field. Also loved the twist of the guy pretending to be royal when he wasn’t really, and how everyone was in on it. So fun!
9. Everything Christmas
“Everything Christmas” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring Cindy Busby, Katherine Barrell, Corey Sevier & Matt Wells. Christmas lover Lori Jo (Busby) and her roommate (Barrell) head to Yuletide Springs for a long-time tradition to honor her late grandmother — and meet two men, Carl and Jason (Sevier & Wells), along the way.
This one had all the old-school Hallmark Christmas magic feels…with the is he or isn’t he Santa? Is it the real Santa? It was so much fun, full of Christmas. I loved the road trip idea and how Santa kept rerouting their trip. Also loved that it was two female best friends and they both found love. Such a sweet and feel-good movie.
8. To All a Good Night
“To All a Good Night” is a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries original movie starring Kimberley Sustad & Mark Ghanimé. After a small-town photographer (Sustad) saves a man’s (Ghanimé) life, she learns he’s in town to buy her family’s parkland, the location of the annual Christmas celebration.
I loved this one. I liked how the lead female saved the male and then tried to secretly get to know him without him realizing who she was. And loved that he knew the whole time and pretended not to. I loved all the different mystery elements and how there were no nefarious intentions from any of the characters. The family connection twist was fun. Also enjoyed the military and giving back elements. It was a good story all around!
7. A Heidelberg Holiday
“A Heidelberg Holiday” is a Hallmark original movie starring Ginna Claire Mason & Frédéric Brossier. Glass ornament maker Heidi (Mason) heads to Germany to sell her items at the prestigious Heidelberg Christmas Market in Germany. During her trip, she connects with a local artisan, Lukas (Brossier), who helps her reconnect with her lost heritage.
I didn’t know much about this one before watching it, but loved it! I love the travel aspect, as it took place in Germany. The Christmas market was such a cute aspect of the story. There were comedic moments, serious moments, and just fun moments. I enjoyed learning about German Christmas traditions. I hadn’t seen the leads before, but they were so cute together, and I loved watching their journeys play out.
6. A Merry Scottish Christmas
“A Merry Scottish Christmas” is a Hallmark original movie starring Lacey Chabert & Scott Wolf. Estranged siblings Lindsay (Chabert) and Brad (Wolf) travel to Scotland at Christmas to reunite with their mother.
I love Lacey Chabert (aka Queen of Christmas) and was so excited for this one as a mini Party of 5 reunion. And it did not disappoint! I absolutely loved that the leads played siblings again, with the fun nods to Party of 5. Also loved learning more about Scotland and the royal aspect of Dukes and Duchesses. There was even an awesome Will Kemp cameo. They definitely pulled out all the stops for this one, and I loved it! It was such a fun movie!
5. Miracle in Bethlehem, PA
“Miracle in Bethlehem, PA” is a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries original movie starring Laura Vandervoort & Benjamin Ayres. In this new DaySpring movie, successful Mary Ann Brubeck (Vandervoort) adopts a daughter right before Christmas. When bad weather lands her and her new baby stranded in Bethlehem, PA, their only option is to stay with the innkeeper’s brother Joe (Ayres), a quintessential bachelor.
I loved this one! A modern-day story with parallels to the Bible. It was so sweet and special. Loved the characters and their storylines and how they all bonded with each other. Loved how the lead adopted a baby on her own and how she learned she didn’t need to do it all on her own. Such a great story that will be a classic!
4. My Norwegian Holiday
“My Norwegian Holiday” is a Hallmark original movie starring Rhiannon Fish & David Elsendoorn. JJ (Fish), grieving the loss of her grandmother, jumps at the chance to join a new friend, Henrik (Elsendoorn), on a trip to Norway to discover her grandmother’s history and look into how she landed a troll figurine from his hometown.
