Christmas in Review: Best New Christmas Movies of 2022
It’s the best time of the year: Christmas movie time, that is! I was in the full-blown Christmas mode pretty much all year this year. And thanks to the Christmas movies starting before Halloween it was easy to jump right into my movie marathon binges early!
Hallmark did not disappoint this year keeping up with their impressive new movie lineup for the holidays. Surprisingly Lifetime’s new holdiay movies number dropped this year to about half of what it was last year. UPtv kept up with their normal amount and Great American Family upped their number from their launch last year. Between all four networks, they had a combined total of 104 new Christmas movies this year. I also watched 5 new Christmas movies from other networks.
My favorites have always been Hallmark but their competition grows every year. While Hallmark still had many high-rated ones for me they also had quite a few not impressive ones as well. For newcomer Great American Family I felt about half were great and half weren’t very impressive. Overall, I was disappointed in many of Lifetime’s movies this year and was really impressed with many of UPtv’s.
For those not as lucky as me to be able to catch all the new Christmas movies, I have come up with my top favorites for your reading pleasure. Trust me, you don’t want to miss these wonderful holiday stories full of love, laughter, (some tears), and all the fun holiday festivities!
Top 10 New Hallmark Christmas Movies
Without further ado, here are what I like to call “The Best of the Best” or better known as “Hallmark’s Top 10” listed from 10th best to 1st best. In my opinion, when it comes to Hallmark there are no ‘worst’, they’re all the best.
10. Haul Out the Holly
“Haul Out the Holly” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring Lacey Chabert & Wes Brown. Emily (Chabert) returns home for the holidays to find her parents are going to be gone and she must do all their normal HOA holiday duties.
I always love a Lacey Chabert Christmas movie and this one was just as good. I was a bit nervous to watch it because I had heard negative things about it before I saw it but I loved it! It is more comedy than typical and at times could be cheesy but I found it so funny and lighthearted. I really enjoyed it. The romance could have had more and I didn’t like how her parents abandoned/tricked her on Christmas but overall it was so funny and I really enjoyed it.
9. Hanukkah on Rye
“Hanukkah on Rye” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring Yael Grobglas & Jeremy Jordan. Molly (Grobglas) and Jacob (Jordan) find themselves as being set up by a matchmaker and both new neighbors and competing delicatessen owners.
Hallmark’s last Christmas premier of the season. I had heard good things about this one ahead of time but honestly didn’t think much of it as I’m not Jewish…but I loved it! Loved the matchmaker/penpal element it had a “You’ve Got Mail” feel. Loved the meddling grandmothers and the overall family theme. I liked how the leads were neighbors and business competitors it added more layers to the complexity of their relationship. Their banter was fun and there were lots of lighthearted moments throughout. I loved how the girl ultimately decided on her own not to let business ruin her chances at love and chose the neighbor over the pen pal (even though it was the same person). Such a fun and cute movie!
8. Twas the Night Before Christmas
“Twas the Night Before Christmas” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring Torrey DeVitto & Zane Holtz. A former actress (DeVitto) directs a local Christmas Eve courtroom town play starring a handsome co-star (Holtz) from her past
This one was so fun and creative! I loved the Christmas play trial. The trial theme was so unique and different. I loved the leads and their history and chemistry! Their relationship was so fun and beautiful to watch. I really enjoyed the spirits coming back and that Christmas magic element. The twists and turns of the play always changing was so fun too!
7. A Holiday Spectacular
“A Holiday Spectacular” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring Ginna Claire Mason & Derek Klena. In 1958, Maggie (Mason) travels to New York to make her dream of being a Radio City Rockette under the disguise of her upcoming wedding preparations.
I love a good going back in time story and this one did not disappoint! It was so fun and unique following the NYC Rockettes and I loved the story of a girl chasing her dreams. It was so much fun and I loved the leads together, the chemistry was great! The story was wonderful and so magical. Perfect for the holidays!
6. My Southern Family Christmas
“My Southern Family Christmas” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring Jaicy Elliot, Ryan Rottman, Bruce Campbell & Moira Kelly. Journalist Campbell (Elliot) travels to Louisiana to meet her biological father for the first time without him knowing her true identity.
I didn’t have high hopes for this one going in and was proven wrong! I absolutely loved this one! Such a fun and moving story. Only downside was there wasn’t much on the romance storyline it was more focused on the family bonding aspect but I honestly didn’t mind. I loved watching the family connect and blend. All actors were great together and really brought the story to life. Loved it!
