While some holiday films focus on simple stories of romance and family, others have taken things to the next level by adding more — extraordinary — elements that lean into the magic of the season. Whether it’s a film about a snowman with abs, Chad Michael Murray’s abs, or a time travel trip back in time to the ‘90s, the 2024 holiday movie lineup brought plenty of fun.
One of this year’s most outlandish movie plots came in the form of Hot Frosty — a Netflix romantic comedy that follows a widow named Kathy (Lacey Chabert) who, after losing her husband, accidentally brings snowman Jack (who also happens to be very jacked and is played by Dustin Milligan) to life. Hijacks ensue.
“It’s refreshing — especially around Christmastime — to experience the magic and the wonder of that season through Jack,” Milligan explained to Netflix’s Tudum about the earnest optimism his character brings to Kathy’s world. “He is seeing things brand-new for the very first time and experiencing them with a very trustworthy guide.”
While the story focuses on a widow and a snowman falling in love (at least, we assume that’s what happens), there is also a ton of heart at the center of the film’s plot.
Hallmark Media (4) Hallmark Channel’s 2024 “Countdown to Christmas” lineup is bigger than ever with 47 all-new original movies spanning across all its platforms. Beginning on Friday, October 18, fans will be treated to festive movies on Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Mystery and the network’s streaming service, Hallmark+. Additionally, there are four miniseries coming to Hallmark+ […]
“We’re not going to spoil it, but … Kathy’s backstory is something that actually grounds Hot Frosty in a bit more of a nice realistic, dramatic tone,” Milligan said. “Then, all of this sort of fun, silly stuff occurs afterward.”
Chabert, for her part, echoed Milligan’s sentiments. “It’s really funny and light and lovely. But there is also a throughline of a lot of heart, and all of these characters are kind of going through something — whether it’s something more comedic or something more deeply emotionally rooted,” she shared. “I think this movie has a very special tone to it.”
Keep scrolling for the top 10 craziest holiday movie plot lines of 2024:
‘The Christmas Charade’
Where and When to Watch: Premiered on Hallmark Channel Friday, November 1, at 10 p.m. ET. (Check Hallmark+ and local listings for repeats.)
What to Expect:
A cautious librarian and a special agent walk into a charity ball … no, this is not the start of some wild joke, it’s the plot to The Christmas Charade starring Rachel Skarsten and Corey Sevier. Skarsten’s Whitney is a librarian who was raised by home security experts who finds herself working with Special Agent Josh (Sevier) after a blind date mishap.
The twosome are forced to pose as boyfriend and girlfriend for a Christmas Eve charity ball in hopes of taking down an art thief, which we have a feeling they will successfully achieve. Of course, there will be dancing, mischief and lots of holiday decorations sprinkled in for good measure.
‘Hot Frosty’
When and Where to Watch: Currently streaming on Netflix.
What to Expect:
Snowmen, abs … and a snowman with abs! Netflix seriously leans into the magical elements of the holiday season with Hot Frosty, which follows Kathy (Chabert), a grieving widow who brings a handsome snowman (Milligan) — complete with a six pack, shiny hair and sparkly smile — to life two years after her husband’s passing. With his naïveté and optimistic nature, the snowman slowly helps Kathy remember how to laugh and feel alive again, and maybe even convinces her to give love another chance. Viewers will enjoy watching Chabert fall in love with a chiseled ball of snow, but one question remains: will things take a turn when temperatures rise … and he melts?
‘The Merry Gentleman’
When and Where to Watch: Currently streaming on Netflix.
What to Expect:
If you’re a fan of the Magic Mike films and a holiday junkie — The Merry Gentlemen is for you. CW alums Britt Robertson and (a very shirtless) Murray team up for this hilarious romp that follows a former big-city dancer (Robertson), who is determined to save her parents’ small town performing venue by launching an all male Christmas-theme revue. Looking for some half-dressed men decked out in outrageous costumes gyrating in order to keep the holiday spirit alive? Here you go!
‘Christmas in the Spotlight’
When and Where to Watch: Premiered on Lifetime Channel Saturday, November 23, at 8 p.m. ET. (Check local listings for repeats.)
What to Expect:
So a global pop icon and NFL star falling in love isn’t too far fetched — the world already watched it happen with Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. There is no time travel, Alpaca farms or magic in this story — unless you count the magic of their love — but a holiday movie based on Swift and Kelce’s romance had to be included on this list.
The film follows Bowyn (Jessica Lord), a famous singer who develops an unexpected romance with Drew (Laith Wallschleger), a professional football player. As their feelings grow, they soon face mounting pressure from the press, the paparazzi, fans and even their families. Again, if it’s all sounding a little familiar that’s because it is, and any Swift/Kelce fans will notice more than one or two parallels between real life and fiction if they choose to tune it. Don’t worry, though, because Christmas in the Spotlight is nothing if not a total celebration of Swift and Kelce as a couple, and as individuals.
‘A Cinderella Christmas Ball’
Where and When to Watch: Premiered on Great American Family Friday, November 29, at 8 p.m. ET. (Check local listings for repeats.)
