Opinion: Feel no shame enjoying a Hallmark movie this Christmas

 Love them or hate them, there’s no denying the Christmas season means an abundance of new Hallmark Christmas movies. Thirty-seven this year, to be exact. The holiday scrooges say once you’ve seen one Hallmark Christmas movie, you’ve seen them all. But, unashamed Christmas lovers like myself enjoy every single moment spent on the couch with hot cocoa in hand, soaking up all the cheesy Hallmark holiday moments.

Each year, the haters crawl out from wherever they’ve been hiding for the past 11 months and use the same arguments over and over again to justify their hatred for Hallmark Christmas movies. Too cheesy. Too predictable. Poor acting. Plot loopholes. My dad likes to make his point clear each time he sees my mom and I enjoying another Hallmark Christmas movie. 

However, it is for those exact reasons why Hallmark Christmas movies are one of the best parts about the Christmas season.

The cheesiness 

The Christmas spirit is over the top with each Hallmark Christmas movie. Christmas cookie baking, tree decorating, gift exchanges — you name it, Hallmark includes it. Sprinkle in some excessive snow and caroling or a horse-drawn carriage and the plot is complete. I can’t help but get wrapped up in the nostalgia of childhood Christmas traditions when watching Hallmark. The more Christmas activities, the better.

The predictability 

The big city girl falls in love with the small-town guy without fail. Then someone or something comes into the picture and causes a problem. Yet, their love prevails, and the movie closes with the couple embracing as snow falls around them. The guy always gets the girl, and that’s what every Hallmark movie fan wants. Christmas is a season of joy, so movies that always have happy endings never cease to put a smile on my face. Let’s save those realistic movies for the 11 other months out of the year. 

The acting

Hallmark may not hire the most well-known actors and actresses, but that’s okay. I can easily overlook a poor acting performance when the Christmas spirit makes up for it. And all the Hallmark superfans know Candace Cameron-Bure is the Hallmark Christmas queen. 

The plot

Believe it or not, plot loopholes are some of my favorite things to watch for. I’ve recently listened to the “Deck the Hallmark” podcast in which three grown men have decided to watch all 37 new Hallmark Christmas movies this year and give their opinions. They have a segment on their podcast in which they point out plot holes. It has now, become a game for me to watch the next Hallmark Christmas movie and find the plot loopholes. 

Christmas is a season filled with family, traditions and ultimately, celebrating the birth of our Savior. Hallmark movies leave every viewer in a good mood, reminded what truly matters about the holiday season. 

“It’s really about celebrating the holiday, not just making it a backdrop,” Michelle Vicary, Hallmark’s head of programming, said in an October 2018 Forbes article. “This is the time of year when people really want to feel good, feel like part of a community and part of the holiday season. When you spend two hours with us and watch an original movie, when you’re done, you feel better about yourself and the world.”

According to CNN, more than 72 million viewers watched Hallmark Christmas movies last year. And I’m proud to say I was one of those. And you can add me to the list again for this year.

Yes, the plot is predictable, and yes, Hallmark might go overboard with the fake snow, but you’ll know where to find me each weekend leading up to Christmas. Don’t be a scrooge — soak up the holiday spirit with a Hallmark Christmas movie.