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Just like how gingerbread houses, garland, and stockings make the holiday season a little more festive, so too do Hallmark movies. That’s right — the lovey-dovey, sometimes cringey, but always scenic shows are another panel in the holiday patchwork quilt. Do they feature a rotating cast of actors — yes, they do. Are the plots more or less predictable and entirely cliché — also, yes. Does that stop me from looking forward to them every year — not in the least. If you’re not quite sure where to start, shuffle through the twelve titles listed, take a hint from the mug down below, cozy up, and get watching!
These are not the only Hallmark holiday movies worth watching, just a curated list of a few ‘must-watch’ titles. Add some of your favorites to the watchlist, too. If you find an actor or actress you really enjoy, check out their other movies. That’s how I came across several of these delightful stories. Andrew Walker, Tyler Hynes, Lacey Chabert, and Jen Lilley are some of my favorites, and they all star in non-Christmas Hallmark movies, as well. Watch a few, discover your favorite tropes and actors, and keep exploring!
1. A Dream Of Christmas
“When a restless young married woman is granted a wish by a Christmas Angel to be single again, she soon discovers her new life isn’t what she bargained for, and embarks on a quest to win her husband back.”
(( “About A Dream of Christmas.” Hallmark Channel, 22 Nov. 2016. ))
Usually, I find Hallmark movies to be both enjoyable and mildly frustrating. That’s an odd endorsement, and it might make you wonder why I would bother watching them, but ’tis the season, after all. A Dream of Christmas was both enjoyable, and yet, not frustrating — in fact, I cried. It’s such a touching narrative of the ‘what-ifs?’ in life, and the different pathways that lives can take. What we think we want doesn’t always turn out to be the case and, even if it is, it might not be what we need. If you end up liking Andrew Walker, I would also recommend Bottled With Love which airs during the spring and summer.
2. Christmas On My Mind
“A bump on the head, an unexplained wedding dress, and temporary short-term amnesia lead Lucy Lovett on a search for the truth about her breakup with longtime sweetheart Zach Callahan. She returns to Bedford Harbor, Maine for the town’s Christmas celebration and rediscovers the woman she used to be, what matters most, and that a Christmas miracle can bring back love thought to be lost forever.”
(( “About Christmas On My Mind.” Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, 20 Nov. 2019. ))
Occasionally one of the main characters is played by an actor or actress who isn’t a resident of Hallmark-ville; in this case, that’s Ashley Greene — notably Alice from The Twilight Saga for anyone wondering. Her co-star Andrew Walker more or less, carries this one, but it was nice to see a semi-new face. The plot certainly caught my attention (it’s in the neighborhood of The Vow) because it introduced a difficult problem early on and left viewers wondering what the odds were of it being resolved. The only way to truly enjoy kitschy movies like this is not to look too hard at some details. Just lean into the holiday spirit and pretend like it all makes sense; there’s a guaranteed happy ending, so roll with it.
3. A Royal Christmas
“Emily Corrigan is a kindhearted young woman proud of her blue-collar background. She is a devoted seamstress at the family business and madly in love with her doting European boyfriend, Leo. But as their first Christmas together approaches, Leo drops a bombshell on his unsuspecting girlfriend: he is actually Prince Leopold, heir to the throne of Cordinia, a small sovereign country.”
(( “About A Royal Christmas.” Hallmark Channel, 30 Oct. 2014. ))
The list would not be complete without the ‘surprise-prince-of-a-made-up-country’ cliché. We all roll our eyes when we hear the fictional name (Genovia, anyone?), but we watch the predictable conflict play out regardless. For the record, there are Hallmark movie bingo cards, and this is 100% a square. I will give credit where it’s due and say that even though this movie uses a well-worn trope, it has a couple of unexpected twists.
4. Christmas Incorporated
“Riley is scraping bottom when she miraculously lands a job with a wealthy New York City entrepreneur. He’s a bad-boy socialite type who is poised to play Scrooge by closing one of his factories just before Christmas, which would devastate an entire town. It’s left to Riley to talk him out of it and turn him into a man of virtue rather than shame. But will a case of mistaken identity ruin the whole plan?”
