Christmas holiday romance movies have become a beloved tradition, filling our screens with festive cheer, heartwarming moments, and, of course, the promise of love. These films transport us to snow-covered towns, twinkling lights, and cozy settings where couples find unexpected connections, rekindling old flames, or discovering new ones. With their perfect blend of seasonal magic and romantic storytelling, holiday romances have a special way of capturing the spirit of the season while tugging at our heartstrings.
Whether they feature charming small towns, Christmas miracles, or heartwarming reunions, these films have become synonymous with the holiday season as they bring joy with their happy endings. Fun fact: most of these Christmas flicks are actually filmed in Canada!
Hot Frosty (2024)
Hot Frosty is a magical feel-good romance set in a charming snow-filled small town. It’s centered on Kathy (Lacey Chabert), a grieving widow who is struggling to find joy after the loss of her husband. Her life takes a frosty twist when her enchanted scarf brings to life Jack (Dustin Milligan), a snow sculpture with a knack for learning fast—especially handyman skills, which he uses to fix fences, repair roofs, and win over the townsfolk. Jack’s infectious charm melts almost everyone’s heart, except for the local cop, who’s suspicious of his chilly origins and tracks his every snowy move with comical intensity.
As Jack and Kathy bond over festive moments, an undeniable romance blossoms—but the elephant in the room (or snowman in this case) remains: Jack’s days are numbered, thanks to the laws of thermodynamics. Kathy faces a heartfelt dilemma: should she dive into a romance with her frosty beau or brace herself for an inevitable puddle of heartbreak?
Watch for: A dazzling and chiseled Jack turns heads with his sculpted abs, leaving every woman in town swooning. But let’s be honest—you’ll need to fully embrace the film’s supernatural premise. Questions like how Jack can instantly speak fluently, how binge-watching TV somehow turned him into the perfect gentleman, and, well, if he has genitals, are best left unasked.
Our Little Secret (2024)
Our Little Secret is a comedic whirlwind about Avery (Lindsay Lohan) and Logan (Ian Harding), childhood best friends turned exes, who find themselves awkwardly reunited during a Christmas family gathering. The twist? Their current partners, Cameron (Jon Rudnitsky) and Cassie (Katie Baker), are siblings. To complicate matters, Cameron’s mom is the ultimate mother-in-law nightmare, prompting Avery to go above and beyond to impress her.
Amidst a week of festive chaos involving the family toy dog, meddling family members, and secrets—including Cameron’s ex and some blackmail antics from Cameron’s mischievous younger brother—Avery and Logan are forced to confront their unresolved feelings. Packed with laugh-out-loud misunderstandings, heartfelt moments, and the classic dysfunction of holiday reunions, the film delivers a relatable and entertaining take on love, family, and second chances.
Watch for: It’s perfect for fans of Lindsay Lohan’s previous Netflix ventures. She plays the same character – the type who’s super awkward, especially around in-laws, and will do the craziest things imaginable. Plus, whatever may go wrong, will go horribly wrong.
ExMas (2023)
Speaking of exes, EXMas is a rom-com that brings the holiday chaos to a whole new level. When Graham (Robbie Amell) decides to surprise his family for Christmas, he’s hit with an awkward twist: his ex-fiancee Ali (Leighton Meester) is now the guest of honour. The two exes battle it out to see who the family will pick to stay through Christmas Day and who must go, with Graham betting against Ali that his parents will ask her to leave before Christmas. As old sparks fly and family secrets unfold, the two navigate their shared past while dealing with their over-the-top relatives.
When Graham’s family insists on a game of charades, Graham and Ali find themselves unintentionally acting out their past relationship with exaggerated movements, much to the embarrassment of both. Their awkwardness, mixed with the family’s overenthusiastic reactions, creates a hilarious yet cringeworthy moment that perfectly captures all the Christmas clichés—because nothing says “holiday spirit” like dealing with exes at Christmas!
Watch for: Meester and Amell are inventive comic actors who have you rooting for them from the opening moments, and you’re not sure who will win at the end.
Single All the Way (2021)
Single All the Way is a festive rom-com brimming with small town charm and chaos as Peter (Michael Urie), a perpetually single social media strategist, ropes in his best friend Nick (Philemon Chambers) to pose as his boyfriend for Christmas to dodge his family’s relentless matchmaking. Things spiral hilariously when Peter’s mom arranges a blind date with her hunky trainer James (Luke Macfarlane), while the rest of the family starts scheming to pair Peter and Nick, who might just be a perfect match after all. It helps that both of them secretly have feelings for each other!
Packed with laughs, heartfelt moments, and a show-stealing turn from Jennifer Coolidge as the eccentric Aunt Sandy, this delightful story explores love, friendship, and finding your happily-ever-after in an inclusive, glittery holiday setting.
Watch for: A heartwarming Christmas film that centers on a gay love story—a refreshing rarity even in today’s cinematic landscape. The timeless appeal of the best friends-to-lovers trope resonates with anyone who’s feared that pursuing love might risk a cherished friendship bond.
