Happy December, friends! I’ve waited to post this out of respect for those of you who think Christmas hasn’t started yet, but you all know I’ve been watching Christmas movies since mid-October. Lots of good stuff so far this year, and we’re just getting started!
TL;DR: it’s not a movie, but if you watch nothing else this holiday season, watch the Mistletoe Murders. Each mystery is two forty-five minute episodes, and there are only six mysteries total over two seasons, so it’s easy to binge-watch or catch an episode at a time (but I promise, it’s soooo good, you’ll want to keep watching once you start! so plan accordingly). Sarah Drew and Peter Mooney have fantastic chemistry, and the through storyline is an extra mystery in and of itself.
If reality tv is more your thing than a cozy whodunit, then I also recommend Finding Mr. Christmas. Ten men competing for a role in a Hallmark movie in festive-themed challenges; what could possibly go wrong? (A lot, actually.) Melissa Peterman and Jonathan Bennett cohost, and even though the entire thing is completely ridiculous, I did actually cry when they sent one of the guys “home for the holidays” two weeks ago.
But enough about televison series; on to the movies! Without further ado, here are my recommendations on what to (and what not to) watch from this year’s collection of holiday movies (so far). Stayed tuned for updates every Monday and Friday through the end of the year. 😊
Robert Buckley and Kimberley Sustad are at their best in this romantic comedy about a weatherman who tends to have the worst luck at Christmas. Merry Christmas, Ted Cooper! is legitimately romantic comedy: very funny at times – but also incredibly sweet. Highlights include: the newsroom betting pool on what will happen to the weatherman on his part-vacation, part-working-trip to his hometown, the Santa’s workshop escape room, and the ride-share limo debacle. This movie has just the right amount of heart-warming Christmas cheer (along with a whole lot of hilarity), and a charming romantic storyline between the weatherman and a local doctor (who spends a lot of time patching him up); it’s definitely worth a watch, and might just turn out to be my favorite of the year. We’ll see! Merry Christmas, Ted Cooper originally aired on Hallmark on October 25, 2025.
Rodeo Christmas Romance is absolutely charming from start to finish; this movie is delightful. It might actually be my favorite of the year, but I need to rewatch Merry Christmas, Ted Cooper to know for sure. This one is definitely going on my annual watch list, though, at this point second only to Crashing Through the Snow – so maybe I don’t have to rewatch Ted Cooper after all. Corey Sevier and Rebecca Dalton are absolutely charming together; their chemistry is fantastic. This story of an honorably discharged veteran who returns to his family’s ranch to find an unexpected houseguest in his bed is fun and funny; the dialogue is fantastic, and the storyline is thoughtful; there’s a lot to be said for a script that allows its characters to be human and imperfect while giving each other the space and grace to learn and grow. Rodeo Christmas Romance originally aired on Lifetime on December 13, 2025.
The first of Netflix’s holiday romances couldn’t have come out of the gates stronger. Minka Kelly and Tom Wozniczka star in this delightful love story set in both Paris and a lovely vineyard in France. Champagne Problems is my new favorite expression, and although I was sad to learn (upon obviously necessary follow-up research) that Les Étoiles is not an actual bookstore, mad props to the script writers for the tie-ins to Le Petit Prince. This movie was utterly delightful, from the little dog with a propensity for chasing rabbits to the completely mad supporting cast of characters to the leads themselves. This might be turn out to be a close second to A Castle for Christmas on my list of evergreen Netflix holiday movies. Champagne Problems originally aired on Netflix on November 19, 2025.
While the plot isn’t new (person pretends to be someone else, gets found out in an awkward way, etc.), My Secret Santa takes it to the next level. Alexandra Breckenridge and Ryan Eggold star in this equal-parts-hilarious-and-heart-warming story of a single mom who wants so much to give her daughter an opportunity she wants to go to snowboarding camp that she takes the only job she can find at the resort offering the camp – playing “Santa” – to get a more affordable price. To keep things interesting, the guy she meets IRL is also her boss at the resort, but he has no idea that Santa and the girl he’s falling for are the same person. This movie is not without its plot holes, but I absolutely loved it. Breckenridge is stellar throughout, and Eggold brings it home with a slight twist on the “traditional” reveal. I was about to say what it was, but I won’t. I’ll just say it was well-done. (Watch his face; it’s brilliant acting.) My Secret Santa originally aired on Netflix on December 3, 2025.
