Hallmark Channel holiday movies: Why are they so popular?

If you watch television at all, you’ve seen a few (or a few hundred) commercials for Hallmark Channel holiday movies at this time of year. You know the movies I’m talking about: high-powered female exec travels to a small town to shut down the factory that employs everyone, but falls in love with the quirky locals and the hot, beta, town vet/sheriff/restaurant owner/bartender, and the magic of the season (and the power of True Love) forces her to realize how shallow her life has been. She thus decides to quit her high-powered-but-soulless job, save the factory through an unlikely series of events, and marry the beta man who wears sweaters a lot. The end.

If you’re like me, that description made you throw up in your mouth a little. But for millions of other viewers, you’ve waited for these movies all year and plan to joyfully watch every single one of them. (Trust me, these people aren't kidding around. There's a Countdown to Christmas sweepstakes, a keepsake ornament giveaway, a Hallmark movie checklist mobile app and a Sirius XM station that plays Christmas music non-stop. There's even a Hallmark Channel Christmas movies shirt.) And there’s nothing wrong with any of this. I don’t judge. I say everyone should watch and read whatever makes them happy. But it does make me wonder...why are they so popular?

We put the question to our intrepid romance novel loving fans on our Facebook page and they had some great insights:

Something sweet and wholesome for escapism
In today’s world, which is full of awful things (i.e.: political unrest, shootings, children living in poverty, Rick leaving The Walking Dead), why shouldn’t we all relax with some sweet, G-rated romance and take a little pleasure in knowing that in this movie, unlike in real life, everything will assuredly work out just fine?

Simplicity
The plots of most of these movies are simple enough that you can multitask while watching and still be able to follow along without any trouble. 

Family friendly
Romance lovers are busy people. They’re often busy people with young families. Everything on the Hallmark Channel is family friendly, which means you can get your romance fix without worrying about your kids coming into the room and seeing something they shouldn’t. (Which is why I forbid my son to leave his room while I’m watching Game of Thrones...but I digress…)  

Pretty scenery
The Hallmark Channel Countdown to Christmas ​is full of movies featuring gorgeous scenery. Who doesn’t love looking at beautiful Christmas decorations that you didn’t have to put up yourself? And winter scenery is truly lovely when you don’t have to travel anywhere in it.  

But what do you think? Why do you love or hate Hallmark Channel holiday movies? Let us know! We’d love to hear from you! 

For fans of Hallmark Channel movies AND great romance novels...
And for all of you who LOVE the Hallmark Channel holiday movies, we have AWESOME news. We’ve gone through the entire Hallmark Channel Countdown to Christmas movies schedule and have paired them with some of our romance reading recommendations lists that will be perfect for your holiday binge reading! Check this out.

---