5. Three Wise Men and a Baby
“Three Wise Men and a Baby” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring Paul Campbell, Tyler Hynes & Andrew W. Walker. Three brothers (Campbell, Hynes & Walker) find themselves forced to work together to take care of a baby during the Christmas.
I was so excited about this one and loved that two of Hallmarks regular actors actually wrote it. It was so fresh and such a unique storyline. I loved watching the 3 brothers have to take care of a baby and how it brought them all closer. There were so many fun little comedic moments. It didn’t feel like there was an urgency or much of a conflict like typical. But I still absolutely loved it!
4. Ghosts of Christmas Always
“Ghosts of Christmas Always” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring Kim Matula & Ian Harding. Katherine (Matula), the Ghost of Christmas Present must help a man (Harding) rediscover his Christmas spirit only to discover more about herself and her past along the way.
I LOVED this one! At first I was a bit skeptical…I mean how many Christmas Carol remakes can one do? But this one was so fun because of the variations to the story and the main focus being on the Angel of Christmas Present. It was so fun having one of the side characters as the lead and central part of the story. Learning about the Angel’s back story and seeing behind the scenes how it worked for the Angels who do the visits was so fun. I really liked how the Angel was the one who learned the most, fell in love, and got her happy ending. So fun and creative and a must rematch for sure!
3. Undercover Holiday
“Undercover Holiday” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring Noemi Gonzalez & Stephen Huszar. When pop star Jaylen (Gonzalez) returns home for the holidays she tells her family her new bodyguard (Huszar) is her boyfriend so they won’t worry about her.
I was so excited for this one and it definitely lived up to the hype. I love a good pretending to be in a relationship storyline. The fact that the girl was famous and the guy was her bodyguard made it even funnier when trying to convince her family they were dating. There was plenty of comedic moments and beautiful heartfelt moments too. I hadn’t seen the female lead before but loved the two leads together! Such a cute one!
2. Inventing the Christmas Prince
“Inventing the Christmas Prince” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring Tamera Mowry-Housley & Ronnie Rowe. Shelby (Mowry-Housley) plans to quit her job until her daughter becomes convinced her boss (Rowe) is the Christmas Prince from a story Shelby made up years before.
I was really looking forward to this one and it was so good! Loved the royal fairytale aspect being about a story not a real royal family. The dynamic between the lead characters was fun to watch unfold and develop and see both of them come into their own. I loved the daughter and her pure spirit and belief in Christmas magic is was so sweet! There were serious heartfelt moments and it really touched my heart. Such a cute and sweet story!
1. Lights, Camera, Christmas!
“Lights, Camera, Christmas!” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring Kimberley Stustad & John Brotherton. Kerry (Stustad) steps in last minute as a costume designer for a Christmas rom-com filming in her hometown only to discover love with the leading man (Brotherton).
I was excited for the concept/storyline of this one and it did not disappoint! I think I even liked it more than I was anticipating. There’s just something about Christmas movies even one about making one. I loved the leads together! Their chemistry, banter and interactions were so fun. There were many comedic moments that kept the story fun and light and the romance was so fun to watch blossom. I really liked how it went back and forth from the present during a movie premiere panel to back when they filmed it. It kept you guessing and wondering what had happened in the whole time in between. This one was a winner!
Close Seconds – Hallmark
Hallmark had a total of 40 new holiday movies this year between Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. They also had 3 new premieres during Christmas in July. With so many new Hallmark movies to choose from it’s so hard to pick just 10. So here are my Close Seconds (in no particular order).
Long Lost Christmas
“Long Lost Christmas” is a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries original movie starring Taylor Cole & Benjamin Ayres. Wanting to surprise her mother with a family reunion, Hailey (Cole) travels to a small town to find out if a local man is her long lost uncle.
I really enjoyed this one. Loved the little mystery element of the girl trying to find her long lost uncle. Loved that she fit right in with the town from the get go and created real relationships without knowing for sure if they were related. Liked how easy and natural the love relationship was.
The Royal Nanny
“The Royal Nanny” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring Rachel Skarsten & Dan Jeannotte. MI5 agent Claire (Skarsten) must go undercover as a nanny to protect the royal family. She is determined to win over not only the kids but their uncle (Jeannotte).
