'Tis the Season to watch Christmas movies! (Stream It or Skip It: The Holiday Edition, Pt. 1)

My favorite time of the year has finally arrived! Ahh, I love the holidays (I actually start listening to Christmas carols in September!). I enjoy spending time with the fam, singing along (very off-key) to Christmas songs on the radio, driving around town looking at the twinkling lights, dropping off goodies in the local Toys for Tots bin, and wrapping and unwrapping presents.

However, this is also a busy and stressful time, so, if you’re like me, you probably get a little tired running around trying to find the perfect gift for everyone on your list, scrubbing every nook and cranny to prepare for the arrival of friends and relatives, and hanging up decorations (how is that the tree lights never seem to work from one year to the next and take ever-so-long to string?). At the end of a long day of rush-rushing, I know I just want to put up my feet and enjoy a giant mug of hot cocoa while I lose myself for an hour and 27 minutes in a cheesy holiday movie.

There are many hundreds (make that, thousands) of holiday movies available to watch. How does one choose what to put on the ‘ol steamer? Well, maybe we can help each other out there. Please consider leaving some movie recs in the comments (leaving comments seems to work best on phones!) after you peruse this article. I've written 7 brief reviews of Christmas movies I’ve already watched this season. I will tell you which ones you should watch and which ones you shouldn’t bother with (because there’s a world of movies out there, so why waste your precious time on the duds?)

Love at the Christmas Contest

A young woman enters a Christmas tree decorating contest to honor the memory of her mother, only to discover that the competition includes her recently widowed high school sweetheart and his adorable 10-year-old daughter.

Release Date: 2022
Platform: Tubi

My Review: This movie surprised me in the very best way. Not only were the leads beautiful (like Days of Our Lives levels of beautiful), but their chemistry was amazing. The storyline was simple but sweet. The message (the best holiday movies always have messages, don't you know?) reminds us that holidays can be difficult for people who have lost a loved one, so be kind to everyone. Love at the Christmas Contest actually made me emotional (okay, okay, it made me cry), and I definitely wasn’t expecting that when I randomly decided to watch it. Moral of the story: grieving is tough, but if you’re lucky, a beautiful new love interest will come along to sweep you off your feet so you no longer feel so alone.
Rating: 🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁 - Stream It!

Christmas on Candy Cane Lane

Ivy Donaldson is separated from her husband and struggling with the shadow of her mother who was the Christmas darling of Icicle Falls. Along with her family and friends, Ivy celebrates the holiday in unexpected but festive ways.

Relase Date: 2022
Platform: Plex
My Review: Andrea Barber, God love the woman, should probably stick to what she knows best. Sitcoms. I personally never saw this Ivy Donaldson character, who was spoken of. I only saw hammy Kimmy Gibbler doing a strange parody of Full House (was DJ missing her best friend back in San Fran?). Most of my attention actually focused on the Black supporting actors on the scene, particularly Katrina Reynolds and Devon Alexander. Can we *finally* normalize making movies like this with Black leads? While this film suffers from a shoddy script, the performances of the talented Katrina, Devon, and a few others might have salvaged it somewhat. A commenter on Letterboxd put it best when they said, Christmas on Candy Lane, "is a child not even Hallmark could love." No lies told.

Rating:  🎁🎁 - Skip It!

Karen Kingsbury's The Christmas Ring

A military widow falls in love while searching for her lost family heirloom.

Release Date: 2025 

Platform: Amazon Prime

My Review: I can't even be snarky here because Karen Kingsbury's The Christmas Ring (not to be confused with Hallmark's 2020 The Christmas Ring) is such an awesome film! Easily the best holiday movie so far this year. I saw it in theaters with my dear mama, and we both were moved to tears by the wonderful script, the awesome performances, and especially the loving tribute to military personnel. A movie is only as strong as its performances, so I have to give some special shout-outs. Jana Kramer (whom I've loved since her One Tree Hill days) turned in a flawless performance as the heroine Vanessa. Those tear ducts of hers worked overtime, flowing so naturally, it was like watching a pretty painting in motion. Kelsey Grammer was a surprising addition to the cast, but a welcome one. He elevated what could have been a thankless role, or even a forgettable one, of playing the hero's father with his talent and genuineness. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention Megan Ashley Brown. Channeling Maggie Grace (they could easily pass for sisters!), she impressed me with her earnest and sweet portrayal of Vanessa's daughter. I will say it again: this is an awesome film! One I will think about and cherish for many years to come.