I love a good travel Christmas movie, and this one definitely lived up to the hype. I hadn’t seen the male lead before, but I love the female lead. I enjoyed the comedic moments of how they met and traveled to Norway together. Loved the backstories of the characters and how they bonded. There was also a mystery element and family twist, which I absolutely loved. Such a cute movie!
3. Joyeux Noel
“Joyeux Noel” is a Hallmark original movie starring Jaicy Elliot & Brant Daugherty. Copy editor Lea (Elliot) and pragmatic reporter Mark (Daugherty) head to France to learn about a mysterious artist behind a romantic Christmas painting.
This story had all of my favorite Christmas elements. Festivities, fun, travel, adventure, romance, and a little mystery. Loved the dynamic between the leads as coworkers and having to blend both of their working styles together. The leads played off each other well and were great together! I loved watching the whole story unfold!
2. Catch Me if You Claus
“Catch Me if You Claus” is a Hallmark original movie starring Italia Ricci & Luke MacFarlane. On the verge of her big break, aspiring news anchor Avery Quinn (Ricci) catches a home intruder wearing a red suit claiming to be Santa’s son, Chris (McFarlane).
I love a good mystery and a little crime in a lighthearted Christmas movie, and this one did not disappoint. It was funny, and the Santa theme was a cute twist. So many good comedic moments. Loved the leads together and how they bonded over living up to their parents' reputations/jobs. Overall, so cute and LOVED it!
1. A Biltmore Christmas
“A Biltmore Christmas” is a Hallmark original movie starring: Bethany Joy Lenz, Kristoffer Polaha, Jonathan Frakes & Robert Picardo. Screenwriter Lucy Hardgrove (Lenz) lands her dream job — writing the remake of a beloved holiday movie classic, filmed at the historic Biltmore House in 1947. While visiting the estate for inspiration, she discovers the ability to travel to the original set of “His Merry Wife” and connects with one of the film’s stars (Polaha).
I was so excited to see this one, and it exceeded my expectations. It was SO good! I love a good time travel movie, and it did not disappoint. Then throw in the Golden Era of Hollywood (1940s), Christmas, romance, and movie magic, and you have a winner. It was so fun and magical. The backdrop of the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina was absolutely beautiful. It starred two of my favorite leads, and they were amazing together. I loved the characters and the story. I already rewatched it again. Quite possibly will be my favorite of the season.
Close Seconds – Hallmark
Hallmark had a total of 42 new holiday movies this year between Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. They also had 2 new premieres during Christmas in July. With so many new Hallmark movies to choose from, it’s so hard to pick just 10. So here are my Close Seconds (in no particular order).
Mystic Christmas
“Mystic Christmas” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring Jessy Schram, Chandler Massey, Patti Murin & William R. Moses. During the holidays, Juniper (Schram) reconnects with the owner of the pizza shop (Massey) in Mystic, Connecticut, where she’s working at the rehabilitation center and aquarium.
This was the first I’d seen involving an aquarium, and it was so fun. The aquarium took a backseat to the town of Mystic and the will they won’t they of the leads. I enjoyed the backstory of the leads' prior relationship and watching them both give each other a second chance. Loved how they both changed their career paths and goals, but they supported each other. Neither had to give up what they loved. They had the best of both worlds. The banter was so fun, and I loved watching the leads interact. It was a great pairing!
Mystery on Mistletoe Lane
“Mystery on Mistletoe Lane” is a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries original movie starring Erica Cerra & Victor Webster. When moving to a new town, Heidi (Cerra) and her kids discover a Christmas mystery with the help of the local handyman (Webster).
I love a good Christmas mystery, and this one did not disappoint. It was so much fun with the new town residents and the historical society aspects. Throw in Christmas and a little mystery, and it was so fun. Loved the leads having to work together, and they had great chemistry and understanding of each other. Liked having the different generations with the parents, adults, and the kids. It was so fun!
The Secret Gift of Christmas
“The Secret Gift of Christmas” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring Meghan Ory & Christopher Russell. A personal shopper (Ory) connects with a new client (Russell) looking to find the perfect gifts for her daughter to reconnect.