The only one with a non-Christmas title which was a little strange but it was good. It was a fun and different royal twist to make it interesting. Loved the aspect of a secret agent working to protect the royal family and them having met their match with their new “nanny”. I also really enjoyed how the romance wasn’t on the person in line to the thrown so there was more freedom. Loved the family bond and how the secret wasn’t the big blowup which is typical. And the mystery element was fun too! I really enjoyed this British one over Jolly Good Christmas.
A Kismet Christmas
“A Kismet Christmas” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring Sarah Ramos, Carlo Marks & Marilu Henner. Sarah (Ramos) a children’s book author returns home and reconnects with family, her childhood crush (Marks), her family’s kismet cookie legend.
Loved this one and the Christmas magic of the Kismet cookies. The love from the past/one that got away was relatable and fun to watch. Neither of the leads are big Hallmark stars but I loved their chemistry and banter together throughout the movie. So cute!
Christmas Bedtime Stories
“Christmas Bedtime Stories” is a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries original movie starring Erin Cahill & Steve Lund. Raising her daughter alone after her husband goes MIA with the military, Danielle (Cahill) begins to start telling her daughter bedtime stories of her father.
I’ve heard negative feedback on this one but honestly I loved it. Liked the magical twist of things happening/signs after each story. And loved the military aspect. As a former military wife it was really relatable and real. There were heartfelt moments without too much sadness. The struggle of the lead to hold onto the past or move on was so real. I did wonder what the ending was going to be until about half way through when they mentioned the lost hubby was never found then it was predictable what the end was going to be. But I still loved it and thought it was so cool Nancy Grace was involved with it.
A Christmas Cookie Catastrophe
“A Christmas Cookie Catastrophe” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring Rachel Boston & Victor Webster. After taking over as CEO for her grandmother’s cookie business, Annie (Boston) is upset to discover the famous cookie recipe has gone missing. In an effort not cause panic in the company, Annie works with another local baker (Webster) to try and recreate the recipe before anyone knows it’s missing.
I didn’t think much of this one beforehand but was surprised with how much I liked it. Love the lead girl and it was a lot funnier than I was expecting. It was fun and lighthearted with comedic moments and a bit of mystery which I love. Overall it was a cute one and I will definitely watch again.
The Holiday Sitter
“The Holiday Sitter” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring Jonathan Bennett, George Krissa & Chelsea Hobbs. Recruited to watch his niece and nephew over the holidays, Sam (Bennett) who knows nothing about kids, enlists the help of their neighbor (Krissa).
Groundbreaking being the first Hallmark movie where the main couple and story line was about a gay character. This movie had a lot of buzz around it so I was curious how well it would hold up and to be honest I really enjoyed it! I love Jonathan Bennett and he was hilarious and brilliant in this one. I liked that his character was a bachelor against settling down but that falling in love turned that around for him. Liked the family dynamic and having the lead reconnect with his niece/nephew and sister. There were so many comedic and funny moments as the lead learned the ropes of taking care of kids and all with the help of his neighbor. It was such a fun and cute movie overall. Nothing felt overdone or in your face. It all felt very real and authentic.
Five More Minutes: Moments Like These
“Five More Minutes: Moments Like These” is a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries original movie starring Ashley Williams & Lucas Bryant. A young widow (Williams) returns home for the holidays and wishes to spend five more minutes with her late husband.
This was a sequel to last year’s “Five More Minutes” movie. I liked the one last year but think I may have liked this sequel more. The story with the son was a cute touch. I loved how the child was the one who experienced most of the moments with the dad and how it brought him and the mom closer again. It was heartfelt and touching. It was at times sad but there were also plenty of lighter moments with the contractor. I liked how the lead from the original made a guest appearance. It was a good movie.
A Maple Valley Christmas
“A Maple Valley Christmas” is a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries original movie starring Peyton List & Andrew W. Walker. Erica (List) a maple syrup farmer begins to question what she wants out of life when a developer (Walker) puts a bid in on the land next door that she wants to buy.
I didn’t expect much of this one going into it but it really surprised me! I really enjoyed it. Andrew Walker who has done so many Christmas movies really made this one for me. I also loved the female lead i hadn’t seen her before but their chemistry was great. There was a surprise kiss that happened at the beginning but I liked it. I liked the family and sister dynamic of the maple farm and how it didn’t overtake the romance. I loved the lead guy and his genuine ethics to not take the land from the girl. It was such a cute story! It felt familiar but unique too.
