5 Things that make a Christmas Hallmark film

Hallmark is an American brand that has become synonymous with Christmas because of its iconic greeting card range and rather bizarrely, the cable channel of the same name.

In the United States the Hallmark Channel hosts its countdown to Christmas every year, which is packed full of original festive films that have since made their way to the UK. While there are plenty of copycats out there from smaller networks and even Netflix, nothing can beat the style and execution of a classic Hallmark movie. We’ve all seen them at some stage, with the direct-to-TV experiences always boasting the same notable beats and character archetypes. It's almost as if they have become a genre unto themselves!

The Hallmark formula is now super recognisable, but what actually makes a Hallmark Christmas film and why do so many studios try to replicate them?

There has to be a love story in a Hallmark movie, that’s kind of the point. But the love dynamic is always somewhat unexpected and peculiar. The enemies to lovers, friends to lovers and strangers to lovers arcs are some of the core tropes of the genre. If it looks like two people don’t naturally fit together, the chances are they’ll end up as an item by the end of the film.

Of course, this dynamic has been pushed further and further, with some pictures like A Princess for Christmas even throwing in a member of a royal family for good measure. The barrier that exists between two people getting together, no matter how random it may be, is usually the driving force of the conflict in a Hallmark film. The audience is given something to root for, allowing the characters to go on a genuine journey of growth that ultimately concludes with them realising that “their person” was underneath their nose the whole time.

Hallmark Christmas films have to take place during the festive season. Although there’s a few Thanksgiving and New Year's variations out there, the most standard format involves the build-up to the big day itself.

Where the protagonist will be spending Christmas is usually a point of contention. It often goes one of two ways. Either they are a big city fanatic forced to enjoy the holidays in a tiny town, or they come from a small community and have to face up to the hustle and bustle of a much busier neighbourhood. Regardless, the motivation for this change of scenery is normally influenced by the need to return home and potentially get over a bad breakup.

It’s a way to get the lead character to reconnect with their family and their hometown and more often than not, it acts as the catalyst for the protagonist to find a spark with an old flame or someone from their past. Chateau Christmas is definitely a contender for featuring that trope in its purest form.

One commonality you’ll find among every leading character in a holiday Hallmark film is that they have incredibly strong opinions on Christmas. They either absolutely love it and are obsessed almost to an unhealthy level, or detest everything it represents. Often that also creates another great divide for a potential couple to overcome. You’ll never see anyone who is simply apathetic towards the festive period.

From gaudy and hugely unrealistic Christmas decorations to a grinch who won’t even buy one of those trademark Hallmark cards, the genre represents the two most diverse ends of the spectrum. The Mistletoe Promise is a perfect go-to when looking for this trait in full force.

A Hallmark film can’t just be about two people who may or may not fall in love and strong opinions on Christmas itself. It has to have a theme of some kind, acting as an excuse to kick off proceedings. Competitions are pretty easy ways in, with baking, ice skating and Christmas light decorating all acting as standard premises.

But there are far wackier and more convoluted examples out there. Royalty comes up again in the likes of A Royal Christmas and who can forget Netflix’s own attempt at the trope, with a doppelganger twist in The Princess Switch? But Christmas Comes Twice might include the strangest story mechanic of all, with the lead character travelling through time! When did Hallmark get so sci-fi?

Many of these Hallmark elements will seem very familiar for regular watchers of the channel’s original movies and the genre as a whole. But it’s important to remember that so many love these movies because of those familiar beats. There’s something comforting about watching a Hallmark film, with the knowledge that everything will work out in the end.

Most Christmas TV channels are inundated with these kinds of easy watching pictures that are heartwarming, spirit lifting and ultimately a tradition unto themselves. In truth, if a Hallmark film came along that broke all these rules, it wouldn’t really do the name justice.