Every year, I tell myself I will be more intentional about my Christmas movie watching. This year, I actually was, even if the results were not exactly what I hoped for.
I watched my first Christmas movie on October 31 and wrapped up on Christmas Day. I always debate watching past Christmas, but I never do. Once the day passes, I don't want to dilute the magic. Anyway, it was a pretty good year even if I fell a few short of my goal!
📊 By the Numbers
- 42 Christmas movies watched and reviewed
- Viewing window: October 31 to December 25
- Most watched in one day: 2 (on a good weekend)
- Down from last year: 42 this year vs 47 last year
- Overall average rating: 2.8 stars
Ratings breakdown:
- ★★★★★ — 3 movies
- ★★★★☆ — 7 movies
- ★★★☆☆ — 12 movies
- ★★☆☆☆ — 13 movies
- ★☆☆☆☆ — 7 movies
I am intentionally stingy with five-star ratings, so the movies that land there really earn it.
Two disappointments this year: I watched fewer movies overall, and I did not watch any of the Christmas shows on my list.
📺 Network Breakdown
Hallmark: 24 watched. Average rating: 3.2. I managed to watch every Hallmark premiere.
Best of the network: Merry Christmas, Ted Cooper!
Great American Family: 13 watched. Average rating: 2.4.
Best of the network: Christmas in Midnight Clear
UPtv: 5 watched. Average rating: 1.2. This year really confirmed that UPtv should stay last priority for me.
Best of the network: A Royal Christmas Manor
🏆 Favorites and Standouts
Absolute favorites (5 stars)
- Merry Christmas, Ted Cooper!
- Christmas Above the Clouds
- A Make or Break Holiday
Other standouts: The More the Merrier; A Grand Ole Opry Christmas; Single on the 25th
Notably, every favorite and standout this year came from Hallmark.
🎭 Favorite and Standout Performances
Favorites
- Tyler Hynes
- Hunter King
- Paul Campbell
Standouts: Andrew Walker; Lacey Chabert; Nikki DeLoach; Kristoffer Polaha; Erin Krakow; Lyndsy Fonseca; Daniel Lissing; Janel Parrish; Shae Robins; Christopher Russell; Danica McKellar; Ash Tsai
Even when a movie didn’t fully work for me, performances like these often kept me engaged.
🚫 Worst of the Season
A Soldier for Christmas (UPtv); The Christmas Spark (GAF); A Royal Icing Christmas (GAF)
🎬 How I Watched and Tracked This Year
I start scouring the internet for release schedules from each network in the late summer and begin building my list as early as possible, revising it as needed throughout the season as titles change and schedules shift. I typically track everything in Google Docs, but this year I moved the whole system over to the blog.
For most of the season, I followed the chronological release list on my blog holiday watchlist, which combined all network releases into a single timeline. I watched in that order regardless of channel. Toward the end of the season, when time started running out, I switched gears and prioritized Hallmark. That pivot paid off and is the reason I was able to finish every Hallmark premiere, even though I did not complete any other network.
After watching a movie, I usually return to my watchlist the next day to check it off and rate it, then write the review shortly after. Once I had six reviews compiled, I published a new batch of reviews.
I watch my movies almost exclusively in bed at night after the kids go to sleep. I aim for one movie per night, though some stretch across two evenings. On weekends, I can usually squeeze in a couple more by watching during the day too. I stream everything through Philo, which has all the networks I need and lets me DVR movies so I can usually skip past the commercials.
What Worked and What Didn’t
This year confirmed a few long-standing patterns for me. I continue to respond best to grounded stories with strong character development and believable relationships, and I struggle with gimmicks, excessive magic, cheap production quality, and low-effort writing. Cozy settings, family dynamics, strong holiday vibes, community feel, and emotional realism still matter more to me than novelty alone. A strong cast is also really important.
And I have to say it again: royal Christmas movies are almost never a win for me. No matter the network, the formula just does not hit the way it seems to for everyone else.
🎯 What I Want to Do Differently Next Year
- Start in mid-October, not Halloween, because clearly I need more time!
- Prioritize networks in this order: Hallmark, then GAF, then Lifetime, then UPtv
- Make room for holiday shows in the schedule, not just movies
- Also make room for some streaming holiday releases, too
- Keep the goal: beat every previous year
Closing Thoughts
Ending the season always makes me a little sad. At this point, watching Christmas movies has become a ritual for me, something steady and comforting that I return to every year.
During my Christmas movie watching window, I only watch Christmas movies. All other shows and movies get put on hold. I even read less than usual because I like to prioritize them. There's just something about the predictability, the familiar tropes, and the seasonal rhythm that feels grounding in a way nothing else does.
Once Christmas Day passes, I stop. I do not want to dilute the experience by stretching it too far. Part of the magic is knowing it has an endpoint and that I get to anticipate it each October. I'm already looking forward to next year!
And with that, I’m officially closing the book on the 2025 Christmas movie season... until next year!
🔗 Links
Season watchlist and schedule: Holiday Watchlist 2025
This post includes the chronological schedule, my ratings, and a breakdown by network.
All 2025 review posts: Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, Round 4, Round 5, Round 6, Round 7
Master list: Christmas Movie Master List
This is a work in progress. I am currently transferring over movies from previous years, so it will keep growing as I update it.
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