The Walton’s Homecoming (2021)

Rated: TV-14

Genres: Drama, Family

Starring: Richard Thomas and Bellamy Young

Synopsis: John Boy and his family prepare for John Sr. homecoming to spend Christmas together, but after a storm comes in the way, John Boy has to find his father and the journey through it will change his life forever.

Review: I absolutely loved this. It’s the true spirit of Christmas. They are flawed like us but they appreciate each other. I hope they make more movies like this. 

Scoring: 4

We Need a Little Christmas (2022)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Family

Starring: Erica Durance, Lynn Whitfield, and Azriel Dalman

Synopsis: Facing her first Christmas as a single mother, Julie develops an unexpected friendship with an older neighbor.

Review: I loved this movie. From start to finish I was absorbed. The characters are engaging and relatable. The story gives just enough drama to evoke emotion without it making you sad. The casting was perfect, especially the little boy. A must see. 

Scoring: 4

We Wish You A Married Christmas (2022)

Rated: G

Genres: Family, Romance

Starring: Marisa Nichols and Kristoffer Polaha

Synopsis: Taking advice from their marriage coach, a couple visits a quiet town to reconnect during Christmastime.

Review: The beginning felt very slow.  Because of their difficult relationship, the moments were heavy.  As they became more involved in the town and their relationship improved, it became more interesting.  There was more going on than their misery.  I adored the inn owners.  Overall, it was sweet enough that I’ll watch again next year.

Scoring: 3

We Wish You A Merry Christmas (1999)

Rated: G

Genres: Animation, Fantasy, Musical

Starring: Nell Carter, Lacey Chabert, John Forsythe, Tahj Mowry, and Travis Tritt

Synopsis: Three orphans searching for a gift to give the town of Melody, write and share their song.

Review: A very sweet story about children who have so little being so thoughtful and selfless.  A very good message for children.  Children, especially, will enjoy the characters.  Mrs. Claus pays a visit.  Very delightful movie.

Scoring: 3

A Wedding For Christmas (2018)

Rated: PG

Genres: Drama, Family, Romance

Starring: Cristine Prosperi, William McNamara, Lesli Kay, and Vivica A. Fox

Synopsis: Hayley escapes her small town and builds a life in Los Angeles as a wedding planner. When her sister asks her to plan her wedding, Hayley returns to her childhood town and reunites with a childhood flame. 

Review:  This is definitely a B-movie. The lead isn’t the best actress. Despite that, it’s still a cute movie. It falls into the I didn’t mind seeing it once but probably won’t watch again category. 

Scoring: 2.5

A Welcome Home Christmas (2020)

Rated: PG

Genres: Family, Romance

Starring: Jana Kramer, Brandon Quinn, and Tim Reid

Synopsis: Army counselor Chloe helps Michael return home to civilian life by recruiting him along with other veterans and military personnel for the Army Christmas toy drive.

Review: From the start this movie was filled with Christmas but especially the Christmas spirit. It’s about family, community, volunteering, and giving to others. I got goosebumps towards the end. I loved it. An amazing story with perfect casting and a little Santa magic

Scoring: 4

Welcome To Christmas (2018)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Family

Starring: Eric Mabius and Jennifer Finnigan

Synopsis: A real estate developer finds romance with a charming sheriff in a small town. 

Review:  This was a truly special movie. From stop to start it had beautiful scenery, a lovely story, and amazing acting (Mabius never disappoints). The town has fun and unique Christmas traditions, like the ornament hunt. I can’t wait to watch it again. 

Scoring: 4

Welcome To The Christmas Family Reunion (2021)

Rated: PG

Genres: Drama, Family, Romance

Starring: Michelle Argyris and Alonzo B. Slater

Synopsis: When ambitious event designer Amy is hired by famous pop singer Tiffanie Christmas to put together her large family’s fabulous ten-year family reunion, she unexpectedly begins to fall for Tiffanie’s cousin Calvin, who decides to team up with her to help put on the best family reunion ever.