Noel Next Door
“Noel Next Door” is a Hallmark Channel original movie starring Natalie Hall & Cory Sevier. A single mom (Hall) begins a war of words with her new grouchy neighbor (Sevier) unaware that he is the same charming man she is falling for from work.
The first of the new Christmas movies for Hallmark and kicked it off with a bang/on a good note. I really liked it! Loved how the leads met and fell for each other while at the same time having a conflict as neighbors without knowing it. So fun and cute and kept the romance alive. A different take that I didn’t think much of ahead of time but I ended up loving it!
The Gift of Peace
“The Gift of Peace” is a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries original movie starring Nikki Deloach & Brennan Elliott. After her husband’s death, Traci (Deloach) begins to question her faith. After two years she decides to make a change and joins a grief support group run by Michael (Elliott).
This was Dayspring’s first Christmas movie and focused on a Christian overall theme. It was really heartfelt and moving and relatable. But it was also heavy due to the main topic of grief. It was beautifully done in a classy and tactful way. There was no big romcom moments and no big kiss at the end but it felt natural and respectful that way. I really enjoyed it but it probably won’t be a yearly re-watch just because of the more serious tone and topics.
Top 10 New Lifetime Christmas Movies
Normally I include Lifetime in with all the other networks but this year there were so many new ones that I really enjoyed so I thought I should give it its own category. Here are my top 10 rated Lifetime movies from this past season.
10. A Christmas Spark
“A Christmas Spark” is a Lifetime original movie starring Jane Seymour & Joe Lando. Recently widowed Molly (Seymour) decides to visit her daughter for Christmas and finds herself running a local pageant and falling for Hank (Lando).
This one had an older couple at the center of the story and romance which isn’t typical. I absolutely loved the Dr Quinn mini reunion! The leads still had great chemistry and were amazing together! I liked the family bonding aspect with mother/daughter. And it was fun to see the lead girl rediscover life and love after being widowed. It was fun to see the lead act like the child and have the daughter doing more of the parenting in the role reversals. Overall it easy a cute one!
9. Kirk Franklin’s The Night Before Christmas
“Kirk Franklin’s The Night Before Christmas” is a Lifetime original movie starring Naturi Naughton, Loren Lott & Luke James. Estranged mother (Naughton) and daughter (Lott) find themselves stranded in a church during a snowstorm.
I really liked this one more than I anticipated I would. I liked the whole snowed in aspect and having it be at a church was fun and different. I liked the mother/daughter relationship bond and seeing it be rebuilt. It was fun to see the daughter make friends and find her love of singing again. And the romance was fun with the leads having met prior in HS but without really knowing each other. It all worked together very well. Plus all the singing was so fun too!
8. The Dog Days of Christmas
“The Dog Days of Christmas” is a Lifetime original movie starring Georgia Flood & Ezekiel Simat. Aid worker Annie (Flood) goes home for Christmas and can’t resist helping a local animal shelter find homes for their animals.
I thought this one was so cute! I loved how the girl was all about volunteering and helping others even fostering dogs for Christmas. I liked how the leads were old rivals it created cute banter and back story. I loved the story of the dogs and trying to get them adopted by Christmas was so cute and something not seen before. I had never seen either lead before but loved them in this and together. It all worked really well!
7. Cloudy with a Chance of Christmas
“Cloudy with a Chance of Christmas” is a Lifetime original movie starring Valery M. Ortiz & Brandon Quinn. A weather forecaster (Ortiz) is asked to co-host a Christmas special with her biggest rival and morning show host (Quinn).
I really enjoyed this one! I loved the leads together and thought their chemistry was great. Liked their banter and the backstory to their complicated relationship. I thought the weather woman/news show aspect was refreshing and fun. The other co-ancor drama added to the story and kept you in your toes. Overall i thought it was really well done and loved it.
6. Sweet Navidad
“Sweet Navidad” is a Lifetime original movie starring Camila Banus & Mark Hapka. A pastry chef (Banus) who dreams of opening her own pastry shop is teamed up with another chef (Hapka) to make a Christmas event a hit with the food.
