Entertainment
This Year's Best Made-For-TV Christmas Movies, Hands Down
Now that we're officially in the thick of the holiday season, you need to know what the best made for TV 2017 Christmas movies are. Because honestly, it doesn't quite feel like Christmas until you've seen at least one movie where a woman rediscovers her zeal for life thanks to a very handsome stranger and a mysterious Christmas miracle (or something along those lines). Thankfully, there are plenty of made for TV Christmas movies on Hallmark and Lifetime that will make you feel festive in the lead up to the main event. But if you want to know the absolute essential ones to be watching this Christmas, then the following movies are the cream of the Christmas crop.
When it comes to made-for-TV Christmas movies, there are certain characteristics that you look out for more than others. For one thing, such a movie almost certainly needs to feature some kind of epic romance. If they're not kissing in front of an applauding crowd, a snowy tree, or an open fire in the closing sequence, then it's not worth watching. Unless, of course, the movie isn't about romance at all, but about a character learning some solid lessons about themselves, family values, or why it's seemed as though their dog has been secretly granting Christmas wishes throughout the whole movie. And the best made-for-TV movie offerings of 2017 manage to fit the bill in all of these respects.
Get some cocoa cooking and prepare your favorite snack blanket, because you're going to want to watch every single one of these movies in the lead up to Christmas.
1'Wrapped Up In Christmas'
Firstly, it stars Tatyana Ali, which is a perfect reason to watch just about anything. And secondly, the plot of this Lifetime movie is about her character falling in love with the Santa from the mall that she manages, only to realize that she needs to shut down his aunt's shop. Love, Christmas, and drama — it has everything.
2'Marry Me At Christmas'
Wedding planner Maddie is hired to produce the Christmas ceremony of a bride who also just-so-happens to be the sister of Hollywood action star, Johnny Blake (played by Trevor Donavon, aka Teddy from 90210). Expect plenty of small-town romance, big-city gestures, and swooning in the snow.
3'A Gift To Remember'
Based on Melissa Hill's book, this Hallmark movie sees a beautiful (yet apparently very clumsy) woman called Darcy committing to help restore the memory of a man she knocked down with her bicycle. If that synopsis hasn't made you automatically obsessed with this movie, then you need to have a serious word with yourself.
4'The Sweetest Christmas'
The ever wonderful Lacey Chabert plays a baker who is trying to prepare for a competition with the help of her newly discovered high school sweetheart. If she wins the competition, then it would mean she could finally open her own shop. But will she also open her heart, you guys? In all likelihood, yes. So grab some gingerbread cookies, and you can find out for yourself.
5'A Very Merry Toy Store'
Truly one of the most inspired casts and plotlines of all of the holiday made-for-TV movies this year, A Very Merry Toy Story stars Melissa Joan Hart and Mario Lopez as rival toy store owners, who decide to team up in order to take on a major toy store that comes to town.
6'The Mistletoe Inn'
Alicia Witt stars in this Hallmark movie as an aspiring romance novelist who hits a creative slump after being dumped. However, a writing retreat leads to her meeting another lovesick writer, and rediscovering her creative and romantic spark.
7'Christmas Encore'
A struggling actor (Maggie Lawson) has her passion for the theater restored thanks to the zeal of a handsome director (Brennan Elliot), the work of Charles Dickens, and some seriously festive inspiration.
8'Finding Santa'
Jodie Sweetin (Fuller House) plays a woman tasked with finding a replacement Santa Claus for a Christmas Day Parade. In doing so, she restores the Christmas spirit of a very handsome man who hopefully repays her with plenty of kisses under the mistletoe.
9'Switched For Christmas'
Inhabiting the dual roles of a pair of twins, Candace Cameron Bure stars in this movie where a pair of twin sisters agree to switch places for the holiday. If that isn't an amazing enough premise, the movie also stars a talented young pup called Happy The Dog, who you will absolutely fall madly in love with.
10'The Christmas Train'
Featuring an impressive cast which includes Dermot Mulroney, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Danny Glover, and Joan Cusack, The Christmas Train sees a pair of exes being unwittingly reunited on a festive train journey between D.C. and L.A. Sparks will fly, ladies and gentlemen.
11'My Christmas Prince'
A young woman has to choose between her boyfriend and her teaching career. While that proposition would be enough to launch any woman into an extreme crisis, this one is further complicated by the fact that her boyfriend is a European prince who will soon become king.
12'When Calls The Heart: The Christmas Wishing Tree'
The When Calls The Heart Christmas special sees the joy of Christmas renewed in magical and unexpected ways that are likely to make you drip many inexplicable tears of joy into your cocoa as you watch.
13'Four Christmases And A Wedding'
Chloe meets the man of her dreams at the worst possible time, as he gets transferred overseas just as their romance is starting to heat up. Will they manage to make it work regardless? It could take one, possibly even many, Christmas miracles.
14'Christmas In Evergreen'
This movie is about a magical snow globe that grants Christmas wishes. Some of which, are obviously of a romantic nature. And that's honestly all you need to know because, come on — it's a magical snow globe, people. What more could you possibly want?
It's the most wonderful time of the year — to be snuggling down with a gigantic blanket, an oversized hot chocolate, and several servings of warm cookies. So why not do all of that while enjoying the finest made for TV Christmas movies while you do so? It's what the holidays are all about, so get comfortable and switch on.