(( “About Christmas Incorporated.” Hallmark Channel, 16 Oct. 2015. ))
I really liked Shenae Grimes in this movie; it was the first Hallmark title I had seen her in, and I was hooked from the start. Steve Ludd was wonderful as well. His portrayal of the character made him much more likable than the on-paper description would’ve had me think. The couple has chemistry from the beginning, making it so easy to root for them the entire way through.
For all you bingo enthusiasts, the Christmas-y heart of a town is potentially in peril, but not to worry, someone is there to save the day. Miscommunication, you ask? Go ahead and mark that square as well. Date With Love stars Shenae Grimes and Andrew Walker — another recommendation, even if it’s not quite festive.
5. Mingle All The Way
“‘Mingle All the Way’ is a new networking app designed to pair busy professionals together for upcoming events, without long-term romance. When Molly and Jeff are matched, they are both horrified to realize they’ve already had not one, but two disastrous previous encounters. Nevertheless, they agree to stay matched for all their respective upcoming holiday engagements. As the pair gets closer, perhaps their business arrangement might turn into something more this holiday season.”
(( “About Mingle All the Way.” Hallmark Channel, 11 Oct. 2018. ))
Jen Lilley and Brant Daugherty are fantastic — let’s get that out of the way first. The ‘fake-dating’ trope is nothing new, and I think there’s some rule that says they’ll fall in love by the end. Also, unfortunate first encounters tend to be par for the course. I feel obligated to mention one glaring detail — or lack thereof, really. There is a scene that takes place downtown, and all of the signage is missing — I’m talking blank street signs and storefronts. If you can pretend like you didn’t notice that, then the rest of the movie is delightful.
6. Christmas In Rome
“An independent-minded American tour guide named Angela is fired from her job in Rome just before Christmas. She crosses paths with an American executive named Oliver who wants to buy a high-end Italian ceramics company. Oliver hires Angela to be his tour guide around the Eternal City, as the owner of the ceramics company won’t sell it to him until he learns “the heart and soul of Rome.” But is there another heart and soul that he may win?”
(( “About Christmas in Rome.” Hallmark Channel, 1 Oct. 2019,. ))
Answer? Yes, yes, he will. That can’t come as a surprise to anyone, though. Its plot may be rather formulaic along the way, but that doesn’t mean it’s not sweet and funny too. It might take place in Rome’s grand city, but the supporting cast and framework of their interactions make it feel like a small town steeped in its unique culture and history. There’s plenty of cliches, not to worry, but I’ll let you discover those for yourself.
7. A Wish For Christmas
“Sara Shaw is the type of woman who prefers to sit on the sidelines at work, but when her big idea for a Christmas initiative is stolen, she makes a wish to Santa that she’ll finally have the courage to stand up for herself. Santa grants her wish, but only gives her 48 hours.”
(( “About A Wish for Christmas.” Hallmark Channel, 7 Oct. 2016. ))
Another Christmas-y romcom where changing your life drastically is as easy as making a wish. Before you ask, yes, Hallmark has given me unrealistic expectations, and I am perfectly alright with that. This particular plot device is implemented with a couple of unique twists; instead of wishing to see what her life would be like had she made different decisions in the past, she takes matters into her own hands and changes her future trajectory. Once it became clear where things were headed, I was hooked. The leading romantic interest is so charismatic that I’m willing to look past some of the logistics of wish-making.
8. Christmas Waltz
“After Avery’s storybook Christmas wedding is canceled, a dance instructor helps her face her fears in life and fulfill her dream of learning to dance.”
(( “About Christmas Waltz.” Hallmark Channel, 26 Oct. 2020. ))
I have mixed opinions on the same couple (not just one or the other) starring in unrelated Hallmark movies. That being said, I’ll table my uncertainty for these two. (They’re both in Love, Romance, and Chocolate.) Lacey Chabert somehow manages to have chemistry with every one of her leading co-stars, so it’s no wonder she is in roughly half of the movies on this list. A Christmas Waltz really had me until the end; I was totally invested, and then the credits just snuck up on me — five more minutes would’ve really tied up the loose, ribbon-like ends.