Didn’t know much about this going in so didn’t have any expectations one way or the other but I really enjoyed this one! I loved how the two chefs had to work together and brought out the best in each other. I liked the Porto Rico influences and culture. The leads looked and worked great together. Loved watching their romance develop and how they both helped each other grow in their own personal lives and in their chef careers. So cute!
5. Record Breaking Christmas
“Record Breaking Christmas ” is a Lifetime original movie starring Michelle Argyris & Andrew Bushell. Leah (Argyris) is forced to travel to a small town and monitor their attempts to break multiple holiday world records.
I didn’t know much of this one beforehand but completely fell for it! It was so cute and original. Loved the record breaking attempts by the town and that there were multiple ones. Liked how the girl was honest and a hard-core rule follower but was still likeable. Liked how her assistant quit and ultimately helped the town. Loved how the leads came together and ended up falling for each other and ultimately working together to see a record broken too. Such a cute and fun story and loved the leads chemistry and relationship. It all worked well together.
4. Well Suited for Christmas
“Well Suited for Christmas” is a Lifetime original movie starring Mercedes de la Zerda & Franco Lo Presti. Fashion designer Rachel (de la Zerda) must design a tuxedo for the city’s most eligible bachelor, Brett (Presti) who proves to be difficult to work with.
I didn’t know or think much of this one ahead of time but really enjoyed it. The title was so cute and I enjoyed the contrast between lead character personalities. They really blended/meshed well together and showed opposites attract. I loved the foster child charity and element. It was heartfelt and cute. Really enjoyed it!
3. Steppin’ into the Holiday
“Steppin’ Into the Holiday” is a Lifetime original movie starring Jana Kramer & Mario Lopez. After being fired, former Broadway star Billy (Lopez) travels home for the holidays to regroup. While there he meets the local dance instructor Rae (Kramer) and decides to help volunteer with her studio’s Christmas program.
I was so excited for this one and it did not disappoint! Two of my favorite leads together on screen was so magical! They worked great together and their chemistry was great. It was a fun and heartfelt story line with plenty of light comedic moments too. Absolutely loved it!
2. Reindeer Games Homecoming
“Reindeer Games Homecoming” is a Lifetime original movie starring Sarah Drew & Justin Brueing. After her father’s death, Mackenzie (Drew) decides to keep his town tradition alive by competing in the Reindeer Games. Sparks fly when her old high school crush and local celebrity, Chase (Brueing) also shows up to compete.
I was so excited about this one and it lived up to the hype! Loved the leads, their chemistry and backstory, and their relationship in general. It was a fun twist having the guy be a famous actor but he was still so down to earth and fit right in at home with his hs friends. Loved the relationships of all the HS friends. The Reindeer games element was different and brought in so much fun and competitiveness that really brought the story to life. I loved how the guy was so invested and really went for the relationship with the girl despite her fear. And the grief element was so real and relatable without being overboard. The story was so well written and told and tied together all elements perfectly.
1. Wrapped Up in Love
“Wrapped Up in Love” is a Lifetime original movie starring Brittany Bristow & Olivier Renaud. Ashley (Bristow) the local Christmas Queen in town meets her match when her boss’ long lost son, Ben (Renaud) arrives in town and they must learn to work together.
The last of the Lifetime Christmas movie premieres and they may have saved the best for last in my opinion. It was such a fun and cute story. Set in a department store but it felt so unique and original with how it was told. Liked how the girl struggles with her place in the business and also accepting the long lost son entering the running the store competition. Liked the playfulness and competitiveness between the leads and how they fell for each other anyway. Their relationship was relatable and felt authentic. Absolutely loved these two leads together! Thought it was well done and a great feel good movie. It brought Christmas together as its own character perfectly.
Top 10 New Christmas Movies – Other Networks
You can’t forget Great American Family, UPtv, Amazon, or CBS. Here are my Top 10 Christmas movie favorites from non-Hallmark/Lifetime networks, listed from least favorite to favorite.
10. A Tiny Home Christmas (UP TV)
“A Tiny Home Christmas” is an UP TV original movie starring Rebecca Dalton & Christopher Seivright. In order to save her father’s contracting business and land a big city contract, Blair (Dalton) must work with her ex boyfriend and former co-star (Seivright) of a hit reality home makeover show to build a tiny home model.
