Hallmark Christmas movies are corny, predictable and just what our critic needed to embrace the holiday spirit.The story of how a big-city culture critic, Amanda Hess, found love where she least expected it — in the monotony of Hallmark’s Christmas movies.Guest: Amanda Hess, a critic at large for the Culture section of The New York TimesBackground reading: One December morning, a millennial critic awoke to discover that she had been begrudgingly charmed by an onslaught of Hallmark and Netflix holiday films.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Chapter 1: What sparked Amanda Hess's interest in Hallmark Christmas movies?
Well, before we get to how you became this person who watches these movies, I want you to describe, especially for the unacquainted, this entire universe of made for TV movies. Just give us a little bit of background about it.
Chapter 2: How does Amanda Hess describe the world of made-for-TV Christmas movies?
Well, like you said, we're really talking about a category that was pioneered by the Hallmark Channel and is still dominated by that channel. Hallmark produces dozens of these made-for-TV Christmas movies every year. In 2024, they released 32. Wow. Of them. And one can imagine that they're not putting a huge amount of production into these movies.
They kind of seem like they each have the budget for like one snow flurry a movie.
One fake snowstorm per film. What are the names of some of these movies, just so we know what we're talking about here?
Let me pull up a list of them. Lucky Christmas. The Case for Christmas. A Christmas Wedding Tale. That one's about dogs. A Christmas Wish. Holiday Engagement. The Christmas Patch. Christmas Magic. Christmas Song. Matchmaker Santa. It's Christmas Carol.
It's Christmas comma Carol.
Yes.
There's not a lot of variation in this titling.
No, these movies are very similar to each other.
So I want to now dive into this journey that you have been on with these movies. What had been your relationship to them up until quite recently?
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Chapter 3: What is the typical formula of Hallmark Christmas movies?
Chapter 4: Why did Amanda Hess initially find Hallmark Christmas movies unappealing?
We're looking for unique individuals whose lifestyles are flexible and can keep up with the demand.
That sounds like me in every way.
Great. So what I really need to know is how available are you? I'm very, very available. Even during the holidays? Yeah. What about family, partner, household pets? Are they okay with this? I'm kind of a one-woman band. Perfect. Then I have a flight for you.
For some bizarre reason, she needs to go back to her hometown.
I don't think anybody's going to be getting through this until it dissipates. I suggest you find a place to land before you're out over the ocean.
Like she's a pilot and she's forced to do an emergency landing on Christmas Island.
Attention, this is your captain Kate Gabriel. Due to severe weather conditions over the Atlantic, we are making a temporary stop in Nova Scotia. Canada? So much for our easy flight to Europe.
Or she is forced to go to Scotland for Christmas because her mother has unexpectedly inherited a castle there. 30,000, this place is 30,000 acres.
Did you know your family has 30 bathrooms?
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Chapter 5: What personal circumstances led Amanda Hess to embrace these movies?
Why does anyone need 30 bathrooms?
You know, whatever it is.
Hey, it's me. So believe it or not, I am driving down Main Street.
Yep, I'm home.
Listen, we have so much to catch up on.
She goes to this small town, and they all look eerily similar. There's this quaint town square.
Yeah, you know. Most people come here for the lighthouse, but I think this street is pretty special.
That's always very festively decorated for Christmas.
And that is how Grandin Falls got her nickname, Christmastown.
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Chapter 6: What does Amanda Hess learn about herself through watching these films?
Chapter 7: How do Hallmark Christmas movies provide comfort during difficult times?
Yep, I'm home.
Listen, we have so much to catch up on.
She goes to this small town, and they all look eerily similar. There's this quaint town square.
Yeah, you know. Most people come here for the lighthouse, but I think this street is pretty special.
That's always very festively decorated for Christmas.
And that is how Grandin Falls got her nickname, Christmastown.
And there's just, like, a random, like, really hot guy who she runs into, like, often quite literally, and they bump into each other. Watch your step there. Thank you. He might be a handsome woodworker. It's not very far. I'm just going to walk. You didn't let me walk with you. I just have to put some tools away and lock up. or an unassuming groundskeeper. Who leads a ladder just standing around?
I do.
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Chapter 8: What is the cultural significance of Hallmark Christmas movies?
Oh. And once they go in his house, even though he's like a 36 to 42-year-old single man, it's always aggressively decorated for Christmas. And here we are. Nick, this is beautiful. This must have taken you days. And as they embark on some kind of Christmas task together, whether it's solving the mystery of a missing ornament that will unlock a genealogical mystery for this woman's family.
This is grandma's tradition. It's an incredible gift she's given me. or they need to turn around a struggling music venue so that her parents can save it.
Okay, I need you to declare one of these holiday IPAs as perfect. Otherwise, it might just be game over for Mobile Joe's.
Not bad, huh? Well, now that I know the stakes, let's do this.
They fall in love, but there's some impediment to their love. Usually it has something to do with the woman having to go back to the big city.
Andy, I'm leaving for Seattle in the morning. I called your mom and I'm staying with her tonight. I think it's for the best.
She has to make a big decision as to whether she's going to return to her old life in her career or she's going to start her new life, which is based in this new relationship. She goes to the airport, she gets in the car, and then... Graham, turn the car around. You know, she asks the driver to turn the car around.
I can figure out how to run my own practice. I can figure out how to make this work.
And often the small town man presents her with a seasonally appropriate necklace.
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