Between Hallmark, Lifetime, Netflix, and every other streaming service on the planet, there are approximately 80 bajillion new Christmas movies every year. We at Fangirlish did our level best to watch every single one of them. You could accuse us of being addicted to cheesy Christmas movies, but we like to pretend it’s so we can pull together a list of our favorite Christmas movies of 2022. So what made the cut? Let’s jump in.
A Christmas to Treasure
There is so much nostalgia wrapped up in Christmas traditions, it can be hard to remember that nostalgia isn’t always a good thing. In particular, it can be a problem if it causes you to hold on too tight to the past, losing sight of the future ahead of you. A Christmas to Treasure is all about embracing who you are and who you love. But it’s also a reminder that can appreciate our past without letting it dictate our future.
Ghosts of Christmas Always
We’re always down for a retelling of A Christmas Carol and this one is now ranking in the top five of our all time favorites. Why? That curve ball at the ending. We loved the way that the movie gave us insight into all of the major characters backstory, so we felt like we could understand either their Scrooginess or their Christmas spirit. But again, that ending.
A Gingerbread Christmas
Look, we didn’t see this one coming either, because we had a lot of crap to talk when we found out that The Food Network was doing holiday movies. Also we don’t really like gingerbread. But, we loved this movie. We loved the chemistry between Tiya Sircar and Marc Bendavid. We loved the story of family and honoring those who are with us still and those who have passed. We loved the story of trusting again and following your heart. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it.
The Holiday Stocking
We don’t know about you, but we spend a lot of time arguing with our family. It’s life. We accept it. However, The Holiday Stocking gives you a second to reassess that choice and know that you need to appreciate the moments and listen to the things that people are saying, as well as what they aren’t. Just a beautiful movie and as usual, Hallmark gets you with that ending
The Noel Diary
Justin Hartley and Barrett Doss are two strangers whose lives have been intertwined for longer than they have known. The Christmas part is the atmosphere, but honestly, for this movie that’s enough. It’s the story about love and understanding and finding yourself and finding love that makes it a movie worth watching.
Something From Tiffany’s
There is nothing like New York at Christmas and we can appreciate a rom-com that centers around that spirit. The mismatched love interests, the witty banter, and the chemistry between Zoey Deutch and Kendrick Sampson had us watching. Not to mention, we’d really like something in a blue box, so we were hoping for pointers on how to get someone to give us that. What? It’s iconic.
Spirited
Two retellings of A Christmas Carol make our list this year? It’s almost hard to believe. But we enjoyed Spirited too much to leave it off the list. It isn’t a perfect film, and if the comedic styles of Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell aren’t your cup of tea, you’re really not going to like this film. It’s very much exactly what you’d expect from the pair. But it has more than just humor – it has heart. And a soundtrack that’s guaranteed to replay in your mind until January, at least.
Three Wise Men and a Baby
It’s the biggest TV movie of the year, and part of that is because of the trifecta of Hallmark greatness – Tyler Hynes, Paul Campbell, and Andrew W. Walker. Yes, it makes you laugh, but even more than that, you’re just gonna feel a lot of things. And you’ll have a bigger appreciation for how hard it can be to do a live nativity scene reenactment.
Time for Him to Come Home for Christmas
Speaking of Tyler Hynes, we might as well crown him the King of Christmas Movies this year, because he stars in two entries on our list. Time for Him to Come Home for Christmas involves more tragedy than other movies on this list. But it also highlights the ways our lives are intertwined. More than anything, it deals with the concept of forgiveness – not just of others but of ourselves. Holland Roden plays the role of a woman filled with guilt and regret to perfection, and Hynes is never better than when he’s depicting a man struggling to put his heartbreak behind him.
Did we leave some of your favorites off our list? Let us know in the comments below!
