The plots are generally always the same, but you know what? I don’t care. I love cheesy Hallmark holiday movies. And this year, watching them has been especially meaningful to me since I won’t be coming home for Christmas.
There’s something predictably exciting about watching a girl from the big city head home for the holidays and meet a small-town boy who is either an old flame or her nemesis. Plot twists bring girl and boy together, and lighthearted shenanigans ensue.
A raging blizzard on Christmas Eve cancels the girl’s flight home to the big city, but it’s okay, the spirit of Christmas has renewed her interest in small-town living. And, besides, boy professed his love for girl while they were sipping hot chocolate, so now she won’t have to worry about dying alone.
All within two weeks’ time.
As unrealistic and cheesy (and problematic) as they can be, holiday movies on Hallmark can really put you in better spirits. Here are some of the best and most wholesome holiday films Hallmark has available for your viewing pleasure to get you feeling merry and bright!
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1. A Royal Corgi Christmas
First of all, corgis make everything better. Corgis at Christmas? Even if the film is too cheesy to handle, your heart can be filled with the joy of holiday puppers.
The plot of Corgis at Christmas centers around a prince who tries to win the favor of his cold-hearted mother with the gift of an out-of-control corgi who he tames with the help of a lovely female dog trainer.
You can guess how this one ends — in puppy love, of course.
2. Haul Out the Holly
Lacey Chabert is moving on from being the daughter of the inventor of Toaster Strudels to star in a Hallmark holiday film.
Don’t think of it as a demotion from Mean Girls, this flick is definitely worth a watch — if only for a bit of forced fun and kooky mishaps after Chabert’s character in Haul Out the Holly finds herself alone in her parent’s (very close-knit, very active) condo.
3. My Southern Family Christmas
This new Hallmark film is less about romance and more about strong family ties, which is a nice change for those of us who can’t deal with cuffing season much longer.
Protagonist Campbell Wallace uses her experience as a journalist to get closer to her real dad while covering a Christmas festival in the town where he lives. You’ll have to watch My Southern Family Christmas to find out if she admits to being his long-lost daughter or not, but the ending is touching nonetheless.
4. A Christmas Treasure
Jordin Sparks, winner of American Idol season six, is the star of this Hallmark holiday movie show, which features her gorgeous vocals in a key part of the film.
The story centers around her discovery of an old time capsule, which inspires her creative juices and has her second-guessing her possible relocation to New York City.
Her liaisons with a hunky chef, who puts some pieces of the time capsule puzzle together, don’t help her decision much either. If you love a good “will they, won’t they…” kind of romance, A Christmas Treasure is for you.
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5. A Big Fat Family Christmas
If you liked Crazy Rich Asians, you’ll love A Big Fat Family Christmas, which is a touching tale about a Chinese American family celebrating the holidays.
Leading lady Shannon Chan-Kent plays a character tasked with photographing the Chang family’s annual holiday event, aka the biggest party in town. Even though she’s part of the family, she keeps that detail under wraps to get closer to her sexy male coworker also covering the story.
When trouble strikes, will she reveal to him she’s part of the main event? Watch and see!
6. Ghosts of Christmas Always
This ridiculously cheesy film is great if only for the cast of holiday ghosts that move along the plot, played by Lori Tan Chinn (Orange is the New Black), Reginald VelJohnson (Family Matters), and Kim Matula (Fighting With My Family).
A twist on the Christmas Carol classic, it’s the ghosts that need helping in this new holiday classic. What’s more, Ghosts of Christmas Always ensures that spooky season lasts beyond Halloween.
7. All Saints Christmas
Anything set in New Orleans, LA is going to be a good time, and All Saints Christmas really brings the spirit of the bayou to the forefront. It has amazing music, clever writing, and a heartfelt plot that will melt the coldest of souls.
This film also has you guessing where the end will go, but no matter what you predict, you’re likely to be satisfied.
8. Christmas at the Golden Dragon
If you’re a fan of Good Trouble, catch the adorable and talented Kara Wang taking on this holiday hit. Wong’s character returns home to find her family’s restaurant is in financial trouble and may close.
She bands together with those closest to her to reignite the sparks of tradition and culture, with a few touching surprises along the way that will really make you feel merry and bright this holiday season.
