Why Hallmark Christmas Movies are so Addictive

'Tis the season! Every year, starting in October, the Hallmark channel and the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel debut well over a dozen new Christmas movies as part of its seasonal programming called "Countdown to Christmas." This year, there were 37 movies in the line-up that began October 27th and will wrap up December 29th.

"Countdown to Christmas" began in 2009 and has continued to grow in popularity. Each season, the Hallmark Channel increases the number of new movies it debuts to accommodate viewers' desire for more original Christmas movies.

But what makes the Christmas movies so popular when they all end in happily ever after? Perhaps it's because they fill a void that many people have in their lives. Let's face it. Few of us have perfect Christmases where the snow is falling, everyone is drinking hot cups of cider, the tree lights are glistening, carolers fill the town with the melodic sounds of "Silent Night," and new romance is blossoming. But we can watch that perfection unfold on our television screens, and we can hope, wish, and dream.

Hallmark Christmas movies take viewers into the lives of characters that experience some of the same trials we go through. Maybe we're trying to decide what to do with our life, because we've just been downsized from the job we love or we've sworn off of relationships because we've had our hearts broken one too many times. Hallmark takes those situations and spins them into positives. And each year, we are glued to our screens because they do it so well.

Imagine for a moment that you could enter into the world of the Hallmark Christmas movies. By the end of the movie, you would know what you wanted to do with your life, you would have a joyous Christmas celebration, and have found the love you've been searching for all your life. Is it realistic? No, but that's not what draws viewers to these movies. There is too much realism in our world as it is. We want to escape, and that's what Hallmark helps us do.

Christmas In Love

Take Christmas in Love, a 2018 movie that debuted November 11th, as an example. The heroine, Ellie (Brooke D'Orsay), is working at the large bakery in town, and as much as she really loves creating Christmas wreaths, she would never think of quitting. Until Nick (Daniel Lissing), the soon-to-be CEO of the bakery, convinces her she should give her dreams a shot.

And Nick, once a fan of fully automating the bakery, falls in love with the town and Ellie and soon realizes how growing a business can be done without costing real people their jobs.

While these might not be exact issues we've experienced, many of us have, at some point in our lives, questioned what we're doing, if we're really working to our full potential. In addition, it's not unusual for someone to overturn a decision once they realize how it will affect the people they care about. So while we didn't take Ellie and Nick's journey, we can certainly see ourselves in similar situations, and watching the resolution to their problems can give us a sense of peace along with the push we need to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Then there's the Father Christmas series with Erin Krakow and Niall Mater that consists of three movies (so far)—Finding Father Christmas, Engaging Father Christmas, and Marrying Father Christmas.

These are stories about one woman's search for a father she never knew and, she not only discovers the truth about who she is but gains a family (and a husband) along the way. How many viewers have something missing in their lives? Or don't have a family to spend Christmas with? Miranda's story gives an extra shot of hope during the holiday season.

While we know life doesn't always have a happily ever after, we also know there's something special about watching stories that we can relate to and people dealing with similar problems as we have. Those people find a way to their happy ending, and it gives us the impetus to believe that maybe, just maybe, we can find that, too! And isn't believing and hoping what the spirit of Christmas is all about?

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