Hallmark Christmas movies have become a fixture in Christmas tradition for most American women. Specifically, women ages 18-49 and 25-54, according to Hallmark Channel’s parent company.
“Hallmark Channel is currently ranking as the #1 entertainment network on cable in Fourth Quarter to-date among Households, Women 18+, Women 25-54, and Total Viewers,” Crown Media announced in a press release last week. The network ranked “#1 across all of broadcast and cable in the quarter-to-date during Saturday Primetime among Women 18+.”
The predictable story lines seem to touch something deep in the hearts of women (and their sweet husbands who watch with them).
A 2019 Forbes article reported the Hallmark Channel’s annual “Countdown to Christmas” movie premier attracted more viewers than ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox during Saturday night primetime slots. An average audience of 3.5 million viewers tuned into the weekly Christmas movie debuts. That’s quite remarkable for a nine-week run featuring movies echoing near-identical themes.
Why are the reoccurring themes appealing on such a massive scale week after week? Could it be that they try to feed a hunger to experience a love and relationship that only God can offer? I think so. Only they’re wrapped in faintly-varying plotlines.
Hope
Let’s set aside the more general reasons why Hallmark Christmas movies attract viewers. They are festive. Sparkly lights and beautifully decorated homes. They are wholesome. Typically, the films are rated G so that we don’t have to worry about watching them while our small children play in the living room. But to garner 3.5 million viewers every Saturday night, the content must be more than squeaky clean. Right?
Crown Media says their aim for Hallmark Christmas movies is to “bring comfort and joy with America’s favorite holiday entertainment traditions.”
Perhaps this is why a common storyline entails hope. Hope that the family farm will be saved. Hope that the local children’s home won’t be sold. Hope that the single dad/and or prince will find a wife to fill the emptiness. You’re getting the point.
Hope gives us encouragement to get through the scary uncertainty. It’s a theme our lives cannot live without.
Peace
Hallmark Christmas films also revolve around conflict. Family or small business struggles, neighborhood tension, a broken courtship. Conflict requires easing and comfort and this usually involves relationship. The films begin with an absence of peace and conclude with an absence of conflict.
“Peace on earth” in a Hallmark film is portrayed through mended relationship and resolved conflict in some unlikely small town. Not a bad story concept, I’d say.
Love
Centered in every Hallmark Christmas film is a romance. The Christmas tree farm faces foreclosure and a princess must save her kingdom. It doesn’t matter. There is always a love story. More than that, it is crucial for every main character to experience endless disappointments and then, this time, love finally fills a void allowing for pure joy.
Joy
You’ve probably guessed what I’m getting at here. The general themes of each Hallmark Christmas movie reflect the themes of Advent: hope, peace, love, and ultimately joy. Main characters slow from busyness and pressure. There is preparation for the holiday season. They self-reflect as they yearn for more than themselves. And the characters always find the love they’re looking for fulfilling their hopes and filling them with joy. A joy that, in real life, only the Christ can offer.
It can be funny to mock cheesy Christmas movies. Some hilarious spoofs have been done. And there are eye-roll worthy factors in the cheesy Christmas movie formula. (A formula that has proven lucrative.) But I’ll argue that, overall, these films can offer a positive outcome. They can point to something greater that we all yearn to experience.
Life is not as shiny and sparkly as a Hallmark Christmas film. But it is a love story about a Hope and Love that fills our emptiness, offers peace in our struggles, and touches and changes our hearts.
That’s my simple argument. I’m happy to read your thoughts in the comment section.
Comment by Dan on December 21, 2020 at 5:06 pm
Unfortunately, “wokeness” has been added to the themes this year. My wife is not watching the movies that have woke sexuality themes in them. I would be very interested to know what the ratings are for these particular movies. There were only a few this season and I wonder if the Hall family is watching to see if they need to be even more politically correct in the future to avoid the woke police!
Comment by Douglas E Ehrhardt on December 22, 2020 at 4:39 am
Yes Dan , cultural Marxism rears it’s ugly head. I got rid of cable TV many years ago. It’s only gotten many times worse and the power behind it keeps pushing for more.J just like the whole of our culture.
Comment by David Mixon on December 22, 2020 at 5:59 pm
In the older movies, they would spend Christmas Eve in a small church now they attend some kind of winter festival. (WOKE)
Comment by Faith McDonnell on December 23, 2020 at 11:10 am
Hi Chelsen!
I love the analysis you have done. I think you really have hit the reason these movies are so popular. Even if the screenwriters don’t realize it themselves, they are demonstrating the human spirit’s resonating with the themes of Advent. And I hope that the “woke” versions go over like a lead balloon, so the company will bow to political correctness.
Comment by David on December 26, 2020 at 8:02 am
Nice article the explains why we have enjoyed so many Hallmark Christmas movies…even after Christmas!
Sadly, however, we have had to become guarded with the newer ones that have inserted woke and alternative sexual relationships. Not the same love, peace, hope and joy that Christ brings at all.
So sad…we are watching less and anticipate that Hallmark will lose their major viewers to comply for a few.
Comment by Sue Walker on December 26, 2020 at 9:36 am
I have enjoyed the Hallmark movies for many years, but this year the inclusion of same-sex relationships has totally turned me off them. I’ll start out watching the movie, but the second I see a same-sex relationship, I turn it off. I hope this sends a message to Hallmark. I e-mailed them my concerns but have thus far had no response.
Comment by Randy Gibson on December 26, 2020 at 12:51 pm
I think you are on to something Chelsen! I am a big fan, I am a “sweet husband” who introduced my wife to Hallmark Christmas movies. Out of that, we subscribed to Hallmark Movies Now – their streaming channel. Of all the Hallmark films that I have seen over my 63 years , the single most standout for its presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is “The Christmas Wish.” The 2011 film stars Kristy Swanson, Edward Herrman and Tess Harper whose considerable acting skills are all overshadowed by young Kirstin Dorn who consistently shares the love, peace, hope and joy of Christ throughout the film. I highly recommend it to all who want to watch how those four gifts of the Christ child can change lives for the better. A blessed Christmas to all!
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1577038/