Back with my third round of Christmas movie reviews. This batch had everything from time travel to royal chaos to a cruise down the Danube.
13. A Very Curious Christmas ★★★☆☆
A Very Curious Christmas follows a rising reporter who’s investigating a string of missing Christmas displays around the city. As she digs deeper, she teams up with a local detective to uncover who’s behind the holiday thefts, and why.
I liked this one quite a bit. The actors were solid across the board, and the lead guy honestly looked like Zac Efron with a questionable haircut. The chemistry felt believable, and the supporting cast worked well.
It wasn’t as cutesy or heartwarming as the typical holiday movie, and the mystery angle isn’t something we see often in these. That part kept it interesting. The downside? The reveal of the mystery, and the motive behind the thefts, was weak and pretty corny. It didn’t make much sense.
Even though it didn’t hit my usual favorites (cute, heartwarming, small-town vibes), it was still worth watching.
14. Christmas of Giving ★★★☆☆
Great American Family ◦ 2025 ◦ Watched: Nov 24
Christmas of Giving follows Belle, the overworked head of a local nonprofit who’s struggling to save their holiday donation drive. When the mayor brings in a consultant to help, Belle fears being replaced, until unexpected joy (and an old flame returning home) forces her to rethink what she wants. As Christmas nears, she learns that trusting others might be the greatest gift she can give.
This movie was really sweet. Ash Tsai, who played Belle, is a familiar face in these Christmas movies and she’s genuinely likeable. As usual, GAF leans into religious themes, but it didn’t take away from the experience. I liked that it balanced a slow-burn romance with a community-focused, generous, feel-good storyline. Watching Belle open up to help, friendships, and the people around her was satisfying. It did move a little slowly in spots, but overall it was a good one, just not especially memorable.
15. A Keller Christmas Vacation ★★★★☆
Hallmark ◦ 2025 ◦ Watched: Nov 25
A Keller Christmas Vacation follows the Keller family as the parents surprise their three adult children with a 10-day Christmas river cruise through Europe. The siblings, all dealing with their own problems and barely connected anymore, dread being stuck together. But the trip quickly turns into an unexpected mix of holiday activities, new friendships, family reconnection, and a secret that brings them closer just in time for Christmas.
This movie was fun and had more depth than I expected. The Christmas cruise setting instantly worked for me — I love cruises, and it’s been almost ten years since my last one, so this scratched an itch. The ship had tons of festive activities, and the adult-sibling dynamics added some humor. Add in a little romance, family bonding, and a deeper reason behind the trip, and this one really hit the mark.
Also, fun fact: I kept thinking the lead actress looked familiar, and when I finally looked it up, it turned out to be Eden Sher (Sue Heck from The Middle).
Overall, this was a good one that I'd highly recommend.
16. A Royal Christmas Manor ★★☆☆☆
UPtv ◦ 2025 ◦ Watched: Nov 26
A Royal Christmas Manor follows Katie, who hopes to take over her family’s small inn, and Prince Alexander, who escapes his European royal duties to spend Christmas in America as a “normal” person. Hiding his identity, he checks into Katie’s inn, and the two form a quick holiday connection. When a snowstorm keeps him from returning home, the truth (and his royal family) threatens to catch up with him.
I had my doubts going into this one. UPtv movies are usually low budget and not very strong, and royal Christmas movies aren’t really my thing. I didn’t love it, but it wasn’t as awful as I expected. It looked higher budget than their usual and the acting was better than I anticipated.
It still lacked most of the charm I enjoy in Christmas movies and came with the usual fake country, phony accents, and a romance that didn’t feel very believable. But it did mildly hold my attention and didn’t make me completely cringe, which is honestly a win for an UPtv royal movie.
17. Three Wisest Men ★★★☆☆
Hallmark ◦ 2025 ◦ Watched: Nov 27
Three Wisest Men brings the Brenner brothers back for another hectic holiday. With one expecting twins, another facing a major out-of-state job opportunity, and the third trying to plan his wedding, they’re all thrown off balance when their mom decides to sell the family home, making this their last Christmas there. Between surprise in-laws, chaotic mishaps, and a few wild holiday obstacles, the brothers have to pull together, face their growing-up challenges, and try to make it a Christmas to remember.
This is the third movie in this series, and I’ve been a big fan since the first one. The cast is great — Tyler Hynes is my favorite Hallmark actor, and Paul Campbell is always solid. The whole group plays off each other well, and the brother dynamic feels believable with all the teasing, humor, and family chaos.
It’s a funny series that also highlights the importance of family. I wouldn’t say this installment was as good as the first two, but it was still fun and cute.
18. Timeless Tidings of Joy ★★★★☆
Great American Family ◦ 2025 ◦ Watched: Nov 28
Timeless Tidings of Joy follows Ally (Candance Cameron Bure), who returns home to sell her late grandmother’s old letter-press shop. While preparing it for closure, she meets Bennett, someone determined to preserve the shop’s legacy. A time-travel twist sends Ally into the past, where she sees her grandmother’s life firsthand and begins to rethink everything she believed about her sacrifices and the future of the shop.
This was my second time-travel Christmas movie of the season, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I’m a Full House girlie, so I’ve always had a soft spot for Candace Cameron Bure, but I’ve never thought she was a great actress. Honestly, she was pretty good in this one. The whole cast worked well, and it was really cool seeing the modern-day characters interact with their family members when they were young.
Through the time-travel twist, Ally finally gets to understand and appreciate her grandmother in a way she never had before. It was genuinely touching, and I was sad to see it end. Yes, it had a religious slant — it’s Great American Family, after all — but this one was a winner for me. Cool concept, an interesting dilemma, and a surprisingly strong cast.
That wraps up batch three. On to the next batch... because the Christmas queue never ends.
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