I do love a good royal movie, so I’ll admit I was a bit biased going in, but A Royal Montana Christmas is almost everything I want from a Christmas movie: holiday decorations galore, snow, a sweet love story, and a great supporting cast. Warren Christie and Fiona Gubelmann have great chemistry together, and the ranch on which most of the movie takes place is absolutely charming. I’ve actually rewatched this one already, and I liked it even better the second time around. It isn’t just a Christmas royal romance with the usual questions of how-can-this-possibly-work; it’s also a story about self-awareness and the roles that friendship and community play in helping us figure out who we are and where our destiny lies. It’s charming and funny and well-worth your time. A Royal Montana Christmas originally aired on Hallmark on October 18, 2025.
They could have just called it “Christmas at Keller Ranch,” but it has a theme song. I will say, I kept laughing every time someone referred to “Keller Ranch” (did they do this on purpose?) because Tyler Hilton, who us quite famous for his role as a character named Chris Keller on One Tree Hill, ends up going to a place called Keller Ranch for equine therapy in this movie, and it just made me giggle. Seriously, though, this movie was fantastic. It’s thoughtful, well-acted, cathartic (you will need Kleenex), and very sweet. Thank God: Christmas at Keller Ranch originally aired on Lifetime on December 13, 2025.
I know, I know – the reviews are terrible, and apparently if you know anything about pickleball at all, this is an absolutely awful movie. But I liked the lead actors; James Lafferty and Zibby Allen have really great chemistry together, and I appreciated her character’s sass. Did we need a Christmas movie set in Florida? Maybe. I don’t know. But it was still fun, occasionally ridiculous, and a perfectly fine use of my time. A Pickleball Christmas originally aired on Lifetime on December 20, 2025.
I did not expect this movie to be great, so I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy it as much as I did. This is the second in what I assume will be a series of football movies (last year’s featured team was The Chiefs). There are some running gags from the first movie (Santa’s periodic involvement is one of them), and some fun cameos (from both Hallmark and the Buffalo Bills), but Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story is less about football and more about the reconnection of two childhood best friends on a mission to repay the kindness of a beloved uncle, and his mysterious benefactor. It’s fun and nostalgic, and full of witty banter; I quite liked it. Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story originally aired on Hallmark on November 22, 2025, and you can catch the extended cut on Hallmark+.
I’ll be honest; I wasn’t sure about this one. I am generally all-in on a good time travel movie, but the first ten minutes of this movie didn’t leave me hopeful. So believe me when I tell you: it gets better as it goes along. A Newport Christmas is the story of a philanthropist from the early 1900s who makes a wish on a Christmas Comet (I know, I know…sigh), and ends up time-traveling to present day. The longer she stays, the more at home she feels in the future – but, of course, not being where she was meant to be means that her impact in the past gradually begins to fade into non-existence. She has to go back – but how? Nick, a local historian, helps her find her way – in more ways than one. Wes Brown and Ginna Claire Mason both give great performances in what turned out to be a really good movie about how friendship and generosity can change the world. A Newport Christmas originally aired on Hallmark on November 2, 2025.
I didn’t think the world needed another retelling of A Christmas Carol. I was wrong. Christmas Above the Clouds was actually really entertaining. The economy class restroom on a holiday flight should not have worked as the landing place between visits from the flight attendants of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, but it really (weirdly) did. Erin Krakow and Tyler Hynes still have great chemistry (though I would argue it was better in It Was Always You) – but Erin and Tyler can both really play to the funny when the script lets them, so it was fun to watch them in action. Christmas About the Clouds originally aired on Hallmark on November 8, 2025.
We Met in December is absolutely charming. Niall Matter and Autumn Reeser are two of my favorite Hallmark actors, so I went in with high hopes. It’s the story of two people who meet in a lovely hotel during an unexpected layover due to canceled flights and have an instant connection, but because they are both booked on the same flight the next morning, they don’t think to trade contact information. He oversleeps and misses the flight, and the next 2/3 of the movie is the story of how they both try to find each other – and how one magical evening actually transforms their lives. If you want a cozy holiday movie full of romance and twinkle lights, this is it. We Met in December originally aired on Hallmark on November 27, 2025.
Spending Christmas Eve is a hospital is no fun for anyone, but in this small community, the hospital staff do their best to make it as festive as possible. Alice is the ER doctor on call; Brian is well-known cardiologist and new to the hospital. They both have their hands full as three women go into labor (in the midst of treating other patients and getting to know each other) – while a snowstorm leaves the hospital and all its occupants snowed in for the night. Brendan Penny and Rachel Boston are witty and charming and play off each other well; I loved this movie. The More the Merrier originally aired on Hallmark on November 28, 2025.