Review: A movie about a loving family, full of strong women, who have special Christmas traditions and embody the Christmas spirit. The romance is a layer of the movie but the family is the heart. It’s a very sweet enjoyable movie. 

***Update*** I watched it again. I still think it’s a sweet movie but this isn’t one that I’ll watch over and over again. I enjoyed it more the first time. 

Scoring: 3

Well Suited for Christmas (2022)

Rating: PG

Genre: Romance

Starring: Mercedes de la Verda and Franco lo Presti

Synopsis: Follows Rachel Rocca, a fashion designer who must create a tuxedo for city's eligible bachelor Brett Stone, for a Christmas charity gala. As she works on it, she finds out the actual reason behind his charity, and end up falling in love.

Review: It started a little slow and blah. As it went on, I got more interested. It kept the emotions on the surface and doesn’t deliver on the drama but it’s a sweet romcom. I’ll watch again. 

Scoring: 3

A Wesley Christmas (2022)

Rated: TV-14

Genres: Drama, Family

Starring: Dorien Wilson, Jasmine Guy, and Terrence Carson

Synopsis: Adult siblings travel to their childhood home to celebrate Christmas with their parents.

Review: It’s not a super original family Christmas story but it’s really enjoyable. My favorite part was how the twins bonded with the veteran and got him to come out of his shell and join them for Christmas. There’s lots of love in this family. 

Scoring: 3

What I Did For Love (2006)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Family, Romance

Starring: Jeremy London and Doris Barton

Synopsis: Rising L.A. lawyer James White is going home for the holidays with his fiancée, Sadie Ryder, to finally meet her family in rural Pine Gap. After a bad first impression, James attempts to win over Sadie's lawyer-loathing father Karl by pretending to be a country boy. But a pair of worn jeans and a ten-gallon hat don't make a cowboy, and it's going to take more than mere posturing to charm Mr. Ryder...in fact, it just may take a miracle.

Review:  This is another movie that takes place at Christmas but doesn’t feel like a Christmas movie. It’s more about the ranch and the city boy in the country. A lot of it is expected but it’s still fun. 

Scoring: 3

What She Wants For Christmas (2012)

Rated: NR

Genre: Family

Starring: Brianna Dufrene

Synopsis: Ten-year-old Abigail has written to the North Pole and asked for something very special this year, to see her father, which she's kept secret from her mother.

Review: Abigail’s father has been working overseas and out of contact with her.  She creates a plan to catch Santa and keep him hostage until she gets her wish.  At the same time, her dad dresses up as Santa and breaks into the house hoping seeing Santa will keep her believing.  Amazingly, she somehow does it.  There are other details, like every window being open in the house, that are just odd. The acting is fairly poor, mostly on the part of the children.  It’s very distracting.  I think children will enjoy it.

Scoring: 2

When Calls The Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing (2018)

Rated: PG

Genres: Drama, Romance

Starring: Erin Krakow, Lori Loughlin, Jack Wagner, Pascale Hutton, Kavan Smith, Paul Greene

Synopsis: When a group of orphans become stranded in Hope Valley for Christmas, their caretakers — sisters who have a mysterious backstory — lead Bill to investigate the circumstances of their arrival. He discovers the sisters and their orphanage are in jeopardy, so Abigail and the other residents rally to make it a Christmas to remember for the orphans. Elizabeth, who is preparing for the birth of her child, organizes her students to engage in selfless gift-giving. That, along with a Christmas miracle, help bring wonder, hope, joy, and love to all this Christmas season.

Review:  If you don’t watch the series you should be able to follow along. It is meant for fans of the show as it continues the story. It has the same loving and giving feeling of togetherness as the show always does. The theme of being selfless was especially poignant. 

Scoring: 3

When Calls The Heart: Home For Christmas (2019)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Romance

Starring: Erin Krakow, Pascale Hutton, Kevin McGarry, Kavan Smith, and Jack Wagner

Synopsis: The residents of Hope Valley celebrate the spirit of Christmas and their connection to one another during the holiday season.

