'Tis the season for holiday movies. This is one of my favorite parts of the Christmas season. I love Christmas movies; we usually have them on all the time during the season (much to my husband's chagrin, who's not a big fan). My mom and I love them, though. We watch them while we bake, cook, clean, and chill out.
You would think that a Christmas movie wouldn't contain offensive material. However, today's Christmas movies and comedies still contain adult situations, language, and other content that is not appropriate for the whole family.
Are all Christmas movies doomed? Nope! You can find lots of great Christmas movies on stations like Hallmark, Great American Family, and Pure Flix. (I will say that Hallmark has been leaning toward a more 'inclusive' slant, which makes me sad, but that doesn't mean there aren't any good Christmas movies on the station.)
If you are looking for Christmas movies for the whole family, this list has you covered. Here are my pics for some great holiday viewing.
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If your family loves history, they will love this movie. It's about a historian who needs some inspiration for her next project, so she returns to her hometown, Aurora. Aurora is known for its breathtaking views of the northern lights. While there, she becomes close with the local tour guide.
This movie stars Jill Wagner and Jesse Hutch, and it premieres on December 14th on Great American Family.
Photo credit: FTiare
If your family loves music, this movie will be right up their alley. Singer Bella rose to fame while Jack stayed behind to work and support his family after his father's passing. After breaking up with her singing partner, Bella returns to her hometown and Jack, requesting his help to write an amazing song to win her ex back.
This movie stars real-life couple Carlos and Alexa PenaVega. The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, Mario Lopez, Victoria Jackson, and Natasha Bure also made special appearances. The best part? You won't have to plug the kids' ears with the music in this movie. It premieres December 21st on Great American Family. I'm looking forward to this one.
Photo Credit: ©Great American Media 2024
If your family loves classic Christmas movies, you will love this movie. It's the story of a screenwriter who lands a plumb job to write the script for the remake of a beloved holiday movie.
They filmed the original film in 1947 at the gorgeous and historic Biltmore House. When the head of the film studio is not happy about her rewriting of the ending because it varies from the original, he sends Lucy to the Biltmore for inspiration and research.
While there, she discovers an hourglass that allows her to time travel back to 1947. She winds up spending time with Jack Huston, one of the film's stars, and they become close. However, Lucy's appearance has set in motion a chain of events that can mess things up and put the production in jeopardy. She can't return to the present until she makes things right, and if she doesn't, she takes the chance of altering the future forever.
I love this movie's "classic" vibe and the stunning Biltmore Hotel.
This movie stars Bethany Joy Lentz, Kristopher Palaka, Jonathan Frakes, and Robert Picardo. It premiered last year (2023) on Hallmark but is well worth the watch.
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JJ is grieving the loss of her grandmother and seeks inspiration for her dissertation. After meeting Henrik, she joins him on an unexpected holiday trip. Henrik is a Norwegian from Bergen and when he discovers she has a troll that was made in his hometown, they grow closer.
Wanting to find out more about the troll figure and her grandmother since she was in Norway for a time, JJ goes with Henrik. When they get to Bergen, they are quickly immersed in family Christmas traditions and wedding traditions for his sister's wedding on the day before Christmas Eve. While uncovering the troll's origins, JJ learns lessons about family, love, and healing.
This movie has a great story about family and beautiful scenery and teaches about traditions and customs in Norway around the holidays.
It stars Rhiannon Fish and David Elsendoorn. It also premiered last year (2023) on Hallmark and is definitely worth the watch. I like it so much I've watched it at least three times already this season alone.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Andrii Lysenko
If your family loves animals, especially dogs, they will love this Christmas movie. It's about an injured soldier named Caleb who experiences healing with the help of shelter dogs. Specifically, therapy shelter dogs.
To express his gratitude, he returns home to help Amber run the local shelter. However, as they get to know each other and time goes on, he realizes his feelings for Amber have grown much deeper than just being thankful to assist at the shelter. He's not just thankful for the shelter and the dogs; he's in love with their amazing caretaker, too.
This movie stars Ash Tsai and Eric Guilmette. It premiered on November 2nd on Great American Family, but you can still catch it this holiday season.
Photo Credit: ©Great American Media 2024
This movie is about a woman who finds a cassette in the player of her deceased dad's truck. Puzzled, she gives it a listen, only to be instructed to embark on a Christmas road trip down memory lane. On her journey, she meets a stranger in need of help, and he offers to help her in return.
This movie stars Candace Cameron Bure and Eric Johnson. It premiered on November 16th on Great American Family, but you can still catch it this holiday season.
This movie is fantastic and has a unique story. I loved the chemistry and banter between the characters. Desi is sweet but cautious, and Greyson is a mix of sarcastic and sweet. It was fun watching Desi and Greyson on their holiday road trip and learning about Desi's life and her family. I could watch this movie several times and not tire of it. It's one of my new holiday favorites.
Photo Credit: ©Great American Media 2024
This movie is the true story about the beloved Christmas Carol, I Heard the Bells, and its author, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. His grief, caused by the Civil War, led him to stop writing until the sounds of Christmas morning stirred his heart and renewed his faith. This led him to write the beloved carol we know, giving hope through the generations.
This movie stars Stephen Atherholt, Jonathan Blair, and Rachel Day Hughes. It airs on November 28th and 30th on Great American Family.
I'm excited to watch this movie because I love stories about writers and their lives. It will be interesting to watch Mr. Longfellow's journey from tragic loss to renewing his faith in God and in writing.
Photo Credit: ©Great American Media 2024
A mayor of a small town realizes his childhood wishes are coming true. With the help of his longtime friend, they work to inspire the town to show off its warmth and values, all to thwart a developer's plans to take the town in an unwanted direction.
This movie stars Mario Lopez and Courtney Lopez. It premieres on December 7th on Great American Family.
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You will enjoy this movie if you are a fan of childhood romances. Two childhood friends reunite when they have to take over and preserve their relative's magical maple sugar farm after the relative passes away.
This movie stars Candace Cameron Bure and Cameron Mathison. It premieres on December 1st on Great American Family.
Photo Credit: ©Great American Media 2024
If your family likes home renovation shows and traveling to faraway destinations, you will love this movie. It's about a house flipper woman who winds up buying a cottage in Ireland to renovate. Once she arrives, she finds that the cottage is in massive disrepair, and the local realtor is not happy that she's there.
This movie features Fiona Gubelmann and Eoin Macken. It premiered on Hallmark on November 10th but you can still watch it this holiday season.
I'm a huge fan of Ireland, so this movie was right up my alley. The scenery is breathtaking and draws you right in. I also loved the story as well.
The Christmas season is full of holiday movies on all different channels. Still, we need to be mindful of what we watch and screen for inappropriate issues that our families don't need to see or hear about. The movies in the list above are clean, some with faith-based elements, and appropriate for the whole family. You can watch them in full confidence, knowing that you will experience the spirit of Christmas the way it's meant to be—pure and magical.
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