This was such a fun story. I loved the leads together. I liked how the female lead took charge, her personality, and being unapologetically herself. I didn’t quite understand her needless spending based on her personality. The lead's daughter added another element. I wasn’t a fan of the music teacher potential love triangle scenario, but it added conflict.
My Christmas Guide
“My Christmas Guide” is a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries original movie starring Amber Marshall & Ben Mehl. A college professor (Mehl) connects with a guide dog trainer (Marshall) after losing his eyesight and adopting a seeing-eye dog.
I thought this was such a fun and unique idea for a Christmas story. Hallmark recently did another blind lead/guide dog story during the fall, so that was interesting; there was another so close to the first. But this one was way better! I loved the aspect of the daughter and single dad. I loved the dynamic of the leads and the love conquers all theme. Such a sweet story to watch the romance unfold. It felt very real with the blind aspect too and the scheming BF. Such a good one!
A Season for Family
“A Season for Family” is a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries original movie starring: Brendan Penny, Stacey Farber, Benjamin Jacobson & Azriel Dalman. While Maddie’s (Farber) adopted son wants to meet his brother Cody, who was adopted into another family, Cody’s father (Penny) isn’t ready.
This was such a unique idea. I loved the adoption themes, and the overall family is the theme. I liked how the two families blended together and how the leads' relationship developed. I didn’t think much of this beforehand but loved it! Almost seemed like there were too many secondary stories. And it was a bit odd how the lead man and his sister were a married couple in Chesapeake Shores, so I had a hard time watching them as siblings in this one at times lol.
Round and Round
“Round and Round” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring Vic Michaelis, Bryan Greenberg & Rick Hoffman. While Rachel (Michaelis) is stuck in a time loop, reliving the night of her parents’ Hanukkah party, she leans on the boy (Greenberg) her grandmother is trying to set her up with to make it out.
This was such a fun twist on Hanukkah by having the lead stuck in a time loop. Loved how she teamed up with her new romantic lead to figure out how to get it to stop, and how they made new friends along the way and welcomed everyone into their home for Hanukkah celebrations. Liked how she was already on the outs with her BF, so felt natural for her to fall for someone new. Liked how they finally got the loop to stop and she was still able to give all the memories back to the guy. Such a fun and enjoyable story!
Sealed with a List
“Sealed with a List” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring Katie Findlay & Evan Roderick. Carley (Findlay) is determined to get through her list of abandoned resolutions from last year and enlists the help of coworker Wyatt (Roderick).
I really liked this story and how the characters ended up working together. I liked that they were from completely different worlds and meshed their two worlds together. Such a fun story of the girl trying to do all her New Year's resolutions in 1 month before the end of the year. I really liked the leads together and their characters.
Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up
“Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring: Lacey Chabert, Wes Brown, Stephen Tobolowsky, Melissa Peterman, Ellen Travolta, Seth Morris & Jennifer Aspen. A sequel to last year’s “Haul Out the Holly,” Emily (Chabert) and Jared (Brown) are excited to spend the holidays together as a couple — regardless of the new residents moving in on Evergreen Lane.
It was a bit over the top at times (like the first one), but that was all part of the comedy of it. It was very on brand with the first one. So many fun comedic moments, and I loved the universal coming-together holiday theme. Was fun to see the characters’ storylines progressing from the last movie. Hard choice if it or the original was better, but I’d probably go with the original.
Navigating Christmas
“Navigating Christmas” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring Chelsea Hobbs & Stephen Huszar. Recently divorced Melanie (Hobbs) brings her son to a remote island for Christmas, where she connects with a lighthouse owner (Huszar).
This was such a fun and original story idea. I loved the lighthouse theme. Great story lines for the characters and their lives. Really liked how it all got put together in the end and how they were going to stay in each other’s lives. A teenage son was different, and it brought a fun element. I loved the two leads together and their relationship developing. Cute story!