Review: Like the other movies, this is a continuation of the series and will be best appreciated by people who see the show.  It has the same feeling of friendship, community, and giving from the heart that we’ve come to know and love.  The simplicity of early rural life and the amazing people of Hope Valley.

Scoring: 3

When Christmas Was Young (2022)

Rated: PG

Genres: Drama, Family

Starring: Tyler Hilton and Karen David

Synopsis: A music manager, recently fired and left with one client, returns home to secure the rights to a Christmas song.

Review: This was fine but even though there was Christmas everywhere, I didn’t get that Christmas feeling. It was a lot of back and forth and emotions that didn’t have a sufficient backstory. The focus was on too many things.  Was it about Melody’s relationship with her mom, the restaurant, her music, her community service, her daughter, or what?  It lacked focus. It was okay but not my favorite. It may be one you need to watch more than once to really get it. 

Scoring: 1.5

When Hope Calls Christmas Part 1 (2021)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Family, Romance

Starring: Morgan Kohan, Wendy Crewson, Ryan-James Hatanaka, Lori Loughlin, and Neil Crone

Synopsis: The residents of Brookfield prepare a holiday festival in the hopes of winning the title of America’s No. 1 country Christmas town.

Review: I believe you have to have seen the show to truly follow the characters and their stories.  I watch the show and still had trouble as I slowly remembered what happened.  I loved the introduction of Abigail, the return of familiar characters, and all the town preparing for the holidays.

Scoring: 3

When Hope Calls Christmas Part 2 (2021)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Family, Romance

Starring: Morgan Kohan, Wendy Crewson, Ryan-James Hatanaka, Lori Loughlin, Neil Crone, and Daniel Lissing

Synopsis: The residents of Brookfield prepare a holiday festival in the hopes of winning the title of America’s No. 1 country Christmas town.

Review: When I saw Jack tears came to my eyes and I got goosebumps.  That moment alone was worth watching this.  I loved that the happy ending happened naturally and wasn’t forced.  I can’t wait to watch more episodes of the show after these Christmas specials.

Scoring: 3

When I Think of Christmas (2022)

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Romance

Starring: Niall Matter, Beth Broderick, Peter Benson, and Shenae Grimes-Beech

Synopsis: Sara returns to her hometown and is surprised when her ex-boyfriend Josh is back home. She and Josh hatch a plan for the Christmas concert that will take them all back to their musical roots and make this a holiday to remember.

Review: The whole first half is weighed down with the negativity of regrets, grieving, and hurt feelings. It gets a little better as they resolve some issues but it’s still heavy. It’s a nice story but I prefer lighthearted movies. It was okay to see once but I probably wouldn’t watch again. 

Scoring: 2

White Reindeer (2013)

Rated: TV-MA

Genre: Drama

Starring: Anna Margaret Hollyman

Synopsis: Suzanne struggle to put her life back together after a tragedy at Christmas time.

Review: This movie made three main errors.  First, they expected us to go on an emotional journey with Suzanne but they didn’t take the time to give us enough backstory.  How can we go with her when we don’t know where she’s coming from?  Secondly, the sex and drugs were gratuitous.  They didn’t add to the story.  If anything, they took away from it.  Thirdly, everything that happened was superficial.  It didn’t help us know how she was feeling.  You could make your own assumptions but they really missed an opportunity to connect with their audience.  The movie had potential but they wasted it.

Scoring: 1

Why Him? (2016)

Rated: R

Genres: Comedy, Family

Starring: James Franco, Megan Mullally, and Bryan Cranston

Synopsis: A holiday gathering threatens to go off the rails when Ned Fleming realizes that his daughter's Silicon Valley millionaire boyfriend is about to pop the question.

Review: Franco plays a quirky and extreme personality well.  The movie is awkwardly funny.  It felt like it needed more on the emotional side to round it out.  Mostly, it was highly entertaining.  It is very raunchy, hence the R rating, so avoid it if you don’t care for that.

Scoring: 3 

Why The Nativity? (2022)

Rated: G

Genre: Documentary

Starring: Dr. David Jeremiah

Synopsis: Drawing from both the Old and New Testaments, noted pastor, author, and theologian Dr. David Jeremiah provides answers to the most thought-provoking questions surrounding the most pivotal moment in human history-the birth of Jesus Christ.

