Hallmark has an iron grip on holiday entertainment. Since the company aired its first Christmas movie in 2000, the company’s collection of holiday-themed films has swelled to over 100 movies, with no signs of slowing down anytime soon. This year alone, the Hallmark Channel plans to add forty-one films to its roster, with each film being released during Hallmark’s annual ‘Countdown to Christmas.’

The reasoning behind Hallmark’s fanatical devotion to the holidays is simple: their Christmas movies typically cost less than 800,000 dollars to make, and each movie’s entire production cycle usually only takes around three months. For context, the average film costs upwards of 70 million dollars and takes over a year to complete. 

Not only are Hallmark movies quick and cheap to make, but they are also extremely profitable and are practically guaranteed to rack up millions of views. According to a press release, the Hallmark Channel ended 2020 as the most-watched entertainment cable network in the fourth quarter of the year and ranked second for the whole year.

Even if you have never actively tried to watch a Hallmark movie, chances are, you have crossed paths with one at some point in your life — perhaps you lingered on the Hallmark Channel for a moment while channel flipping or caught a glimpse of your airplane seatmate watching one. If you somehow have not, you have likely still heard about them before, considering how popular they are during the holiday season. 

Yet, somewhat paradoxically, the popular opinion seems to be that in terms of quality and originality, Hallmark movies pale in comparison to other existing films — they are unrealistic and fraught with clichés. They lack diversity and many characters are practically walking stereotypes.

Take these two films for example: ‘Christmas She Wrote’ follows Kayleigh, a writer who has recently had her column canceled right before Christmas. Distraught, she returns to her hometown to reconnect with her family but winds up being paid a visit by the man who canceled her column. The two fall in love and Kayleigh gets her column back, just in time for Christmas. Similarly, ‘Christmas by Starlight’ centers on a lawyer named Annie and her endeavor to save her family’s café. She meets the real estate agent responsible for the demolition plan, falls in love, and the two of them save the café in time to celebrate Christmas.

Almost every Hallmark movie, with a few exceptions, can be boiled down to the same formulaic plot beats: a hardworking woman meets a conventionally attractive man after a recent hardship, falls in love, and has her problems solved in an incredibly convenient way, all in time to usher in the holidays and live happily ever after.

This, of course, begs the question of why these movies remain a staple of the holiday season — with so many people watching them, there has to be a reason why, right? To answer this, I sought out the opinions of others who have seen their share of Hallmark movies. 

“I don’t think they’re actually ‘good’ by regular movie or story standards, but they’re fun enough to watch that it doesn’t really matter,” Khado Tsephel ’23 said. “The plots are pretty simple and entertaining, plus they have a nostalgic feel that makes them fun to watch.”

Sarah Lin ’25 shared a similar sentiment. “They’re not good because they have lots of clichés and unrealistic romances and setups, but they’re still fun to watch.” 

Two facets of these responses stand out. The first is that both Tsephel and Lin agreed that Hallmark movies are not ‘good.’ The second is that, despite not believing them to be of high quality, both of them still described the films as fun to watch. 

This seems to be a widely-held opinion among many Hallmark movie fans: the appeal does not stem from clever writing or impressive acting as it does for other movies. “I don’t think Hallmark movies should be held to the same standards as other movies because they’re made to fit a very specific mold that isn’t good in comparison to other movies,” said Lin. 

Hence why Hallmark movies can get away with predictable plots revolving around unrealistic romances — people simply do not watch Hallmark movies expecting to find the greatest film of all time. Instead, the allure of the Hallmark movie lies elsewhere. 

For many, the holidays can be stressful — it takes time and effort to arrange get-togethers and go gift shopping while juggling other everyday responsibilities. Amid the chaos, it is often all too easy to lose sight of what makes the holidays a festive time. People are more likely to seek out sources of consistent and straightforward entertainment to take their minds off their stressors.

Taking this into consideration, it makes sense why Hallmark movies, with their formulaic, feel-good plots, are in high demand during the holiday season. “People tend to watch cheesy Hallmark movies around the holidays because it’s positive, even though predictable…Although the movie may not be that great, it provides a temporary glimpse of optimism for some,” said Saniyyah Mayo, a licensed marriage and family therapist, in an interview with the Huffington Post. 

In addition, Hallmark movies appeal to viewers’ sense of nostalgia for the holidays; as Lin noted, “The holidays run on nostalgia and things that make people happy, and Hallmark movies give people that.” Because little has changed about Hallmark movies since its first film was released and every program aims to capture the spirit of Christmas, both new and old Hallmark movies are likely to evoke nostalgia from viewers. 

Bill Abbott, who is widely regarded as the parent of the Hallmark Channel, said, “Our focus is in creating an experience where you can turn the TV on; feel comfortable; and cook, decorate, or do something holiday-related and that puts you in the spirit.” If we judge Hallmark movies by these criteria rather than our usual standards for films, the movies actually do a good job of fulfilling their goals.  

Not everyone is going to enjoy Hallmark movies — holiday cheer cannot be expected to compensate for lackluster writing and acting in everyone’s eyes. But, if you ever find yourself with time to spare and a craving for cheesy romances and goofy antics, consider sparing a second glance at the Hallmark Channel. 

“I don’t think Hallmark movies should be held to the same standards as other movies because they’re made to fit a very specific mold that isn’t good in comparison to other movies,” said Lin.