Christmas Island
“Christmas Island” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring Rachel Skarsten & Andrew Walker. After Kate’s (Skarsten) first private flight, en route to Christmas Island in Switzerland, gets diverted due to a snowstorm, she teams up with an air traffic controller (Walker) to land her dream job.
I was so excited for this one. It was a bit underwhelming but was still a solid one. I loved the cast and their chemistry. It was such a unique and original take, which was fun. I love a good stranded-for-the-holidays story, and this kept the fun and Christmas activities in plenty. Some was a bit predictable, but overall I really enjoyed it.
Top 10 New Great American Family Christmas Movies
Great American Family had 21 new Christmas movies this year, and I really enjoyed most of them, so I decided to give them their own category this year. Here are my top 10-rated Great American Family movies from this past season.
10. Designing Christmas with You
“Designing Christmas with You” is a Great American Family original movie starring Susie Abromeit & Liam McIntyre. With her career on the line, a decorator (Abromeit) must work with an unexpected partner (McIntyre) to showcase a house for an upcoming Christmas gala.
This was such a cute story. I liked how the leads had to work together and the mystery of why the girl was hired. The family connection was fun. I liked that the other girl wasn’t ever really a threat, so I felt like the leads mishearing information and getting upset was unfounded, but it added conflict. The leads worked well together.
9. Santa, Maybe
“Santa, Maybe” is a Great American Family original movie starring Aubrey Reynolds. Can theater director Lila (Reynolds) rise to the challenge of putting on the perfect Christmas ballet, while also discovering her office Secret Santa in the process?
This was another fun one. I loved the theater element and Secret Santa theme. I liked the lead's complicated history and how they had to work through it. I really liked the lead girl and her sparkle shown throughout the whole movie. I thought she was a bit tough on the guy and not letting go of the past (including the blow-up at the end), but loved how she ultimately saw past it. Their chemistry was so authentic, and it was a great movie.
8. A Dash of Christmas
“A Dash of Christmas” is a Great American Family original movie starring Laura Osnes & Christopher Russell. A marketing exec (Osnes) must learn a recipe to get her dream job and ends up entered in a holiday bake-off with a dream baker (Russell).
I love the lead male on this one but honestly worried another baking theme would be too much…I was wrong. It was so cute, fun, and original! I loved the chemistry of the two leads and how they worked together and how they ultimately both did what they could to help the other by submitting videos. I liked that there wasn’t a huge blowup, and they quickly came around to love and what was best. It was a surprising hit for me, much like “A Brush of Christmas” from last year.
7. Meet Me Under the Mistletoe
“Meet Me Under the Mistletoe” is a Great American Family original movie starring Sarah Fisher & Simon Arblaster. Two rival realtors (Fisher and Arblaster) are forced to work together to sell one special house before Christmas.
I loved these two leads together. I liked how they were rival realtors but didn’t really have a bad relationship or animosity toward each other. It felt more natural for them to work together, bond, and ultimately fall in love. They had great chemistry, and I enjoyed watching their work and personal stories unfold. Also liked the Secret Santa element and that there wasn’t a huge blowout between the leads.
6. Christmas on Windmill Way
“Christmas on Windmill Way” is a Great American Family original movie starring Christa Taylor Brown & Chad Michael Murray. To save her family’s legacy windmill, a woman (Brown) must remind her ex-boyfriend (Murray) of the best of their hometown.
I hadn’t seen the lead girl before but thought she was brilliant. I loved the pairing and playfulness, and the chemistry with the leads. It took a typical, well-known Christmas movie plot (windmill going to be torn down and a resort going to be built and girl trying to keep it from happening) but with some fun twists. I liked how the guy was honest with the girl about the plans for the mill to get torn down from the get-go, and it wasn’t a big secret. The backstory of their history from high school was fun and at times comical. Overall, such a cute movie, and I loved the pairing.