Review: This was a very well told version of the Nativity.  I believe children will even be able to follow the story.  I felt the solemnity of the telling matched the importance of the subject matter.

Scoring: 3.5

Who Is Christmas Eve? (2021)

Rated: TV-14

Genres: Drama, Family

Starring: Paige Hurd, Romeo Miller, and Juliana Harkavy

Synopsis: Eve Simmons was left with nothing but questions and a locket when she was abandoned as an infant on Christmas Eve.  Struggling to move forward in life, Eve embarks on a quest to find her birth parents with the help of a famed investigative genealogist.

Review: I really loved this movie. I was completely engrossed in the story and the characters. It started a little slowly but it’s so worth it. For all the pain and baggage the characters have, there’s so much love. You can’t help but want Eve to find her                                                                 answers.

                                                           Scoring: 4

Who Killed Santa?: A Murderville Murder Mystery (2022)

Rated: TV-MA

Genre: Comedy 

Starring: Will Arnett, Maya Rudolph, Jason Bateman, and Pete Davidson

Synopsis: Our Detective is back with a critical case. Along with two celebrity guests, he's on a mission to solve who killed Santa? But the catch: Jason Bateman and Maya Rudolph aren't given the script. They have no clue what's about to happen.

Review: If you enjoy improv, this will have you in stitches. We were laughing out loud. If you don’t like silliness and improv, this isn’t for you. 

Scoring: 3

Wild Kratts: A Creature Christmas (2015)

Rated: G

Genres: Animation, Fantasy

Starring: Martin Kratt and Chris Kratt

Synopsis: Wild Kratts are on a rescue mission when they find out their favorite creatures are disappearing.

Review: This is another one that’s geared just to children.  I found it incredibly boring.  I think children will like them taking on the abilities of different animals and learning about animals.

Scoring: 2

Winnie The Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year (2002)

Rated: G

Genres: Animation, Fantasy

Starring: Jim Cummings

Synopsis: It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but Rabbit will only discover the true spirit of the season after his pals make misguided New Year’s resolutions to change who they are.

Review: If you’re familiar with Winnie the Pooh movies, it’ll be as delightful as you expect.  If you aren’t familiar with them, they are geared towards children with a sweet simplicity and a unique combination of characters.  I’m an adult and I enjoy this movie with the same feelings as the Charlie Brown Christmas.  Definitely great for families.

Scoring: 3

Wish For Christmas (2016)

Rated: PG

Genres: Drama, Family, Religion

Starring: Joey Lawrence, Leigh-Allyn Baker, And Bill Engvall

Synopsis: A High School student makes a wish that her parents would lose their faith.

Review:  This rip-off of “It’s A Wonderful Life” attempts to teach the message be careful what you wish for and the importance of religion. It’s so-so. If you like movies with these messages you may enjoy it. 

Scoring: 2

The Wizard’s Christmas (2014)

Rated: NR

Genres: Animation, Fantasy

Starring: Jason Cermak

Synopsis: A wizard’s apprentice tries to restore the magic of Christmas to a shining city.

Review: This was interesting.  Kids will like it but a lot of adults will, too.  It has a town split in two with a brother ruling over each half.  It emphasizes the spirit of Christmas.  I was even surprised by the ending.  It may be a little dark for really young children.

Scoring: 3

The Wizard’s Christmas: Return of the Snow King (2017)

Rated: NR

Genres: Animation, Fantasy

Starring: Jonathan Love

Synopsis: A great discovery is made deep in the forest that will rock the city to the core.

Review: It comes as no surprise that the great discover is the Snow King.  What happens with the Snow King is a surprise.  Perin’s (The Christmas Wizard) suffers from low self-esteem and has trouble believing in herself while looking for outside validation.  Her brother Markis is still as dastardly as ever.  Just as enjoyable as the first.

