Lambast them or love them, Hallmark Channel Christmas movies signal the start of the holiday season for many fans. Some protest the commencement ensues too early -- this season’s showings began October 31 -- while for others, the timing is utterly perfect to set the tone and take the mind off headlines that scream. Back in October, the opening public salvos to expose sexual misconduct were underway, and that siege proceeds through this morning, December 11, as three of the accusers of Donald J. Trump held a press conference, naming past behaviors of the sitting president as prosecutable.
On the same subject, famed chef Mario Batali lost his hosting seat on ABC's “The Chew” under similar allegations.
Flat-out bad behavior and a broadening political divide seem to be putting a mega-sized bah-humbug on this year’s Christmas. Hallmark Channel Christmas movies have mastered the art of making the day’s troubles dissolve two hours at a time. In a world soaked in beautifully decorated sets of trees, ribbons, and bows strung in twinkling lights, it’s easy to let go of worries over depravity, and dance in the land of predictable.
Network executives took careful notes on the success of old favorites now revived in the ratings. The Hallmark Channel tradition of cultivating its own stable of talent continues in 2017, and fans love seeing familiar stars in new storylines for the holidays.
More than ever, the themes of the season seem focused on family, redeeming past mistakes, and meaning deeper than the symbols. More diversity is represented this season, too. Here are five Hallmark Channel Christmas movies that anyone stressed out by the holiday shopping crush or anyone that's in need of a diversion from the news crawlers might want to keep for a second look.
'The Perfect Christmas Present'
Millennials to moms will appreciate this story of seeking to give meaningful experiences over something pricey from the mall. Mr. Christmas, a.k.a. Tom (Sam Page), has turned his gift for finding the perfect experience for a loved one into his own cottage industry. He takes time to know personalities and past history in choosing a perfect gift.
When his old fraternity buddy, Paul (Sam Guinan-Nyhart) comes to him for help with the perfect gift to solidify his relationship with girlfriend, Jenny (Tara Holt), the getting acquainted process goes beyond professional, as Mr. Christmas and his client fall in love. The outcome might be predictable, but genuine humor and heart fill this one, and the ending is memorable, with no one bearing hard feelings.
'The Christmas Train'
This warm saga premiered the weekend after Thanksgiving, as the “blockbuster” for Hallmark Movies and Mysteries. It's bound to be rebroadcast in various time slots before the season of Christmas movies comes to an end. The story keeps true enough to David Baldacci’s 2002 novel and brings together a roster of big-name talent.
Danny Glover, Joan Cusack, Dermot Mulroney, and Kimberly Williams-Paisley all have ties to each other that each passenger cannot imagine, and it’s compelling to see how “just a Christmas story” for Mulroney’s reporter character transforms into much more. Just for comparison, five times as many viewers took “The Christmas Train” for a ride over “Murder on the Orient Express” (2017).
'Miss Christmas'
Brooke Orsay stars as Holly Khun, who is tasked to find the perfect tree for the Radcliff tree-lighting event in Chicago. She is enamored by a letter from a boy in a remote town who describes that he and his dad have the perfect tree. Initially, Holly aims to use her PR skills and persuasion to wrangle the tree but is so persuaded by the boy, captivatingly embodied by Luke Roessier, and the bond with his father (Marc Blucas), along with their homespun lifestyle, that she feels conflicted.
Roadblocks to romance and road-tripping the tree to Chicago arise, so the celebration moves to the country, and a very satisfying end.
'Maggie’s Christmas Miracle'
This Karen Kingsbury adaptation only premiered last night on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, but the tale set to the screen is sure to become a favorite. Maggie (Jill Wagner) went through her own abrupt loss of her father as a teen and now finds herself as a single mom to her son, Jordan (Lauren Guci), who is struggling with puberty and life in general as much as he is with math. Maggie contacts a well-regarded tutor, Casey (Luke McFarlane), to help her son. She has worked hard to transform her trials in life into fuel to fire her drive to help others in court, but Casey guides her to see that some parts of herself and her son have suffered along the way, despite her desperate love for Jordan.
The natural rapport between this cast and heartfelt issues carry this drama, making it a certain “must-see” for years to come among Hallmark Channel Christmas favorites.
'When Calls the Heart: The Christmas Wishing Tree'
Michael Landon Jr.'s production of Janette Oke’s “When Calls the Heart” became a mammoth runaway hit for the Hallmark Channel when the series premiered in 2014. Faithful fans follow every news flash from cast members Erin Krakow, Lori Loughlin, and Daniel Lissing. The Christmas episode is always a pinnacle of the Hallmark season, and the episode airs Christmas Day. Hope Valley teacher Elizabeth Thatcher (Erin Kraków) may be granted her fondest Christmas dream in seeing the return of Jack Thornton (Daniel Lissing) in time for Christmas Day from his Canadian Mounted Police post, and “counting your blessings” is in store for the whole community.
If football has left anyone filled to the gills, then this Christmas movie topper will be better than Tums. One therapist put it as being “the Hallmark Channel or Prozac.” This Christmas treat for the whole family likely has far fewer side effects, and it’s legal and lovable for all ages.
