Tony Robbins says that one of our biggest human needs is the need for certainty. While there may be many manifestations of that need, I offer a holiday place of certainty: The Hallmark Christmas Movie. Hallmark movie, certainty? You bet. There a plethora of characteristics that bind the Hallmark Christmas movies.
Here are eleven:
1. The female star of the movie will be a 90’s TV star you barely remember starring in her 47th Hallmark movie (this year).
2. Someone, usually the female star, will journey from the big city to a small town where Christmas is celebrated more enthusiastically than at the North Pole.
3. There is almost always a workaholic or opportunistic guy who will get dumped by our heroine.
4. There is almost always a recently deceased wife, husband, or mother.
5. There will be a hometown “nice” guy who will eventually get the girl.
6. Some grinchy person, that hates all things Christmas, will be converted to appreciate the joy of the season once again.
7. Someone who looks a lot like Santa, and may or may not be him, will live in the idyllic setting..
8. It’s always snowing.
9. The first kiss attempt of the couple finding Christmas love will be interrupted.
10. There will be a challenge/drama for our couple with about 22 minutes left in the movie and will be the result of a misunderstanding that normal people would never have had.
11. They will all live happily ever after.
Having said that, at my house Hallmark Christmas movies are all we watch (what do you want me to watch, CSPAN? The Denver Broncos? HA! No chance). Here are my fave twelve movies with certainty, in no particular order. You’ll notice that unlike many Hallmark lists I have ZERO Lori Loughlin or Lacey Chabert (sorry girls).
1. Christmas Next Door (“Eric’s” hair reminds me of Eddie Munster – same with Ziva on NCIS)
2. One Starry Christmas (Wild Bill was a wild one)
3. Hitched for the Holidays (Just plain cute with Hanukkah party thrown in for fun)
4. Charming Christmas (love that Julie Benz woman from The Gifted Man)
5. Christmas with Holly (cute show about three Brothers and their niece)
6. December Bride (Love Jessica Lowndes)
7. Merry Matrimony (Yeah, I said Love Jessica Lowndes)
8. Godwink (a nice story)
9. Miss Christmas (a BIG tree and Brooke D’Orsay)
10. Christmas Train (twisty plot especially for a Hallmark movie)
11. Christmas in Homestead (two words: Taylor Cole)
12. The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (the Fonz and Brooke Burns)
honorable mention…. one Candace Cameron Bure movie: A Shoe Addict’s Christmas
Do you have favorites? Let me know what they are…