Another impressive UP TV lineup for this Christmas! I like the female lead but hadn’t seen the guy before. I really enjoyed the helping others and tiny home project theme. It was fun and unique. The reality TV design show element was a fun twist and I loved how the guy came back home to see the girl/win her back. I initially thought a different guy was going to be the love interest when it started but that never panned out. It was also a little edgier/modern than most UP TV movies in the sense that there was a gay relationship reference (although never seen) and talk about the leads moving in together at the end. All around it was such a fun and relatable movie.
9. A Royal Christmas Match (UP TV)
“A Royal Christmas Match” is an UP TV original movie starring Jordana Largy & Matthew MacCaull. In hopes of starting a college exchange program, Princess Camille (Largy) travels to the US and clashes with local professor Rhett (MacCaull).
Another royal movie and usually I dread them because there are so many and they are usually so similar…but I absolutely loved this one! It was a fun twist having the girl be the royal I don’t think I’ve seen that before. I loved how she is passionate about her country and trying to save the university. It was so fun watching the leads interactions and seeing them work together and also clash at times. They’re banter and relationship was so real and fun to watch. Overall this was such a cute one!
8. Christmas on the Slopes (UP TV)
“Christmas on the Slopes” is an UP TV original movie starring Soma Chhaya & Olivier Renaud. A chef (Chhaya) travels to the mountains to escape from her life disappointments only to be mistaken as the resort chef’s (Renaud) new sous chef.
I was surprised at how much I loved this one! I love a good mistaken identity story and this one was so cute! I really enjoyed both leads solo and together in it. There was comedy and heart–it was a great balance of both. It was a nice breath of fresh air for a chef story line which is often overused…this one felt unique and fun again. I really liked it and will watch again for sure!
7. Christmas at the Drive-In (Great American Family)
“Christmas at the Drive-In” is a Great American Family original movie starring Danica McKeller & Neal Bledsoe. A property lawyer (McKeller) works to stop the sale of her town’s drive-in movie theater that was a childhood favorite of hers. In doing so she comes up against the owner’s son (Bledsoe) who happens to be her first kiss.
I was so excited about this one and it lived up to the hype. Such a fun and unique idea about a drive in movie theater during Christmas. I loved how the leads had to work together and that the developer was understanding and willing to work with the guy when he had a change of heart. The leads are brilliant together and their chemistry is wonderful! Loved it!
6. Christmas in the Pines (UP TV)
“Christmas in the Pines” is an UP TV original movie starring Jillian Murray & Dean Geyer. When Ariel (Murray) and Mark (Geyer) find out they both submitted offers that were accepted at the same time on the same house, they begin a standoff over Christmas. The first to leave the property loses the house.
I honestly didn’t think much of this one ahead of time but was quickly intrigued. The story was fun and unique and I love the leading lady. The addition of the leads bringing both their families to the cabin and trying to get the other to leave so they could attain ownership was so fun and funny. I loved all the family interactions and that the girl didn’t want to write the article from the get-go. There was still a misunderstanding but she was much more likeable. The stand they both take at the end for each other is so sweet and meaningful. Loved it!
5. The Christmas Retreat (UP TV)
“The Christmas Retreat” is an UP TV original movie starring Rhiannon Fish & Clayton James. Upset over her recent breakup, Kim (Fish) and her mom travel to a Christmas retreat to get away. There Kim meets and clashes with the owner’s brother (James).
I was excited for this one. The lead female has been in a lot of romcoms lately and has become one of my new favorites. This was so cute and fun. Loves the two leads together and their banter/bickering. It had plenty of comedic moments and was lighthearted but full of Christmas cheer. Definitely recommend.
4. Fit for Christmas (CBS)
“Fit for Christmas” is a CBS original movie starring Amanda Kloots & Paul Greene. Fitness instructor Audrey (Kloots) works against developer (Greene) to save the local community center where she teaches.
I stumbled upon this at the end of the Christmas season and was interested since it had a known Hallmark/romcom leading man. And I absolutely loved it! Thought the fitness aspect was unique and different. While the rec center closing and needing saved was a familiar theme–the way they went about telling the story was so original and fun. I loved the playfulness and banter between the leads and how everything wasn’t saved in the typical way in the end. It was such a fun movie!
3. The Art of Christmas (Great American Family)
“The Art of Christmas” is a Great American Family original movie starring Brigitte Kingsley & Joe Towne. When her biggest art show is canceled due to a fire, Liv (Kingsley) takes a job at an elementary school where she meets a fellow teacher (Towne) who is a fan of her art work.