5. Christmas in Maple Hills
“Christmas in Maple Hills” is a Great American Family original movie starring Emily Alatalo & Marcus Rosner. Valerie (Alatalo) and a military veteran doctor (Rosner) team up to solve the mystery of Valerie’s grandparents' love story and who actually owns the deed to her family's Maple farm.
This was a late-year addition to the Great American Family lineup and was such a gem! I absolutely loved it. From start to finish, it kept me hooked. I loved how it bounced back and forth between the present day and the past, following the grandparents' love story during World War II. The mystery was well done with multiple possible male suitors. The present day was just as fun to watch unfold. Loved the military aspects, and the leads were brilliant together!
4. Christmas Keepsake
“Christmas Keepsake” is a Great American Family original movie starring Jillian Murray & Daniel Lissing. A father (Lissing) bonds with his daughter and stumbles upon an unexpected romance (Murray) while tracking down the original owner of a Christmas time capsule.
This was another that gave me feel-good moments, like this year's “A Dash of Christmas” and last year's “A Brush with Christmas”. I loved the father/daughter and mother/daughter elements. The time capsule was a fun aspect that added a little mystery. I loved the Christmas traditions and family creating new memories in a new country. I loved the leads together, and the story was so sweet and heartfelt. It was great from start to finish.
3. Peppermint & Postcards
“Peppermint & Postcards” is a Great American Family original movie starring Ella Cannon & Christopher Russell. When a Christmas letter concerning her love life goes viral, one mom (Cannon) discovers that romance might be right at her door.
This had one of my favorite leading men. I had never seen the female lead before but loved them together. Such a fun and unique story. I loved that it was a blended family. A Christmas movie classic with the daughter making a wish for her mom to fall in love, but a fun twist with it going viral and ending up a news show segment with a reporter. So fun watching the leads interact and fall for each other during them setting the mom up on disastrous dates. Such a cute one!
2. A Paris Christmas Waltz
“A Paris Christmas Waltz” is a Great American Family original movie starring Jen Lilley & Matthew Morrison. A novice dancer (Lilley) pairs with a professional (Morrison) to enter a renowned dance competition… in Paris! The next story in The Christmas Waltz universe, the highest-rated Christmas rom-com of 2020, from Michael Damian and Janeen Damian.
I was so excited for this one! It was written by the same writers of Hallmark’s hit “A Christmas Waltz” from a couple of years ago, and this one had one of my favorite leading ladies! Travel, dance, romance, and Christmas = so much fun! It was such a cute movie, and I loved the organic way the characters' relationship developed. The leads were great together, and the chemistry was great. Such a fun, lighthearted, romantic movie. I loved it!
1. Bringing Christmas Home
“Bringing Christmas Home” is a Great American Family original movie starring Jill Wagner & Paul Greene. A professor of military history (Wagner) teams with an antique store owner (Greene) to track down the original owner of a historic WWII uniform and the love letters left in its pockets.
I absolutely loved this one! So heartfelt, with some real and serious moments, especially relating to military life. But also lighthearted and fun with the playfulness and joking around. Loved this lead pairing; they looked great together and acted well together. Loved their mix of personalities and how they balanced each other so well. The added mystery element was so much fun too! Really loved and already planning to re-watch!
Top 10 New Christmas Movies – Other Networks
You can’t forget Lifetime, UPtv, Amazon, Hulu, and Roku. Here are my Top 10 Christmas movie favorites from non-Hallmark/non-Great American Family networks, listed from least favorite to favorite.
10. A Perfect Christmas Pairing
“A Perfect Christmas Pairing” aired on Amazon, starring Ansley Gordon & Chris Connell. Top chef Grace (Gordon) takes time off after a bad review to visit family for Christmas and connects with a travel writer (Connell).
I really liked this one. I liked the girl going home to spend the holidays with her family and rediscovering her passion. I liked the bonus of the guy being in town to help and ultimately changing his life plans for her. It was a sweet love story. I liked the wine and food elements and the family business needing help but not being in too far deep trouble.