9. Winter in Vail
“Chelsea inherits a house in Vail. She meets Owen and gets a much needed break. Together, they put on Strudelfest to highlight the charm of Old Vail.”
(( “About Winter in Vail.” Hallmark Channel, 13 Dec. 2019. ))
Winter in Vail checks almost all of the cliché boxes, but it’s cute, festive, and heartwarming, so it’s a safe bet. It aired last January, making it a bit more wintery and less Christmas-y, if that makes sense — all of the snow with a few less twinkly lights. This duo is one of my favorites, and they helped turn the script and plot into something far more believable than they would’ve been otherwise.
10. The Mistletoe Secret
“When Aria Eubanks convinces a famous travel writer to do a feature story on her beloved hometown, Midway, Utah, it looks like the town’s tourism drop is about to be reversed. However, when the travel guru and his ghostwriter both show up, Aria finds her heart torn between the [two].”
(( “About The Mistletoe Secret.” Hallmark Channel, 27 Sept. 2019. ))
For those who watched American Idol, you might recognize Kellie Pickler from season five. Don’t worry, though, this isn’t a musical. I found her character to be just this side of eye-twitch inducing, but the rest of the cast and the gorgeous scenery kept me invested. I’m a sucker for writers, so Tyler Hynes’ character caught my attention from the beginning. The movie also has an interesting premise, so even if the plot twists are less-than-surprising, it’s got plenty of small-town Christmas charm to entice viewers.
11. Small Town Christmas
“Nell’s last stop on a nationwide book tour takes her to the town of Springdale, the hometown of Emmett Turner, a young man she met over five years ago while both were junior copy editors at a New York publishing company. Emmett’s colorful, nostalgic anecdotes about Springdale inspired her to write the book that is shaping her life and especially her holiday season.”
(( “About Small Town Christmas.” Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, 20 Nov. 2018. ))
I love small Hallmark towns that have so much Christmas charm they ensnare visitors who end up never leaving. That sounds a bit more ominous than it really is — promise. I’m totally not banking on coming across one of these towns… definitely not. Winter in Vail, The Mistletoe Secret, and Small Town Christmas all fall into this festive Bermuda Triangle-esque category. Emmett and his bookstore Paige Turner absolutely steal the show, and Nell is just counting herself lucky to be involved. If you took me up on playing trope-bingo and you’re wondering what to mark, this one includes miscommunications, a threat to the town’s Christmas-y way of life, and — as always — a happy ending.
12. Write Before Christmas
“Recently single Jessica sends Christmas cards to people who have impacted her life — the aunt who raised her, her younger brother in the military, a popstar who was part of the soundtrack of her life, the music teacher who inspired her, and the best friend who always tells the truth.”
(( “About Write Before Christmas.” Hallmark Channel, 2 Oct. 2019. ))
Chad Michael Murray — need I say more? I didn’t think so. Alright, I will, though. This is the least romance-centric of the romcoms, and it has a little bit of something for everyone. It highlights connections of all kinds: familial, friendships, new and old relationships, and those separated by distance. It’s not Love Actually, but the connections revealed between the different characters and the holiday spirit woven in certainly resembles it. It has a good blend of heartwarming interactions and caps off the list nicely.
Wrapping Things Up!
The above titles are by no means the only cheesy-romcom winter movies worth watching! Lifetime has its share, Netflix has released a few, and there are more than a couple of non-tv movies as well. These two didn’t make the list on a technicality. Still, they’re nonetheless wonderful, and I would definitely recommend them: The Spirit of Christmas, which is on Lifetime, and A Christmas Prince (plus its sequels!), which are streaming on Netflix.
If your bingo card isn’t full yet (it should be, though), there are plenty more where these came from. You’re absolutely welcome to watch these on repeat all year long, but if you tire of holiday cheer at some point, Hallmark has you covered with new movies each season. Winter releases continue even after Christmas, with Valentine’s features right around the corner, followed by spring weddings, summer beaches, and fall harvests.