I didn’t know much about this one or seen the leads before but I absolutely fell in love with it! The story was so cute and creative. It was different in that the girl went back to teaching along with chasing her art dreams. I loved how the relationship grew between the leads it was so sweet and felt so natural. The whole story was cute, fun, and beautifully done. Loved it all!
2. A Merry Christmas Wish (Great American Family)
“A Merry Christmas Wish” is a Great American Family original movie starring Jill Wagner & Cameron Mathison. After her great-uncle passes away, Janie (Wagner) returns to his farm only to find local farm hand (Mathison) and discover she now owns said farm.
I was excited and this one with one of my fave female leads but was also a bit apprehensive thinking it would be too much of the same old same old. I was pleasantly surprised. Loved the two leads together, their chemistry and characters. It was some of the familiar stories we’ve seen but it still felt fresh and fun. I really enjoyed it!
1. B&B Merry (Great American Family)
“B&B Merry” is a Great American Family original movie starring Jen Lilley & Jesse Hutch. Hoping to drum up business for his family’s small B&B, Graham (Hutch) invites travel blogger Tracey (Lilley) to stay over the holidays.
This one had two of my faves and I had been looking forward to it since the new movies had started. It was just as cute and fun as I hoped it would be! Such an adorable story! The travel blogger having to write a review in hopes of saving the B&B was a bit familiar but it felt unique with her also having to review a hotel in the town. The family of the B&B was such a fun dynamic with the mom, son & aunt. I absolutely loved the leads together and hope they do another movie together!
Honorable Mention – Other Networks
Again, it’s so hard to pick just 10 favorites from Lifetime, Great American Family, UPtv, and CBS. So here are some of my other favorite non-Hallmark network Christmas movies that I felt deserved an Honorable Mention. They are listed from my highest rating to lowest.
Christmas in the Wilds (UP TV)
“Christmas in the Wilds” is an UP TV original movie starring Kaitlyn Leeb & Victor Zinck Jr. Wilds pilot Buck (Zinck Jr) and his new girlfriend (Leeb) are excited to spend Christmas together but instead find themselves stranded in the wild.
A sequel to “Romance in the Wilds” and I liked it close to as much as I did the first one. All the same characters which I loved and I liked how picked up a couple months after the first. There were some more serious tones throughout and a minor side story with the sister that didn’t quite seem like it needed to be there because it doesn’t get resolved…maybe room for a third movie? I liked that the potential love triangle wasn’t a huge ordeal and the overall movie was unique and different than a typical Christmas romcom. But I loved it!
Sappy Holiday (UP TV)
“Sappy Holiday” is an UP TV original movie starring Vanessa Sears & Jon McLaren. When a sous chef (Sears) discovers her boyfriend plans to purpose over Christmas she begins second guessing their relationship, especially after getting stranded on a maple farm during a winter snow and meeting the man (McLaren) who runs it.
This was such a cute one. The lead girl i and never seen before but her joy was is infectious! She literally lit up the screen and was so fun to watch. I loved the getting stuck with strangers after crashing her car theme. Loved how the lead fit right in with the family and helped them with their maple farm. I also liked how she was upfront about having a BF/getting engaged soon and there was no big giant secret. I liked how she waited to leave even though her car was ready early. You got a clear pcuture of how wrong her BF was for her and I loved how it all got revealed to her and how she came back to the maple farm. The fast forward one year ay the end was so cute and the perfect way to end the movie. Loved it.
Santa’s Got Style (UP TV)
“Santa’s Got Style” is an UP TV original movie starring Franco Lo Presti & Kathryn Davis. Department executive Madison (Davis) decides to hire an actor to play Santa to showcase the store’s clothes. After being unable to find the perfect Santa, Madison’s best friend Ethan (Presti) poses as Santa.
This was so fun and unique. Liked the fashion aspect with a styling Santa. Liked how the leads were old friends and how the guy pretended to be someone else to get the girl to fall for him. It has typical comedic shenanigans that went along with two people trying to be in the same place at once and not knowing the guy was the Santa. Thought the leads were great together. Such a cute story with relatable aspects and emotions. Really enjoyed it.
Crown Prince of Christmas (Great American Family)
“Crown Prince of Christmas” is a Great American Family original movie starring Cindy Busby & Jilon VanOver. When musician Madison (Busby) jokingly says she’s dating a prince her family runs wild with it. Her best friend and co-worker Sebastian (VanOver) poses as said prince.