9. Reporting for Christmas
“Reporting for Christmas” is a Hulu original movie starring Tamara Feldman & Blake Johnson. A reporter (Feldman) travels to a small town for a Christmas story and is instantly inspired by a local toy maker (Johnson).
I really liked this one. I like a good Christmas news story, but with heart. Had never seen the leads before but really liked them in this and together. It was a fun story, lighthearted, plenty of Christmas, a bit of comedy, lots of romance, and just fun. The side characters were great too.
8. A Christmas Frequency
“A Christmas Frequency” is a Hulu original movie starring: Ansley Gordon, Jonathan Stoddard & Denise Richards. A radio show producer (Gordon) sets up her boss (Richards) on on-air dates to find a Christmas date for their work party and falls for one of the contenders (Stoddard).
I loved this writer and the cast involved! It was such a fun story with twists I didn’t see coming, multiple romances, assumptions, and Christmas. The perfect, fun recipe for a Christmas rom-com. I loved how everyone balanced this out and the work/love/life balance discoveries with all of the characters. It was so fun to watch!
7. Mistletoe Connection
“Mistletoe Connection” is an UP TV original movie starring Jessica Sipos & Mark Goodwin. Gift shop owner Kate (Sipos) is determined to stop her shop corner from getting redeveloped.
This was a fun You’ve Got Mail feel to it. A lot of the story elements seemed overdone, so it didn’t feel super original, but I really enjoyed the cast and characters. I liked how well they all worked together–including the secondary characters and storylines. And I loved how the leads met and how they reconnected. Funny and heartfelt moments throughout.
6. Yes! Chef Christmas
“Yes! Chef Christmas” is a Lifetime original movie starring Tia Mowry & Luke Humphrey. A culinary instructor (Mowry) who has put her chef dreams on hold is invited to compete in a local cook-off where she is teamed up with a mentor (Humphrey) who is a reluctant chef with something to prove.
Love Tia Mowry and that she was in another Christmas movie. I feel like the chef/baker storylines are a bit overdone at Christmas, but this was a fun one. I liked the cooking competition and how the leads had to work together as mentor/student. They worked well together. There was also a fun family twist I didn’t see coming. Such a fun, heartfelt story!
5. Christmas at the Chalet
“Christmas at the Chalet” is a Lifetime original movie starring Teri Hatcher, William deVry & Dan Payne. An ex-TV host (Hatcher) finds herself in a chalet for Christmas with her son, ex-husband (Payne), and his new girlfriend. To complicate matters more, she must work as a chalet girl for her room and board.
This one was so funny. It was different with an older couple, and I liked the aspect that the girl was famous and had to work to earn her keep at the Chalet. Plenty of fun ensued. I also liked that she found a new love. I initially thought she was going to get back with her ex, but I really liked that she didn’t. She grew and matured and moved forward. Well written and executed.
4. Christmas Plus One
“Christmas Plus One” is a Lifetime original movie starring Emily Alatalo, Cory Sevier & Andrew Bushell. When sisters make a pact to find true love by Christmas, they don’t believe it will happen. One year later, one prepares to get married, while the other (Alatalo) thinks she has found her soulmate but loses him just as fast.
The first of Lifetime’s limited premieres this year. It was so fun and such a unique story. Loved how the girl met a stranger and had an instant connection, but that wasn’t ultimately who she ended up with. Losing the guy's number and going on a journey to try and find the mystery guy with the help of another guy was so fun. Loved the leads and how they bonded and fell for each other. Such an original and cute Christmas story!
3. We’re Scrooged
“We’re Scrooged” is an UP TV original movie starring Tamara Duarte & Andrew Bushell. When ex-high school sweethearts return home for their class reunion, three ghosts visit them together to see what they are missing.
