1. A Holiday to Remember starring Connie Sellecca, Randy Travis, & Rue McClanahan
This has been my favorite Christmas movie since the moment I first saw it when it aired on CBS in 1995. (Remember when the "Big 3" networks used to make lots of TV movies? For a girl who grew up without cable, those Saturday and Sunday night movies were something to look forward to.)
Following her divorce, Carolyn moves back to her hometown with her daughter. Carolyn's ex-fiancé Clay still lives there, and sparks fly. Plus, there's an adorable runaway who kind of steals the show.
My sisters cannot stand this movie, but my mom and I have to watch it once each Christmas season.
2. Christmas in Conway starring Mary Louise Parker, Andy Garcia, & Mandy Moore
3. Snow Bride starring Katrina Law, Jordan Belfi, & Patricia Richardson
Snow Bride is a bit on the ridiculous side—through a crazy series of events, tabloid reporter Greta ends up stranded in the snow, wearing a wedding dress. When Ben Tannenhill finds her, he assumes she's a runaway bride. Really, she's supposed to be writing a story about the Tannenhills, so she keeps her identity a secret. Just when she's ready to leave, Ben's brother shows up with his new girlfriend ... Ben's ex. So Ben and Greta pretend to be a couple, and, in the process, fall in love. It may sound ridiculous, but Law and Belfi have such chemistry that it works.
4. The Nine Lives of Christmas starring Brandon Routh, Kimberly Sustad, & Gregory Harrison
The Nine Lives of Christmas is the story of two people—firefighter Zachary and vet student Marilee—who are brought together by a stray cat. I'm sure I'd love this movie even if it didn't prominently feature a cat, but this non-cheesy cat movie certainly made this cat lover quite happy!
5. His & Her Christmas starring David Sutcliffe & Dina Meyer
I've been a fan of David Sutcliffe ever since I first saw him on Gilmore Girls. While I didn't think Christopher was right for Lorelai, and I hated the SPOILER ALERT ill-fated marriage storyline in Season 7, I still enjoyed seeing David onscreen. He's just so charming!
His & Her Christmas is about dueling newspaper columnists who—you guessed it—fall in love at Christmas. It's a lot of fun!
IMDb | Amazon (It's not available by itself, but it's part of a $10 12-pack, which also includes Under the Mistletoe [Shanks!] and Recipe for a Perfect Christmas)
6. A Christmas Romance starring Olivia Newton-John & Gregory Harrison
Probably one of the most implausible of the bunch, it's also one of the most romantic. When Julia can't make her mortgage payment, Brian goes to tell her the bank is going to foreclose. But there's a snowstorm, and he gets stranded with Julia and her two daughters. Over the course of a day, the two fall in love.
7. A Season for Miracles starring Carla Gugino, Mae Whitman, & David Conrad
This is another Hallmark Hall of Fame movie. I've only seen it a handful of times ('cause Hallmark Hall of Fame movies are pricey—I just have to catch it on TV), but I just love it!
When Emilie's sister overdoses, Emilie runs off with her niece and nephew to keep them out of foster care. They end up in a small town named Bethlehem, where they find a chance at happiness.
8. Trading Christmas starring Faith Ford, Gil Bellows, & Tom Cavanagh
When widowed Emily learns her daughter won't be coming home from Boston for Christmas, she does a house swap with author Charles for Christmas so she can surprise her daughter. She falls for his brother; he falls for her best friend. It's basically The Holiday, and I love it!
Side note: I'd watch Tom Cavanagh in almost anything. Ed, this movie, Snow (an ABC Family Christmas movie), The Flash. He makes everything better.
9. Hitched for the Holidays starring Joey Lawrence & Emily Hampshire
When I first saw Hitched for the Holidays, it didn't wow me. But my mom loved it, so I got it for part of her Christmas present last year. We watched it all together, and I LOVED IT! I don't know why the second viewing was so much better than the first, but this movie has now become a favorite.
Rob and Julie decide to be each other's plus one through the holidays to keep their meddling families off their backs. Sparks fly, of course, but my favorite part is the humor that results from Rob's Catholic family pretending to be Jewish when they meet Julie's parents.
10. Love at the Christmas Table starring Danica McKellar, Lea Thompson, & Scott Patterson
Love at the Christmas Table follows Sam and Kat through multiple Christmas Eve dinners over the span of about 30 years. They're best friends who (of course) eventually fall in love. There's also a cute subplot involving Kat's widowed father (Patterson).
What are your favorite made for TV Christmas movies? I'm always up for more, so I'd love to know your favorites! Let me know in the comments, and be sure to check out the other movie-related posts in the linkup.
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
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my fave is a season for miracles with the late patty duke ( who went home to the Lord this year and she will be missed ) . I cry everytime I see this movie and oh yeah david Conrad is a personal friend of my college roommate so I knew him way back when . He is an angel on earth . super super nice and loves his mother too so good person all around .
ReplyDeleteThat's such a cool connection! Thanks for sharing!
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