Hallmark, Holidays, and Hometowns
A Christmas Eve Encounter
I, a top exec at my own Substack (employee count: 1), am taking a break from big city life in California and writing to you from my coastal hometown in New England. Walking around downtown, you’d think I was a local celebrity. My parents' friends call out, asking about life in San Francisco. I give a vague response. Their provincial minds couldn’t possibly comprehend my cosmopolitan lifestyle, writing about fictional sex in a city.
Just then, I spot my childhood crush across the street. Or at least I think it’s him… does he have a brother? Ugh, I wish I had showered today. Oh god, has he spent the past eight years hoping for this very moment? Am I the one that got away? Probably. I wonder what he does in such a small town. Most likely he owns a Christmas tree farm - boy scouts have to source them from somewhere. For some reason, I always assumed the trees came from Maine, but I never bothered to check provenance as a child.
We make eye contact. Conversation is now inevitable.
“Hey.”
“Hi.”
“Are you in town for Christmas?”
“Yeah, you too?”
“Yup.”
“You still in Boston?”
“Yeah, still in Boston. You’re in New York, right?”
“No, San Francisco now.”
“Oh, nice.”
“Well, I won't keep you. Say hi to the family for me!”
“Yeah, you too. Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas.”
We walk away. Just two ships passing in the night.
The Christmas spirit wasn’t quite powerful enough to make me forget about my husband, who works in big city finance, and run away with what I assume is Boston’s only Christmas tree farmer. Maybe next year.
And… scene.
If this semi-autobiographical account feels familiar, you’ve probably seen a Hallmark movie or two. What was once exclusive to the eponymous television channel has become a genre all its own. Major players like Netflix have recognized the consumer appetite for feel-good films. They've moved beyond platforming last season’s winners and are now producing their own originals.
Recent releases like Hot Frosty, the story of a sexy snowman come to life, and Merry Gentlemen, about a down-on-her-luck Broadway star saving her family bar with a Christmas-themed Magic Mike performance, have been audience favorites. Probably because they hit so close to home.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the rise of Hallmark-style movies aligns with the mainstream acceptance of romance novels. The two occupy strikingly similar spaces in their respective mediums: love stories with guaranteed happily ever afters. Unsurprisingly, many Hallmark films are adapted from novels. In fact, several authors have exclusive first-look contracts with the Hallmark Channel.
In an increasingly stressful world, Hallmark offers a romanticized version of America, leaning heavily on classic tropes for its Christmas films—small-town romances set in places that look suspiciously like snow globes. (Fun fact: they’re all filmed in Canada.) These films share a symbiotic relationship with romance novels—either adapted directly from books or inspiring viewers to seek out more, sending them straight to the holiday section at Barnes & Noble.
With that in mind, here are a few festive romances to read while you await Christmas morning…
The Holiday Cottage
A hotshot marketing exec goes to the Cotswolds for forced recuperation. For fans of The Holiday.
On a Midnight Clear
If you are looking for a more sentimental Hot Frosty, this is for you!
Lovelight Farms
A Christmas tree farmer finds love… because at least one of them should!
For a list of romance novels adapted into Hallmark films, check out this list:
Books That Became Hallmark Movies
Feeling inspired to write your own? Take a look at the Writers Guild’s guide to crafting a Hallmark script:
How to Write a Hallmark Christmas Movie
~ A history of Hallmark to come ~