The first of UPtv’s Christmas lineup. I was intrigued by it initially, and it greatly surpassed my expectations. I loved the Christmas Carol twist of HS sweethearts going on the angel journey together. I loved watching them relive the past, get perspective, see things they didn’t know, and have to work through their feelings in the present. It was so much fun! I hadn’t seen the female lead before but loved her. Both leads worked great together, and I loved watching their stories unfold.
2. A Cowboy Christmas Romance
“A Cowboy Christmas Romance” is a Lifetime original movie starring Jana Kramer, Adam Senn & Mary-Margaret Humes. A real estate closer (Kramer) is sent home to close a deal; she must mend bridges with her estranged family and finds a surprising connection with a neighbor (Senn).
I had heard a lot of buzz beforehand that this one was really pushing limits for Christmas movies and that it was different than anything anyone’s ever seen. I agree with both…and I really liked it! It was more steamy and edgy without going overboard and ruining the family element. Loved the family storyline along with the romance. It was more of a cowboy/western type genre than Christmas in my opinion. It wasn’t Christmas in your face 24/7, but there was still enough Christmas throughout, I thought. I loved the romance and how natural and real it felt watching it develop. Such a good one!
1. Christmas Time Capsule
“Christmas Time Capsule” is an UP TV original movie starring Emily Alatalo & Franco Lo Presti. When James (Presti) returns from deployment to get an engagement ring he kept with his best friend (Alatalo) for safekeeping, they embark on a road trip to get it back.
This one was so good! Loved the time capsule idea, but it wasn’t played into as much as I initially thought. At times (especially early on), the guy was a bit dislikeable, but throughout he redeemed himself. Such a fun story about two besties – in love with each other but neither knowing how the other feels – and one about you proposing. So unique and done well. The leads are a real-life couple and were so cute together! A definite re-watch-worthy one in my book!
Honorable Mention – Other Networks
Again, it’s so hard to pick just 10 favorites from Lifetime, Great American Family, UPtv, Hulu, Amazon & Roku. So here are some of my other favorite non-Hallmark network Christmas movies that I felt deserved an Honorable Mention. They are listed from my highest rating to lowest.
My Christmas Hero (Great American Family)
“My Christmas Hero” is a Great American Family original movie starring Candace Cameron Bure & Gabriel Hogan. An army reserve doctor (Bure) tracks down her family’s military history with the help of a new romance (Hogan).
I loved the military theme in this one. There was a little bit of mystery, and tracking down a passed-away relative's story was fun. The romance was so sweet and pure, and I loved that it was without many complications. The side characters and meddling matchmaking of the mother were so funny. Overall, such a cute movie!
A Christmas Intern (Lifetime)
“A Christmas Intern” is a Lifetime movie starring: Jackee Harry, Ciarra Carter & Vivica A. Fox. Cecilia (Harry) discovers retirement isn’t for her, and she jumps in to help her daughter’s (Carter) company at Christmas as an intern.
This was a unique story that felt more centered on the mother than the daughter. I loved that the family worked together to help the daughter's company. Also liked that there were two romances. It was such a fun story.
Christmas at the Amish Bakery (UP TV)
“Christmas at the Amish Bakery” is an UP TV original movie starring Alexandra Harris & Sean Koetting. When a book editor (Harris) heads home to visit her Amish family, she teams up with a local outsider (Koetting) to help bring her sister's Amish bakery recipes to life.
This was such a cute and unique story. I liked how the lead's family were Amish but were still in contact with her and welcomed her with open arms. Liked how the lead was never invested in selling her sister's Amish Bakery recipes to her boss and did everything to help her sister and their family. I didn’t feel like the lead male’s anger at the lead was justified. Did like how they worked together and fell in love, though.
‘Twas the Text Before Christmas (Great American Family)
“‘Twas the Text Before Christmas” is a Great American Family original movie starring Merritt Patterson & Trevor Donovan. An unexpected text message sent to the wrong number (Patterson) sets into motion a Christmas tradition with a new family (Donovan) over three separate years.
