The Hallmark Channel has been showing 24/7 holiday flicks since late October, but I’ve just recently started eyeing what they’re playing and watching a few.
It got me thinking about the Hallmark Christmas movies that I look forward to watching every year, and well, I figured you might need some recommendations. I mean, I’ve been in the trenches watching ALL of them for years and now I know the ones that really stand out from the perfectly snowy backdrop.
So, here are my favorite Hallmark Channel Christmas Movies (in no particular order):
Switched for Christmas
When identical twin sisters — both played by Candace Cameron Bure — are planning their respective Christmas parties, they’re convinced the grass is greener on the other side. Deciding to swap lives for the holiday, the lessons they learn along the way may turn out to make this the best Christmas ever. It’s a total life swap, and it’s got a tricky love triangle, so I’m here for it.
A Very Merry Mix Up
Small shop owner Alice Chapman (Alicia Witt) is nervous to meet her future in-laws at Christmas, especially because she is arriving ahead of her new fiancé, Will Mitchum. Alice’s trip becomes more stressful when her luggage is lost and her phone is damaged, leaving her no way to find Will’s family!
As fate would have it, she meets her future brother-in-law, Matt Mitchum, at baggage claim and is happy to get a ride home with him. As Alice meets Matt’s doting family, she falls in love with their festive holiday traditions and a warm welcome to their home. And when unexpected romance comes calling as Christmas approaches, Alice must decide if her “Merry Mix-Up” will actually turn out to be her destiny.
This is one of the first Hallmark movies I ever watched and it’s completely unbelievable and ridiculous, but that’s why I love it so much. Plus, it has a top-notch cookie-baking montage.
A Christmas Melody
Kristin (Lacey Chabert), is a beautiful, stylish divorcee who is a talented clothing designer and has a young daughter, Emily. Kristin had to close her Manhattan boutique to return to her Ohio hometown and live in her parents’ former home. It’s an adjustment for Kristin and Emily – especially when she runs into her former high school rival Melissa (Mariah Carey).
Melissa is president of the PTA and tries to make Kristen feel as unwelcome as possible. Kristen and Emily struggle to find their new normal with the help of the music teacher Danny (Brennan Elliott) and Kristin’s Aunt Sarah (Kathy Najimy), the local coffee shop owner. With a little holiday magic and music, Kristin and Emily find that home is where the heart is.
Lacey Chabert AND Mariah Carey? That’s all you need to know.
Christmas at Graceland
Laurel (Kellie Pickler), a Chicago-based business executive, travels to Memphis to close a deal to take over the city’s oldest family-owned bank. While she’s in town, she bumps into her old flame Clay, a local music promoter with loftier aspirations. Though Laurel tries to stay focused on work, Clay pulls her back to the days when they were a performing duo on the brink of stardom. Laurel finds herself drawn to the City of Blues—and Clay—as she dreams of making music once again.
I love Kellie Pickler and this one is so good!
The Mistletoe Secret
When Aria Eubank (Kellie Pickler) 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 charismatic but pompous Sterling Masters and Alex Bartlett, the real talent behind ‘Masters of Travel,’ and the man who has genuinely fallen for her.
This one reminds me of “Waitress” only because many of the scenes take place in a diner, but I love it!
On the Twelfth Day of Christmas
Maggie Dunlop is thrilled when her long-time crush, Mitch, moves to her little town of Harrison. Once Maggie discovers Mitch and his love for Christmas has drastically changed, she vows to bring the holiday spirit back into his life. Determined to show him the magic of Christmas, she decides to create 12 Christmas gifts that ask him to do fun Christmas tasks in order to renew his love for the season and explore his feelings towards Maggie.
This is one of my favorites. The gifts she makes for him are so sweet and creative, and I love watching this story unfold every time I watch it.
Christmas Made to Order
When architect and Christmas amateur Steven (Jonathan Bennett) finds himself hosting his family for Christmas, he recruits holiday coordinator Gretchen to bring holiday joy to his home. Gretchen’s expert Christmas spirit brings Steven’s family together, but neither expected it to bring them closer to each other. After a great opportunity presents itself to Gretchen, she and Steven must decide what’s really important in life.
Christmas Duet
Well-loved music duo Averie and Jesse, famous for their duet “Wouldn’t Be Christmas,” haven’t played together since they went their separate ways years ago. Averie (Chaley Rose) gave up music and opened a beautiful lodge in a snowy Vermont town – while Jesse still tours, struggling to find the same kind of success they had as a duo. When fate brings them together over the holidays at Averie’s lodge just in time for the annual Yuletide Festival, can the magic of Christmas help reunite them once again?
I actually went to school with Chaley and was so excited to see her in this movie! I love the song they sing together — she has such a pretty voice.
It’s Christmas, Eve
As interim school superintendent Eve (LeAnn Rimes) trims budgets, and now she’s in her hometown where it’s personal. Her handsome neighbor Liam is a music teacher and Eve feels his program must be cut. But luckily her friend is married to an IT guy, who’s created a website for donations directly to save the Arts program. Launched during the tree lighting ceremony, where Liam’s students will perform, the website could provide the Christmas miracle the town needs. Already the Universe is cooperating. Eve is back home and she, Liam and his daughter look like they might be celebrating many a future Christmas.
Christmas in Rome
Lacey Chabert plays an independent-minded American tour guide named Angela, who 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?
Holiday Date
Brooke is dumped right before Christmas and enlists the help of actor Joel to play the role of her boyfriend for the holidays. Brooke had described her ex-boyfriend as “Mr. Christmas” to her family and worries about keeping up the ruse when she discovers Joel is Jewish. When her family eventually finds out his background, they happily incorporate his Hanukkah traditions into their plans. Christmas and Hanukkah are celebrated side by side as they all learn more about the other’s holiday. But when their relationship ruse comes to light, the two have some explaining to do as well as figure out if they’re ready to admit their true feelings.
One Starry Christmas
Aspiring astronomy professor and Christmas enthusiast Holly (Sarah Carter) is crushed when her longtime boyfriend Adam (Paul Popowich) schedules a business trip and leaves her alone over the holidays. When she decides to surprise both Adam and her parents with a Christmas visit, however, fate, or perhaps the Christmas spirit, intervenes. Holly’s bumpy holiday travel makes a turn onto the road to romance when she and her bus companion, Luke (Damon Runyan), forge an instant connection over their love of constellations and Christmas. In the spirit of the season, Holly invites Luke and his brother Bull (George Canyon) to join her family and Adam for Christmas, which instantly creates a competition between Luke and Adam for Holly’s attention. As sparks fly like shooting stars between Holly and Luke, will Holly decide to play it safe and stay with Adam or to thank her lucky stars for the Christmas gift of romance with Luke?
What Hallmark movies do you like to watch?
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The Bitter Lemon 