What to Expect:
Cinderella-style romances are par for the course in holiday movies — but what about a hunt for your biological father based on a photo with just the man’s hand? In A Cinderella Christmas Ball, Danica McKellar’s Chelsea jumps on a plane with the obscure photo in hand in hopes of finding her roots.
The film takes an unexpected turn when Chelsea seemingly sneaks into a castle and teaches a prince (Oliver Rice) how to dance (because, really, why not?). If she doesn’t succeed before the bells ring on Christmas Eve, she’ll never find answers. While Chelsea is a dance instructor back in Chicago, we’re not sure how that will tie into her princess fairy tale romance … not to mention locating her father in a foreign land!
‘A ‘90s Christmas’
When and Where to Watch: Premiered on Hallmark Channel Friday, November 29, at 6 p.m. ET. (Check Hallmark+ and local listings for repeats.)
What to Expect:
Skip a movie that takes Christmas back to the nostalgia of the ‘90s? As if! Get ready to travel back to the time of no smartphones — and a plethora of plaid — for A ‘90s Christmas. The Hallmark holiday flick transports workaholic lawyer Lucy Miller (Eva Bourne) back to 1999 to relive Christmas Eve with her mom, sister, best friend and high school crush for a second chance to understand where all her most notable relationships went wrong. Taking an Uber will never be the same after watching this quirky holiday film that begs the question: will Lucy’s magical journey help her rewrite her future or leave her destined to be alone forever?
‘Private Princess Christmas’
Where and When to Watch: Premiered on Hallmark Channel Friday, December 6, at 8 p.m. ET. (Check Hallmark+ and local listings for repeats.)
What to Expect:
Princess bootcamp at Christmastime? Sign Us up! While royal holiday movies are a staple on the Hallmark Channel, Private Princess Christmas is outside the norm. When Princess Violet of Wingravia a.k.a. Vi (Ali Skovbye) pushes her mom’s buttons one too many times, she is sent to Colorado to boot camp — yes, seriously! Vi must complete the camp or risk losing the throne to her uncle — no, not her uncle! — but there is one thing standing in her way: the intense Captain Ryan Douglas (Derek Klena). We might be going out on a limb here, but if we had to guess, Vi and Ryan’s opposite personalities could be the perfect recipe for romance.
‘Sugarplummed’
When and Where to Watch: Premiered on Hallmark Channel Saturday, December 7, at 8 p.m. ET. (Check Hallmark+ and local listings for repeats.)
What to expect:
Maggie Lawson first learned the risk of stepping into someone else’s shoes in 2000’s Model Behavior — and in Hallmark’s Sugarplummed, she’s getting another reminder of why the grass isn’t always greener. Lawson stars as Emily, a woman who has always dreamed of the perfect Christmas but keeps falling short year after year. In hopes of bringing her family closer together, she makes a wish for a holiday as picture-perfect as the ones she sees on a made-for-TV movie, causing Sugarplum (Janel Parrish), the film’s relentlessly optimistic main character, to step out of the screen in hopes of helping Emily make her dream come true.
As Sugarplum uses her movie-rules to bring Emily’s dream holiday season to life, things start to slowly backfire — leaving Emily questioning what an “ideal” Christmas really looks like. While a suspension of disbelief is needed to enjoy this heartwarming story, who wouldn’t want to see Lawson and Parrish team up for a whimsical fun-filled adventure? (Although, we’re not sure we believe our problems wouldn’t be solved if we lived inside a Hallmark holiday movie. Just saying!)
‘Christmas on the Alpaca Farm’
Where and When to Watch: Premiered on Lifetime Channel Sunday, December 15, at 8 p.m. ET. (Check local listings for repeats.)
What to Expect:
What on earth do alpacas have to do with the holidays? Well, we’re glad you asked! In Christmas on the Alpaca Farm, “Queen of Christmas Sweaters” — what a title … we can’t make this up! — Jess (Kirsten Comerford) quits her job in New York City to start her own line of luxury knits. While that sounds normal, her meet-cute with single dad and alpaca farmer Andrew (Matt Wells) wasn’t something on our holiday movie bingo card. Alas, as all holiday romances go, Jess and Andrew’s love of alpacas (and their wool) is destined to bring them together just in time for the holiday season.
‘A Carpenter Christmas Romance’
Where and When to Watch: Premiered on Lifetime Channel Saturday, December 21, at 8 p.m. ET. (Check local listings for repeats.)
What to Expect:
Sarah Drew promised another sexy Lifetime holiday movie after 2023’s A Cowboy Christmas Romance, and A Carpenter Christmas fits the bill — despite the story line being a bit outlandish. In the film, novelist Andrea (Sasha Pieterse) must escape from her fans to a farmhouse to finish her book after hinting that she wants to kill off the main character. Once outside the city, Andrea runs into her ex-crush, Seth (Mitchell Slaggert), who happens to be a woodworker in the town.
OK, yes, this sounds exactly like past Lifetime movies we’ve loved, but this tagline has us reeling: “It doesn’t take long for sawdust and sparks of romance fill the air once the two team up and work together to reignite the town’s Christmas spirit.” Cheesy doesn’t even begin to describe how cliché this logline is, but it’s Andrea’s desire to get to a haven because of her crazy fans that pushes this one over the edge for Us.