Scoring: 3

A Wonderful Christmas: Feliz Navidad (2006)

Rated: PG

Genres: Comedy, Family

Starring: Jatnna Toribio and Luis Jimenez

Synopsis: The true meaning of Christmas comes home to the Rivera household in a very unexpected way. With Mum expecting a new baby and Dad facing work challenges, young Josie takes it upon herself to make sure the family has a wonderful Christmas.

Review: A cute, sometimes silly, movie that would be enjoyed by children. I liked the family being so giving, especially to the three homeless gentlemen.  The movie shows what the average family is like at the holidays.

Scoring: 2

The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration (2022)

Rated: G

Genres: Musical

Starring: Derek and Julianne Hough

Synopsis: Musical performances and special interviews to mark the Christmas season. 

Review: It’s basically a 2-hour concert with occasional interviews. I wish there was more Disney and less performances.

Scoring: 2

Wrapped Up in Love aka Loving Christmas (2022)

Rated: G

Genres: Family, Romance

Starring: Brittany Bristow and Olivier Renaud

Synopsis: Ashley has always been the "Christmas Queen" in town. That is, until she meets her match, Ben, a handsome new guy in town, who loves Christmas just as much as she does. They join forces to make Christmas even more meaningful.

Review: While this is a typical romance plot, there so much Christmas and Christmas spirit it makes it fun to watch. Family and friends are an important part of the story.  Even the characters at odds are still likable.  I especially liked the idea of giving. 

Scoring: 3

A Wrestling Christmas Miracle (2020)

Rated: NR

Genres: Comedy, Family

Starring: Mario Del Vecchio

Synopsis: An 11-year-old wrestling champ makes the decision to leave the mat behind so he can make a Christmas movie to bring his best friend out of a coma.

Review: This is one of the worst low budget films I’ve ever seen.  There’s not a redeemable quality.  The script, the acting, everything is horrible. 

Scoring: 1

Write Before Christmas (2019)

Rated: G

Genre: Romance

Starring: Torrey DeVitto, Chad Michael Murray, Lolita Davidovich, Grant Show, and Drew Seeley

Synopsis: Jessica send Christmas cards to five people who have greatly impacted her life.

Review: I loved this movie. It has magic all its own.  Seeing how a small act of kindness, like a Christmas card, causes ripples of Christmas spirit and love was so amazing.  Jessica’s love of Christmas is contagious.  This is one I’ll watch over and over again.

Scoring: 5

Writing Around The Christmas Tree (2021)

Rated: PG

Genres: Drama, Romance

Starring: Krystal Joy Brown and Curtis Hamilton

Synopsis: When successful novelist Mikaela Leighton decides to revive her deceased mother’s annual holiday writer’s retreat at her father’s snowy chalet in an attempt to cure her writer’s block.  She soon meets handsome, yet opinionated, non-fiction writer Levi, and a romance ignites between them.

Review: This movie was very interesting. The variety of characters and their interactions kept me wondering how it would end for all of them. It was a little slow at first but once I got to know everyone I was totally absorbed. 

Scoring: 4

The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)

Rated: G

Genres: Animation, Fantasy

Starring: Shirley Booth, Mickey Rooney

Synopsis: When a weary and discouraged Santa Claus considers skipping his Christmas Eve run one year, Mrs. Claus and his Elves set out to change his mind.

Review: Santa is supposed to be jolly which is why him being so sulky and self-indulgent is sort of weird as an adult.  As a child I just felt sorry for Santa and wanted so much to tell him I believe so he’d feel better.  My favorite part is the song with Heat Miser and Snow Miser.  It’s fantastic.  That song is a true classic.  This is one I catch every year.

Scoring: 5

Yes, Virginia There Is A Santa Claus (1991)

Rated: PG

Genres: Drama, Family 

Starring: Richard Thomas, Ed Asner, and Charles Bronson

Synopsis: While newspaper writer Church struggles with the death of his wife, he receives a "special" assignment. He must answer a little girl's question about whether Santa Claus really exists. Based on a true story.