This one was so cute! It is another royal Christmas romcom but it felt fresh and unique in so many ways. I loved that no one knew who the prince was and he was hiding in plain sight. I liked that the leads were already friends and that the guy had a crush on her from the get-go. I hadn’t seen the lead male before but thought he was brilliant. I loved the chemistry between the leads and their relationship. Loved how the guy pretended to be the prince. It was so funny and cute!
Santa Bootcamp (Lifetime)
“Santa Bootcamp” is a Lifetime original movie starring Emily Kinney & Rita Moreno. Hired to host a Christmas gala Emily (Kinney) must take part in Santa Bootcamp run by Christmas queen Belle (Moreno).
I really didn’t think I’d like this one ahead of time but I was wrong. It was so full of festivities and so much fun. It was full of quirkiness of the characters and comedic moments. I enjoyed watching the leads fall for each other and I really liked the elderly woman who served as a Christmas angel and brought everyone together. It was full of Christmas magic and cheer and so much fun to watch!
Christmas on Candy Cane Lane (Great American Family)
“Christmas on Candy Cane Lane” is a Great American Family original movie starring Andrea Barber & Dan Payne. Newly separated Ivy (Barber) struggles to keep up with all of her holiday obligations.
I was really excited for this one starring Andrea Barber in her first Christmas movie. It was so cute! I liked that the couple were divorce exes that found their way back to each other and the daughter was a nice element too. The police neighbor and handman side story was hilarious! And the decorating for Christmas element was fun. There was plenty of comedy and heartfelt feel good moments too. Overall so cute!
A Brush with Christmas (Great American Family)
“A Brush with Christmas” is a Great American Family original movie starring Jillian Murray & Joseph Cannata. Charlotte (Murray) struggles with balancing her family restaurant chef duties and her passion for painting. When Wyatt (Cannata) discovers a painting she has thrown out, he is determined to find the artist.
Another GAC movie about a painter but it was so fun and different. I liked how the lead had a sensible job but her dream was painting. It was really relatable. I liked how the male lead found her painting and gave her the push to really pursue it. At times I didn’t like the mom thought she was too pushy with the restaurant stuff and downplaying the painting but in time she redeemed herself. The romance was so sweet and fun to watch and loved how they both really brought out the best in each other and learned from each other. Overall such a cute movie!
Catering Christmas (Great American Family)
“Catering Christmas” is a Great American Family original movie starring Merritt Patterson & Daniel Lissing. When struggling new caterer, Molly (Patterson) lands a catering event of the season, she must work with her clients son (Lissing) to make it a success.
This was a cute one with one my favorite female leads. I liked the chemistry of the leads and how they had to work together. It was a fun story and title. There wasn’t anything major that happened conflict wise between the two which was refreshing and loved how they worked things out in the end.
The Picture of Christmas (UP TV)
“The Picture of Christmas” is an UP TV original movie starring Chelsea Hobbs & Giles Panton. When Ember (Hobbs) inherits her grandmother’s Christmas tree farm, she travels there in order sell it before the holiday. But while there the townspeople and current farm manager (Panton) who also resides on the farm, convince her to stay longer and host the farms annual Christmas festival.
This had quiete a few overly familiar storylines but it was still a cute one to watch. I liked how the guy helped the girl with the sales of the farm and wasn’t completely against her like is normally done and how the whole town also pitched in to help with the big Christmas activities on the farm. The leads were so good together and it was a fun story.
A Christmas Masquerade (UP TV)
“A Christmas Masquerade” is an UP TV original movie starring Erin Agostino & David Lafontaine. After a woman (Agostino) is mistaken for her boss at a masquerade ball, they keep up the ruse over the holidays to secure the man (Lafontaine) as a client.
This one was better than expected. It had unknown leads to me but they worked great together. I loved the female friendship and how the boss was besties with the assistant. I love a good identity mix up and really liked how the boss was in on it and supported her friend. It was fun seeing the both girls shining and going after what they wanted. I also loved the element of the boss wanting to be a choice mom. So refreshing and different.
One of my favorite things about the Christmas season is Christmas movies. I absolutely love all the new Christmas movies that come out and I love re-watching my favorites from previous years. I live for my Christmas movie marathons every year! Did you have a favorite new Christmas movie from this past season? Let me know in the comments below.
