We’ve all seen our fair share of made for TV Christmas movies. I mean it’s hard to avoid this time of year!
Between Hallmark Channel, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Channel, UP network and ABC Family we have a busy schedule of watching Christmas movies!
If you’re anything like me, then you understand the stress that your DVR goes through recording all the movies that you may or may not watch.
Mostly because you just end up watching A Very Brady Christmas over and over again…
So what does it take to make one of these movies? What rules must one follow? Well let me see if I can help you understand the art of making Christmas movies!
First we have to dissect the types of movies we will see!
Lifetime/Lifetime Movie Channel – Will usually be about a woman who is either looking for love, hates Christmas or is a workaholic.
ABC Family – Will usually be a comedy starring two former sitcom stars of the 90’s
Hallmark Channel – Will usually be VERY family oriented, borderline religious and overwhelmingly hopeful or really really sad.
UP Network – Jesus…pretty much just a religious family movie
Hopefully that helps narrow down which network you should be choosing for your Christmas movie viewing!
There are three requirements that you’ll find in every Christmas movie. Please note this is very serious! If you don’t follow one of these rules you will create the worst Christmas movie ever!
1. The movie will always star a recognizable celebrity who used to star on a very popular TV show…or as I like to call it the Candace Cameron Bure Factor.
Also known as the Lacey Chabert, the Christina Milian, the Ashley Williams, the Alicia Witt…shall I continue?
2. It has to be overly cheesy…or if you will The Christmas Spirit Factor.
The script is bad, the story is bad, the costumes are bad…but it’s so so good!
3. It will have a happy ending…or in other words The All’s Well That Ends Well Factor.
Why the fuck would we watch a Christmas movie with a sad ending? Why?!?
Know that we know the requirements let’s talk about some plot elements. They include…
1. Scrooge Plot
This follows a character who hates Christmas for some reason. Then after being visited by three spirits sees the error in their ways and it changed for the better for good!
2. The Head Trauma Plot
After getting into some sort of accident, involving a concussion of some sort, our lead character is thrust into a world that is not their’s but that of their better Christmas loving life.
3. The Non Existent Love Life Plot
Thanks to wishing wells, angels, fairy godmothers, wishes, divine intervention, relatives or even nosy Santa Clause these lucky ladies find love. Sometimes they were just there the whole time!
4. The I’m Too Busy For Christmas Or Love Plot
This poor woman barely has time to remember her assistants name! You’re telling me she has to worry about Christmas and finding true love? Impossible but it happens in less than two hours!
5. The Save Christmas Theme
Whether it be the holiday, a business or even the entire town the audience waits on the edge of their seats to see if they manage to do it…they do…every time!
6. The Heart of a Child Theme
Not a sacrifice or anything, although it would be an interesting christmas movie to have to sacrifice the heart of a child so everyone can get presents…oh so um the Heart of a Child theme is basically when a child turns a non believer around by simply believing until Santa reveals himself. These movies usually find the child orphaned by one or both parents, tis the season…
I hope this will help you when looking at which movies to watch during this holiday season!
Feel free to suggest anything I may have missed!
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