Kristoffer Polaha and Nikki DeLoach lead a brilliant cast in this delightful story. Dozens of cameos from country music legends and popular Hallmark stars (including James Denton) give this movie a level of authenticity that makes it almost believable that time travel could be possible – especially in the grand ole Opry. The daughter of a country music icon finds herself transported through time to 1995, where she meets her father and his former partner, and begins to see the breakup of the duo in a whole new light – while rediscovering her own passion for songwriting. Her best friend, who has secretly been in love with her for most of their lives, also travels through time to support her, and together they find their way back to the present, and into a hope-filled future. This movie was delightful, and if Kris Polaha’s new Hallmark niche is epic time travel stories, I am 100% here for that. A Grand Ole Opry Christmas originally aired on Hallmark on November 29, 2025.
Nishscelle Turner and Mark Ghanime star in this story about, yes, A Runaway Bride for Christmas; it wasn’t on his Christmas bingo card, but when Emma accidentally reserves a rental car that is the same make and model as his own vehicle in another town (I mean, she was distraught, leaving the altar – it’s an honest mistake!), Mitch gives her a lift to her high school home, now owned by her foster sister, who put down roots and has become the high school principal. During the Christmas season, Emma takes the time to process the impact that being a foster kid has had on her relationships – while spending an insane amount of time helping Mitch – a sports pro turned high school basketball coach – with his team’s pre-holiday game fundraising efforts, and improve his own relationship with his son. I have never seen a man smile so much… A Runaway Bride for Christmas originally aired on Lifetime on December 12, 2025.
Kudos to Hallmark for trying something new: glassblowing. It was a nice twist on the standard “holiday fair featuring local artist” plot. Laura Vandervoort and Stephen Huszar star in this story about an up and coming artist who accidentally outsells the headlining artist (who was already wrestling with a bit of imposter syndrome). Melt My Heart This Christmas was cute, and the supporting cast did a great job. Melt My Heart This Christmas originally aired on Hallmark on November 23, 2025.
A Christmas Angel Match was funnier than I expected. I’m not generally a fan of the “Heaven being run as a business,” which is something Hallmark has been experimenting with a bit this year – but this story of two angels assigned to “match” a couple on earth (with downsizing of their angelic match-making department in the balance) had some nice moments. Meghan Ory and Benjamin Ayres are both incredibly talented actors, and their penchant for being wry and funny elevated what was otherwise mostly a so-so script. It’s cute, but also very standard Hallmark. A Christmas Angel Match originally aired on Hallmark on October 19, 2025.
Apparently otherwise titled as A Cherry Pie Christmas at some point, this is the story of a young woman caught between the lure of a professional career in a big city and the nostalgia of being home for the holidays. Her career trajectory seems set, but reconnecting with her high school sweetheart and recreating her grandmother’s famous cherry pie lead her to a choice between dreams – in New York City, or in Door County, Wisconsin. You can guess which one she chooses because the formula is solid, but honestly, I can’t judge. Given the two options and having a taste of both worlds under my belt, I’m not sure what I would do, either. This movie aired as A Wisconsin Christmas Pie on Great American Family on October 11, 2025.
This movie was so terrible that you must watch it at least once. I mean, let’s be honest – if you haven’t seen Joey Lawerence in a bad Christmas movie, Christmas really hasn’t happened yet. The Great Christmas Snow-In is probably the lowest-budget film made this year; the entire movie takes place in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. Justin, who has been left at the altar by his fiancée and song-writing partner, is staying in the cabin meant for their honeymoon when her cousin arrives, having been given permission by his ex to stay there herself. Then his ex and her new boyfriend (who was also their business manager) crash the party and they are all snowed in for days. Oh, and the cousin? She’s a romance novelist, and let’s just say things get a little spicy, in the most ridiculous way. I’m so glad I watched this absolutely awful movie. It’s been a long time since I’ve laughed so hard. The Great Christmas Snow-In originally aired on UpTv on November 2, 2025.
I’m not really sure how to explain what happens in this movie, but I’ll try. Three adult children (each with their own set of problems) meet up with their parents for an epic family vacation on a river cruise in Europe during the holidays. There are festive Christmas markets, a very strange scene in which Jonathan Bennett ends up in alpine garb complete with lederhosen, and an interesting take on doctor/patient confidentiality as it impacts his love and family life. A Keller Christmas Vacation does have some fun hijinks that ensue when the kids miss the boat (mostly as a result of the Lederhosen Incident) and have to catch up with it by driving across the country on a scooter with a sidecar, but mostly, this movie was just a little over the top odd. Worth it for the laughs, but definitely not in my top ten. A Keller Christmas Vacation originally aired on November 8, 2025.