Review:  This film gives an interesting look at turn of the century New York, especially for Irish immigrants. Their struggles but also their heart. It also shows the innocence of a child’s heart longing to believe in Santa and magic, despite poverty and hardships. A good family film. 

Scoring: 4

You Can’t Fight Christmas (2022)

Rated: PG

Genres: Comedy, Family, Romance

Starring: Brely Evans, Andra Fuller, and Persia White

Synopsis: An unlikely encounter between Christmas designer and enthusiast Leslie Major, and a businessman trying to end the Christmas tradition at The Chesterton makes Leslie use all her Christmas charms on him to love Christmas. - and her.

Review: This was an enjoyable movie.  I liked the back and forth about the fate of the hotel.  I loved Leslie’s spirit and joy.  It feels Christmasy and has a lot of wonderful characters.

Scoring: 3

You Light Up My Christmas (2019)

Rated: PG

Genres: Drama, Romance

Starring: Kim Fields, Adrian Holmes, Lisa Whelchel, and Mindy Cohn

Synopsis: Emma returns to her hometown for Christmas. She discovers the lights have gone dim in the once festive town, prompting her to reconnect with an old flame to set their hearts and the town lights ablaze with light again. 

Review: The best part of this movie was the cast of Facts of Life being in it. Other than that it was a little dull. It felt like the world’s longest run on sentence. It does have lots of Christmas decor but not a lot of spirit. It’s okay for watching once but I wouldn’t watch it again. 

Scoring: 2

You Make It Feel Like Christmas (2021)

Rated: PG

Genres: Family, Romance

Starring: Mary Antonini and Mixhael Xavier

Synopsis: Emma is a talented designer who finds herself too busy to return home for the holidays, much to her father’s chagrin.  When her ex-boyfriend finds out, he tries to convince her to celebrate Christmas with her family.

Review: I really enjoyed the romance part of the story.  Seeing Emma open up and heal old wounds and become a better version of herself was really special.  I felt they could beef up the part about her parents but I really enjoyed it.  Very sweet.

Scoring: 3

You, Me & The Christmas Trees (2021)

Rated: G

Genres: Family, Romance

Starring: Danica McKellar and Benjamin Ayres

Synopsis: An arborist falls in love with a farmer as she tries to save his trees before the town tree lighting.

Review: I think most people have experienced a Christmas they had to just get through because of loss, a broken heart, or other issues.  That makes the lead characters so relatable and their journey so special as they learn to love and to embrace Christmas again.  The story, the acting, everything was wonderful.  Fantastic movie.

Scoring: 4

Your Christmas or Mine (2022)

Rated: PG-13

Genres: Comedy, Family, Romance

Starring: Ada Butterfield and Cora Kirk and 

Synopsis: Hayley and James are young and in love. They both make the same mad split-second decision to swap trains and surprise each other. Passing each other in the station, they are completely unaware that they have just swapped Christmases.

Review: I didn’t find any humor in this movie. Everything was so over the top but still managed to be awkwardly done and blah. It is a British film and they tend to have a different sense of humor. If it interests you, it can’t hurt to try. 

Scoring: 2

The Yummy Gummy Search for Santa (2012)

Rated: NR

Genres: Animation, Fantasy

Starring: Sonja Ball

Synopsis: Gummibar and friends set out on a dance-filled, musical mission to rescue Santa Claus from an alien.

Review: This movie is very silly and clearly meant for younger children but at the same time, it was sort of entertaining.  I liked the way the chameleon kept changing color.  His voice, however, sounded like a comedian impersonating Regis Philbin which was a little grating.  Most adults probably won’t enjoy it but if you’re watching with children it’s definitely tolerable.

Scoring: 2

Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas (2021)

Rated: TV-14

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Musical 

Starring: Jane Levy and Skylar Astin

Synopsis: On her first holiday without her father, Zoey wants to create a magical Christmas for her family just like the ones Mitch used to do.

Review: I absolutely loved it. I will say that I was a big fan of the show. If you haven’t seen the show, you may not get the emotional drama of them trying to cope without their father. The music is great and for Zoey fans this is amazing. 

Scoring: 4