I was very excited about this one. I love the leads, and it looked so good. It was such a cute story. Loved how unique it was with the mistaken text that leads to friends becoming new family. It was a fresh take being over the course of multiple years/Christmases, but I almost wished it would have been just one Christmas. Overall, thoroughly enjoyed it though!
A Royal Date for Christmas (Great American Family)
“A Royal Date for Christmas” is a Great American Family original movie starring Danica McKellar & Damon Runyan. When a European Duke (Runyon) arrives in the US, he realizes that his bags have been lost in transit. He has no choice but to be styled, and ultimately inspired, by Bella (McKellar), the owner of a local boutique.
This one was a cute story, and I liked how the leads were work dates during the holidays so they could really get to know each other. I really liked the leads together and their chemistry and how their personalities were opposite, but they balanced each other out. But it did feel like just another royal Christmas romance, which often feels overdone.
Mistletoe Match (Lifetime)
“Mistletoe Match” is a Lifetime movie starring Elena Juatco & Ryan Bruce. A journalist (Juatco) goes undercover for a matchmaking event and unexpectedly teams up with a fellow matchmaking doubter (Bruce).
This was a fun story. I liked the Mistletoe Matchmaking group and how the leads agreed to pretend to match and like each other but then eventually did fall for each other. Didn’t like how the lead female was undercover doing a trash article about it, though. It all worked out in the end though!
Planes, Trains & Christmas Trees (Lifetime)
“Planes, Trains & Christmas Trees” is a Lifetime movie starring Kathryn Davis & Olivier Renaud. An event planner (Davis) and sports agent (Renaud) find themselves teaming up to get to the city for Christmas, only to get stranded.
You know I love a good travel-with-a-stranger-and-get-snowed-in-somewhere Christmas story, and this had both! The two leads I’ve been seeing a lot more in romcoms lately, and I love them both. They were so cute and brilliant together! I liked the complication of the girl having a rocky relationship with her bf already. The extended family element was a fun one too. This one was so fun!
A Christmas for the Ages (Great American Family)
“A Christmas for the Ages” is a Great American Family movie starring Natasha Bure, Anna Ferguson, Kate Craven, & Cheryl Ladd. Prompted by their youngest granddaughter (Bure), four generations celebrate family and what Christmas was like in the 40s, 60s, 90s, and present day.
I was so excited for this one. I liked the 4 generations of women and their fun tradition of Christmas meals. The decade-themed parties were so much fun and original. I enjoyed watching the family dynamics and seeing them all come together. The only downside was that there didn’t seem to be too much they were working towards or too much going on in their personal lives. It was more about their time together, which was special, but I would have liked more. Overall, such a cute and fun family movie though!
Dial S for Santa (UP TV)
“Dial S for Santa” is an UP TV original movie starring Sarah Dugdale & Nick Fallon. An insurance investigator (Dugdale) returns home for the holidays for the first time since her father’s death and finds herself working with a local cop (Fallon) to solve a string of holiday burglaries.
I loved the mystery element of this one in more ways than one: the robberies, the mother's secret relationship, and whether Santa was real or fake. Liked how the lead girl was an insurance investigator hoping to become a real investigator. Liked how she worked with a cop to try and solve the town robbery mysteries. It was a fun story.
EXmas (Amazon)
“EXmas” aired on Amazon, starring Leighton Meester & Robbie Amell. When Graham (Amell) surprises his family by returning home for Christmas, he finds his ex-fiancée (Meester) already there celebrating with his family.
I was very excited for this one. I loved the leads together. It had comedy and competition over who the family liked the son or ex-daughter-in-law more. It wasn’t your typical holiday rom-com; it was more edgy and racy but still a good one. Some parts were over the top, but I think that’s the comedy they were going for.
One of my favorite things about the Christmas season is Christmas movies. I absolutely love all the new Christmas movies that come out, and I love re-watching my favorites from previous years. I live for my Christmas movie marathons every year! Did you have a favorite new Christmas movie from this past season? Let me know in the comments below.
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