The Brenner boys (played by Paul Campbell, Tyler Hynes, and Andrew Walker) are up to their usual antics. Three Wisest Men follows the latest events in their lives during what could be the last Christmas in their childhood home. Did we really need a third movie? I’m not sure we needed the second one last year, honestly. But, to be fair, there are some very funny moments. (For example, the parrot who likes to play dead in order to escape its cage…which it does, much to the pet psychologist’s dismay.) I love watching these three actors together, and I hope they’ll be back on screen in future movies, but I’d love to see them do something… else. Three Wisest Men originally aired on Hallmark on November 15, 2025, and you can catch the extended cut on Hallmark+.
Elijah-Justus Lewis is absolutely charming. His character, Robbie, is a 10-year-old boy who is obsessed with becoming a reporter – so when he finally has a chance to meet their local news anchor, he takes advantage of the moment and challenges his hero to report on something happy for a change. The stories that he and Robbie (and Robbie’s single mom) discover within their community make a lasting impression and lead to positive change across the board. This movie is worth a watch for some of the news stories, and Lewis’ delightful enthusiasm – but that’s about all it has going for it. Tidings for the Season originally aired on Hallmark on November 16, 2025.
I find it so fascinating that Hallmark keeps revisiting military holiday toy drives when they don’t actually seem to understand how they work. Christmas on Duty is exactly what you’d expect from that premise: basic training competitive rivals Blair and Josh meet again, years later, and are assigned to work together on a critical assignment: save Christmas in the midst of a snowstorm that’s preventing presents from being delivered to the base. They do, of course, and as they (inevitably) fall in love, somehow manage to help their parents lay down their own rivalry – all while spending most of the movie in a very large truck. I’m not sure this is quite how life (or the military) works, but at least there was a lot of snow. Christmas on Duty originally aired on Hallmark on November 1, 2025.
Y’all – a holiday movie requires one thing and one thing only: an actual holiday. Having one scene with some stockings hanging over a fireplace and a main character who says his mom loved Christmas doesn’t make this a holiday movie. Tyler Perry’s Finding Joy is many things, but it is NOT a holiday movie. It is, however, a great movie (with hilarious sidekicks) – if you want to cry a lot. This story about an NYC fashion designer who meets someone who is basically a lumberjack in the middle of nowhere is actually well-done and occasionally very funny (pro-tip: you don’t sit down in an outhouse, honey) – but I can’t give it a great rating because it just doesn’t count. Tyler Perry’s Finding Joy originally aired on Amazon Prime on November 5, 2025.
I always feel a little cheated when I look up a “new” movie on IMDB and find out it’s actually an older movie, just newly aired on a particular network. I won’t review most of those here, but I will shout out a couple of new-to-me movies that fall under this category.
This was a really fun twist on the “two writers are competing for a promotion and a headlining story on Christmas Eve but end up in the wrong town” scenario. It’s no Snowed-Inn Christmas – there is no sign of Santa – but it’s still a charming story about love and family and connection and healing, and it takes place in and around a gorgeous Alaskan inn, where the Christmas decor is off the charts – and it’s probably one of the best films Marcus Rosner has ever done. Christmas in Alaska originally aired in the U.S, on Lifetime on December 12, 2025 (although it aired last year in other countries).
The Christmas Checklist was originally a novel that was made into a limited series that aired in Canada and the U.S. in 2022, but is currently showing on UPtv as part of their 2025 line-up. It’s the story of a woman who lost her mom shortly before Christmas, but – knowing her daughter would be grieving – her mother left her a checklist of things to do during the holiday, to help her rediscover love and hope and Christmas joy, and remember that she is not alone. Starring Sarah Power (of The Good Witch fame), I quite enjoyed The Christmas Checklist. You can generally catch it on UPtv on Saturdays.
Originally aired in Canada in 2024 as The Perfect Christmas Date, Merry Missed Connection is not about missing a flight, as its title seems to imply; it’s about a speed-dating evening gone sideways, when one of the participants accidentally picks up someone else’s journal at the end of the evening. She does, of course, read it – and discovers the author is practically her perfect match. The only problem is that she doesn’t know who it is – so she enlists the help of the speed-dating event host. Kudos to the script-writers for normalizing hearing loss without fanfare. This movie was great!
Wondering about a movie you don’t see in this list? Feel free to drop me a note in the comments. 😊
Happy holidays!
More to come,
Happy
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