Rating: 🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁 - Stream It!

The Perfect Holiday

A young girl turns to a department store Santa in the hopes that he will help find a new husband for her divorced mother.

Release Date: 2007

Platform: Amazon Prime
My Review: Rarely has a movie been more aptly named. This really IS the perfect holiday film. It had so much humor and heart. Morris Chestnut and Gabrielle Union, two gorgeous people in their own right, created possibly the most attractive holiday movie couple ever! They were simply adorable. And speaking of adorable, how about dem kids? The little actors who played Gabrielle's children were perfectly cast. They could not have been cuter. I hope they're still acting today and raking in all the Benjamins. The Perfect Holiday is the perfect date and family movie.

Rating: 🎁🎁🎁🎁 ½ - Stream It!

A Wisconsin Christmas Pie

(aka A Cherry Pie Christmas)

A pastry chef returns to Door County, WI, for the holidays, and must choose between her dream job and the legacy of her family's cherry orchard business - with a little help from her high school sweetheart, and a lost cherry pie recipe.

Release Date: 2025
Platform: Tubi
My Review: Let me begin this short review by praising the set design and scenery in this movie. Every shot was visually stunning. It was probably the best thing about the whole film. I really felt like I was visiting a beautiful little hamlet full of traditions and eccentric characters. I loved the casting of Ryan Carnes and was tickled pink when he ambled onto the scene. While the charming Mr. Carnes will always be *my* Lucas Jones (insert General Hospital reference here), I loved seeing him expand his horizons. I really liked the young actor who portrayed Max. What a doll. For a nanosecond, he made me want to like kids other than my nieces and nephews! Katie Leclerc also did a nice job (she always does), although her character wasn't the easiest to like. She wasn't a warm person and seemed downright hostile at some points. However, I keenly felt her inner turmoil over having to make such an impossible decision: fulfill her duty to her parents or follow her dreams and go start a new big-city baking job. I wish she hadn't had to choose one way or the other, though. TBH, I am still not sure she made the right decision.

Rating: 🎁🎁🎁 ½ - Stream It!

Pencil Me in for Christmas

(AKA Creating Christmas)

Harper, a teacher and aspiring illustrator, eager for her big break, is tapped to collaborate with Caleb, a demanding children’s book author whose celebrity is waning. When he insists on her working through Christmas week in a quaint small town in Colorado, she must use the town’s holiday celebrations to help break him out of his writer’s block.

Release Date: 2023
Platform: Tubi
My Review: Here's a strange little factoid for you. Pencil Me in for Christmas was originally titled Creating Christmas and was released two years ago. However, this year, the Great American Family company gave it a cutesy new name and marketed it as a brand-new network film. I don't know, folks. Is it just me, or does that seem a bit disingenuous? Perhaps even borderline deceptive? They didn't even change the key art! That's a pretty Scroogey thing to do. Perhaps that whole thing soured me a bit on the film to begin with. Then, heap in a boring, stick-in-the-mud male lead, and a hyperactive heroine who forgot to take her Ritalin, and you've got a bit of a mess on your hands.
Rating: 🎁 ½ - Skip It!

Hotel for the Holidays

It follows staff and guests at the Hotel Fontaine in New York City during Christmas time.

Release Date: 2022
Platform: Amazon Prime
My Review: The studio head of Amazon Prime was probably hoping to recreate the successes of Love Actually and Valentine's Day when they greenlit this project, but without a real budget or any noticeable star power - there was nary a Liam Neeson nor Jennifer Garner to be found - the movie came off as a poor imitation of those movies. Chaotic and disjointed; a C-movie from start to finish, and yet, oddly enough, I enjoyed it. (What does that say about me?!) Making the hotel a central focus was a great way to draw many different characters into the same place. 
Rating: 🎁🎁🎁 - Stream It! (I guess)

And that, my dears, is a wrap on my inaugural post of 'Stream It or Skip It: The Holiday Edition'. Please comment below & tell me which of these sparkling jewels interests you, and which seem like hard passes. If you end up watching any of them, I invite you to return and share your review with me.

Happy Holidays to all & to all a good night!

Oh, but wait! Don't go just yet! I'd love for you to check out my review of the movie A Royal Christmas Ballet. It's a Cinderella-ish story, set in the world of (you guessed it!) ballet dancing, complete with a happy-go-lucky heroine and a handsome prince set to inherit a fictional kingdom. Is it worth watching? Well, you'll have to read on to find out!