Love Hard (2021)
Love Hard follows Natalie Bauer (Nina Dobrev), an unlucky-in-love journalist from Los Angeles who falls for a seemingly perfect guy, Tag (Darren Barnet), on a dating app. After a brief period of online dating, she travels to his East Coast hometown to surprise him for Christmas, only to discover she’s been catfished by Josh Lin (Jimmy O. Yang), Tag’s childhood friend who’s been catfishing women using pictures of his hunky high-school buddy (yikes!). To make amends, Josh offers to help Natalie win over the real Tag if she pretends to be his girlfriend for the holidays so that his family won’t think he’s a loser (who lives in his parents’ basement).
Josh helps Natalie woo Tag by providing inside intel to transform her into someone she clearly isn’t, turning this film into a weird love triangle. Basically, Natalie goes from being catfished to being the catfisher! As connections grow between the three of them, who’ll get their happy ending, and who gets left out in the snow?
Watch for: It’s got an Asian lead in a romantic holiday rom-com, which is not something you see a lot. It also shows how problematic the real world dating scene really is, especially when almost everyone uses a dating app. Plus, there is an awkward love triangle.
Holidate (2020)
Holidate follows Sloane (Emma Roberts) and Jackson (Luke Bracey), two commitment-phobic strangers who find themselves under siege by nosy relatives and awkward singlehood during a Christmas family gathering. So they strike a pact to be each other’s “holidate”—a platonic plus-one for every holiday on the calendar. From wild New Year’s parties to cringe-worthy family Thanksgiving dinners, their arrangement veers hilariously into murky territory as sparks begin to fly.
The film revels in its snarky humour, unapologetically raunchy jokes, and tongue-in-cheek jabs at holiday rom-com tropes. Sloane and Jackson are both gorgeous, funny, and charismatic, but Kristen Chenoweth steals every scene as Sloane’s hilariously unfiltered aunt. Equal parts irreverent and sweet, Holidate is a rom-com cocktail that’s festive, funny, and a little bit naughty.
Watch for: Both Sloane and Jackson (did we mention his irresistible Aussie charm?) share an electrifying and believable chemistry. They’re the classic friends-to-lovers couple, and their journey from platonic partners to falling in love also addresses the question of whether a romantic partnership would ruin a perfectly good friendship.
The Holiday (2006)
The Holiday follows two women, Iris (Kate Winslet) and Amanda (Cameron Diaz), who find themselves single just before Christmas – Iris from her emotionally-needy ex and Amanda from her cheating one. Amanda decides to take a two week vacation and surfs the internet. She meets Iris online, and they agree to swap their homes for the holidays. Amanda heads to a quaint English cottage where Iris is from, while Iris stays in a lavish Los Angeles mansion where Amanda is from. Iris strikes up a romance with the charming Miles (Jack Black), in addition to forming a sweet friendship with retired screenwriter Arthur (Eli Wallach). Meanwhile, Amanda sparks a romance with Iris’s brother, Graham (Jude Law). As each of them find love, they soon realise that the imminent return home may end their relationships.
Along the way, there are plenty of funny moments, like Amanda’s awkward encounters with Iris’s elderly neighbour and Iris’s attempts at dating in LA, all set against the backdrop of Christmas magic and personal transformation. The film features a stellar cast, so you can expect some great chemistry.
Watch for: The stellar cast, especially with swoonworthy Jude Law as daddy Mr. Napkinhead, makes this film feel more big budget than other Christmas romances. Also, the setting and design for both homes feels like you’re watching Architectural Digest come to life.
Love Actually (2003)
This is a beloved classic! Love Actually is a heartwarming romantic comedy set in London during the weeks leading up to Christmas. The film follows ten intertwining love stories, each exploring different aspects of love, from romantic to familial. Key plots include the British Prime Minister (Hugh Grant) falling for his assistant (Martine McCutcheon), a grieving widower (Liam Neeson) helping his son with his first crush, Mark (Andrew Lincoln) secretly in love with his best friend’s wife Juliet (Keira Knightley), and Jamie (Colin Firth) falling in love with Aurélia (Lúcia Moniz), his Portuguese housekeeper, despite a language barrier.
With a star-studded cast including Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Bill Nighy, and many others, the film celebrates love in all its forms, from the passionate to the unspoken, all set against the magical backdrop of Christmas.
Watch for: Its amazing cast and heartwarming stories that have made it a classic for at least 2 decades. The most famous scene in the film is where Mark stands outside Juliet’s door to profess his love for her with giant cue cards and a boombox playing “Silent Night,” unbeknownst to his pal Peter. This scene has been parodied in other films (including Love Hard) and TV series, including Big Bang Theory.
Why not spend your nights leading to Christmas with one of these feel-good films? While the plots aren’t groundbreaking, you’ll have a lot of settings to choose from.
