Most of our lives are far from ideal right now – the pandemic is still ruining our social lives, finals season is destroying our sleep patterns, and the overall stress in the world is still prevailing at the forefront of our minds (although we did just have a major victory with Biden’s win, which was extremely needed). The point is, I think we all wish our lives were just a little bit better right now. In fact, I think we all wish our lives were a little more like Hallmark characters’ lives – complete with a picture-perfect job, a handsome romantic interest, and a guaranteed happy ending. What I would give for a guaranteed happy ending right now.
Here are five of the best Hallmark Christmas movies to make you forget about the world for a few hours. Enjoy!
- Naughty & Nice
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This is my absolute favorite Hallmark Christmas movie, and not many people have heard of it. The movie stars Haylie Duff and Tilky Jones, two radio hosts – Sandra Love in Colorado and Pepper Sterling in LA – who unwillingly get paired together to do a show.
Sterling, a cynical and sarcastic radio host, encounters obstacles with Love, a patient and caring radio host. However, their hostile relationship soon turns into a budding romance, sparking the interest of their listeners (AKA a small town in Colorado).
I think the acting in this movie is actually pretty good for a Hallmark movie, so I highly recommend you give it a watch. And I admit, I may have shed a tear at the end.
Naughty & Nice is available to stream on Hulu and Amazon Prime with subscriptions!
- A Royal Christmas
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This is a very popular pick for devoted Hallmark watchers. If you like The Princess Diaries, you’ll very much enjoy this one. In this movie, a humble seamstress (played by Lacey Chabert) finds out that her boyfriend is a prince. She travels home with him for Christmas and meets the rest of his royal family. The obstacle is that she cannot convince the Queen that she’s fit to marry the Prince. As a result, she tries to please the seemingly evil Queen.
This movie is a classic fairytale of a commoner falling in love with a prince, and you won’t want to miss it. Also, who doesn’t like seeing Gretchen Wieners in a Hallmark movie?
A Royal Christmas is available to stream on the Hallmark Channel and Amazon Prime with subscriptions!
- The Christmas Train
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I’m just going to start off with the fact that Dermot Mulroney is in this movie. That should be enough to make you want to watch it, but I’ll explain the plot as well. The Christmas Train is very Murder on the Orient Express-esque, except no one dies and there’s no crime committed (it just has the same vibe).
In honor of his late father, a cynical journalist (played by Mulroney) takes The Christmas Train from D.C. to LA to get some inspiration for a new story. While on board, he runs into an old flame. And from there, it’s just an amazing film. It also has pretty good acting because of its star studded cast, which also includes Joan Cusack.
The Christmas Train is available to stream on Amazon Prime with a subscription!
- A Christmas Detour
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Who doesn’t love seeing Full House stars make their way to the Hallmark screen? Candace Cameron Bure has made her mark on Hallmark Christmas movies, appearing in over two dozen of their films. Why has she been in so many Hallmark movies? It’s because she’s amazing in them! She seems meant to play each role she’s cast in, and this movie is no different.
A Christmas Detour follows a bride-to-be (played by Bure) kept away from her New York wedding by a major snowstorm. She convinces the man sitting in the plane next to her to give her a ride to New York, ensuing a fun Christmas road trip with a very handsome stranger.
This one is simply a classic Hallmark movie with a classic happy ending. Be sure to watch to find out what that happy ending is.
A Christmas Detour is available to stream on the Hallmark Channel and Amazon Prime with subscriptions!
- Christmas Cookies
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So, this is a movie about Christmas cookies set in a town called Cookie Jar. I know it sounds cringy, but you won’t regret it if you give it a chance. The town is home to Aunt Sally’s Bakery, a famous bakery that only sells cookies during the Advent season. Hannah, a big city executive, wants to move the bakery to Buffalo to make more revenue, but Jake, a resident of the town, wants to keep it as is. It’s a classic foes become friends, then friends become lovers story.
This movie will make you feel in the holiday spirit, while also making you extremely hungry for some cookies. So I recommend you buy some cookies before settling down to watch this one.
Christmas Cookies is available to stream on the Hallmark Channel and Amazon Prime with subscriptions!
Everyone needs a good escape from reality, especially these days. So get together with some friends or have a cozy night alone and transport yourself into a world of love, joy, and holiday spirit.