Christmas is a special holiday for many, with classic films replaying on repeat and familiar tunes on the radio. While homes and businesses decorate for the season and the weather turns colder, it’s finally time for our favorite Christmas tradition of all to start up again. That’s right; it’s time for Christmas rom-coms to come back on the air.
As Christmas approaches, many of these films can be seen on Hallmark, Netflix, and even HBO. Whether it’s a small-town romance with a suddenly handsome neighbor, a snow-storm induced coming together of old friends, or a Christmas wish come true, these cheesy and beloved films have a fond place in our hearts. Let’s take a look at why these charming tales are so popular and which titles to look out for this year.
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Christmas Rom-Coms: A Tale As Old As Time
RKO Radio Pictures
While the very first Christmas rom-com is perhaps lost to time, one of the oldest favorites to still replay each season is 1946’s It’s A Wonderful Life. The film is tear-jerking, heartwarming, and undoubtedly a romance film by the end. So while the rom-com genre is just as prolific and classic as the Christmas movie one, the two have always seemed to go hand in hand.
Films like Meet Me in St. Louis from 1944 and Christmas in Connecticut from 1945 are also time-honored classics of the Christmas romance genre. White Christmas is another beloved classic with more of a comedy bend than its predecessors. While there are so many classics to enjoy, this film seems to be a turning point in the genre.
So how did we get from It’s A Wonderful Life to Hallmark movies and A Christmas Prince? A change in taste is perhaps the simplest answer. Classic Christmas tales were not always romantic, with one of the most popular being Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. There’s nothing romantic about a man who hates Christmas, even when he does change his ways at the end. But as interpretations of Christmas changed on the big screen over time, less pessimism and more joy seeped its way in.
This, paired with easier consumption via cable television, allowed for a wide range of Christmas films to be made. With people cuddled up by the fire each year, the TV Christmas rom-com became widely popular.
Christmas Rom-Coms: Theater vs. Television
Netflix
When one thinks of a Christmas rom-com, a few different styles may come to mind. The Hallmark style of mass-produced, sometimes cheesy, but very bingeable movies. The big blockbuster hits which debuted in theaters and are now classics of the genre. And, of course, the more recent streaming network releases, appealing to an audience adjacent to Hallmark but distinct in their own right. When looking for a Christmas rom-com to enjoy, are we seeking Love Actually, Christmas Inheritance, or Once Upon A Christmas Miracle? With so many types to choose from, it can be hard to pick!
We find that classic theater-released films appeal to the broadest range of viewers. Bridget Jones’ Diary, Love Actually, and The Holiday are still amazing years later. And true classics like It’s A Wonderful Life and White Christmas still get screened on TV for a reason. These films are sweet, heartbreaking, inspiring, and explore a wide range of topics beyond just Christmas. They typically feature star-studded casts too, which can be a draw for audiences on its own.
However, what these films don’t have are quantity. There are only so many Christmas rom-coms to enjoy each year, with little room to release new ones during the packed holiday season. Hallmark, Netflix, Lifetime, HBO, and other streaming networks don’t need to rely on a theater to screen their original films. With 150+ new Christmas movies set to come out this year, it’s no wonder they can’t all come to theaters! How can so many come out in one year, all around the holidays? Mass production, all year round.
The sheer amount of these films being released speaks to an element of them that many fans adore. At times, their plots are cheesy, similar to previous films, and feature many of the same actors – and for Hallmark movie fans, this is part of the fun! Each year, Hallmark plays new Christmas films on their network – sometimes as early as October – leading up to the December countdown to Christmas. Their movies play all day, every day, and when you’re baking cookies or wrapping presents, it’s nice to have a constant stream of holiday goodness playing. Their movies are all feel-good festivities, and much like romance novels, these Christmas movies are easy and fun to watch.
Netflix and other streaming services have taken on Hallmark in recent years, with Netflix’s A Christmas Prince series becoming an instant hit. This year, we’ll even see a Christmas rom-com starring Lindsay Lohan. These films have a bit more freedom of content but still elicit the same holiday enjoyment for viewers.
With so many new Christmas rom-coms releasing this season and many classics worth revisiting, it’s clear why this genre is so popular. It’s not just charm or the sheer volume of content but the nostalgia these sweet films bring us. They are a holiday tradition we love, and we can’t wait to watch many more this year!
