The Holidays and Hallmark. Wow.
When I was a Kid, My All-Time Favorite Career Goal was to be a Card Designer for Hallmark.
Or Work at Disney. No, it was definitely Hallmark.
This was Way, Way Before the Hallmark Channel and these Crazy Hallmark Christmas Movies.
I Sat Down One Night after a Very Long Exhausting Day at Work, and Watched a Hallmark Movie.
I Can’t Recall the Title, or the Storyline, or the Characters…But No Matter.
They’re All the Same.
Simple Titles…Finding Christmas…The Christmas Card…The Christmas Song…you get the idea.
The Characters…Same Profile…Single…Dealing with a Challenge in their life….One has a Kid.
A Very Cute…Santa-Believing Kid.
And Often a Sprinkle of Christmas Magic.
At the End…Challenge Resolved…Together…as a Unit…or a Ready-Made Family.
And It’s Christmas Day.
The Battle is Always Christmas Eve Day. The Last 15 Minutes of the Show.
The Resolution…On Christmas.
Each Character wishes the Other Merry Christmas. Then the Hallmark Kiss.
Watching these Shows…For Me…Is Reassuring…Uplifting…Warm and Cozy.
Silly. Sure. Unrealistic. Of Course.
But Sitting with Hot Tea…a Chocolate Treat…and Mr. Doodle…
All the Craziness of This Very Long Year Quietly is Resolved.
Just Like the Hallmark Storyline.
Thank You Hallmark.
Yes. There is Magic. Everywhere. Every Day.
We Just Need to Take a Breath and Listen.
Wishing You a Glorious Thanksgiving. Thanks for Being Here with Me.
Say It With Your Vote
Nothing like escape to bring you some sanity, right?
Thanks for being there through it all with me.
I call Hallmark movies my guilty pleasure. I’ve said more than once that there is such a formula there — one I try to find so I can write a Hallmark movie too! Lead woman (generally single parent or woman with a recent break-up or trust issues or a widow) has cute meet with handsome man (who may be a single parent, broken up, widowed or trust issues); sparks and attraction; Oh, one of them is Christmas grinchy, the other not; big misunderstanding, all’s well (and they live happily ever after, even though they fell in love after only a week or two.)
And I love them. And I watch the same dumb movies over and over. And sometimes (don’t tell) I even cry. I’ve got to figure out how to write one of those things!
Hi Jeanie – you certainly have the formula…I’d love to see what you come up with…what about an older couple love story…Hallmark hasn’t touched on that…and they should. 🙂
LOVE the Hallmark Christmas Movies. So formulaic but that’s what make them so Comfortable. I think it’s appealing to have a quiet wholesome evening where nothing is going to surprise you considering how chaotic the world around us is.
Happiest of holidays.
Happiest of Holidays to you too, Nancie. 🙂
I’ve never seen the Hallmark movies, but they sound similar to several produced for Christmas every year. They maybe formulaic but as you say, they do help to promote that cosy, comfortable feeling that all is well. Hope your Thanksgiving was lovely, Jeanne.
I hope you had a really great thanksgiving… we celebrate our thanksgiving in October in Canada… I don’t think I have ever seen one of these Hallmark movies but I think there is a place for movies like this in our lives when we wants something that has a feel good story line to it xox