This semester has flown by.
By this time of the year, many television networks and streaming services have released plenty of original holiday movies, started their countdown to Christmas with movie marathons, and started to broadcast our favorite classic festive films. And yet, here I am, still stuck in study mode even though my last exam occurred, having not watched a single Christmas movie in its entirety this whole winter. As break approaches, I intend to indulge in all of the cheesy, romantic holiday originals Hallmark and Netflix have to offer to make up for the lost time. Here are five of my personal favorites that I’ve binged thus far.
- A Rose for Christmas – The Hallmark Channel
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When Andy’s dad, who has built Rose Parade floats for years, gets sick, he employs his artistic daughter to supervise the construction and decoration of their client’s float. The only problem is the company who commissioned it flies out one of their top businessmen, Cliff, to supervise, who has zero patience or understanding of her father’s craft. With a big business opportunity at stake, Cliff puts pressure on Andy and her ragtag team of workers to complete the float in time for their deadline. Although Andy and Cliff butt heads in the beginning due to their opposing views and priorities, they build a romantic connection that had me swooning when I watched it for the first time. This is one of those movies I always go back to, as the enemies-to-lovers trope is an absolute favorite of mine.
- The Holiday Calendar – Netflix
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Struggling artist Abby inherits an antique holiday advent calendar from her grandfather, which seems to predict the future with every gift that is presented. Day by day, the gifts appear to change Abby’s life in a way that makes her reevaluate some of her choices. Pair this with an old friend coming back into town and a new love interest, this film is straight-up a feel-good one. While it can get a little predictable at times, I genuinely enjoyed the close-knit Sutton family and the potential love triangle between Abby, Josh, and Ty.
- The Holiday Engagement – originally released on The Hallmark Channel, but can be streamed on Netflix
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What would you do if you just got dumped before the holidays, and your hard-to-please family is expecting you and your significant other to make an appearance back home at Christmas? Hilary, out of desperation and embarrassment, decides to hire someone to act as her ex-fiance, Jason and stumbles across laid-back David’s acting profile. As Hilary hopes that Jason comes back to her, sparks unwillingly fly between her and David as they try to impress Hilary’s family. I liked this movie because Hilary realizes which and what kind of man she deserves to be with, much to her family’s chagrin, and finds her perfect person in David. It’s a cute film that made me smile ear to ear as I watched two characters who promised to treat this as a professional job fall in love.
- Christmas Next Door – The Hallmark Channel
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Who doesn’t love a movie about a player finally meeting the right woman to pull him out of his ways? Christmas Next Door follows Eric, a famous author who writes about how to stay a bachelor who is tasked with watching his niece and nephew over the holidays. While Eric is used to being alone and has always been more focused on his career than his family, he seeks assistance in his Christmas-loving neighbor, April, to promise his family the best Christmas ever. Along the way, Eric falls in love and learns to appreciate the holidays once again. What made this movie for me was April’s spirit and overall joyous personality. She filled me with Christmas spirit instantly and her clear rubbing-off on Eric made his character transformation adorable.
- A Christmas Prince – Netflix
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Reporter Amber goes undercover as a tutor for Princess Emily of Aldovia to get inside knowledge on the princess’s playboy brother for an article, hoping a story like this will launch her career further. But as she gets to know the young princess she is tutoring, and her “wild” brother who isn’t all that wild at all, she begins to fall in love with the royal family and the country she’s in, finding it harder to keep up this massive lie. This movie is both enjoyable and sweet, and in my opinion, Amber and Prince Richard’s chemistry is what really makes it so. Plus, if you can’t get enough of Amber’s story, A Christmas Prince has two sequels!
As exam season comes to an end, it’s time to treat yourself to some of the sappiest and romantic holiday movies on T.V., and I hope these five movies make your list. Wishing you all a very happy holidays, and an even happier new year!