As we head into Thanksgiving this week (the official kickoff of The Holiday Season), we have a plethora of choices when it comes to holiday movies. The Hallmark channels are airing 12 movies in nine days. Netflix not only has its advertised new original films streaming right now, but I noticed today that it’s snuck a few other new-ish holiday movies, too! Lifetime is getting into the holiday movie game this week, too — and don’t forget the Grinch and Nutcracker movies in theaters right now. (And in case you’re looking for my all-time bittersweet favorite Thanksgiving movie, Home for the Holidays, it’s available on Hulu.)
You know I love me some holiday movies. It’s possible I’m attempting to watch most of the SIXTY-SEVEN movies premiering this year. (Most, okay? I’ve already stopped two that were terrible and completely skipped one. I do have my limits.) I think cheesy holiday movies are often the exact brand of warm, cheesy comfort food we need in a stressful season, and the predictability they offer gives us something we’re craving in the midst of shopping! and cooking! and making plans! and changing plans! and running out of time! and money!
That’s why my friend Anna and I made the Hooked on Holiday Movies Bundle for you. Because if I can help you relax for a few hours with a good [sappy] holiday movie, if I can help you make it through this hectic season holding onto a little more of your peace and joy than usual, then I will be one happy camper. (Happy elf? I don’t know. I started to go that route, but it seemed like one holiday metaphor too far…)
If you haven’t gotten your free (FREE!) bundle yet, what are you waiting for? {Ahem. Click here!} It has a printable movie premiere schedule, tips for hosting a holiday movie watch party, access to an exclusive holiday playlist, a collection of holiday recipes, and super fun BINGO cards to use while watching your favorite festive flicks. And today, on top of all that goodness, I have a few more ways you can make your holiday movie watching experience EVEN BETTER.
In anticipation of this Sunday’s new Hallmark Channel movie starring Candace Cameron Bure (and *ahem* the reason behind my announcement below!), I’ve watched a few of her earlier holiday movies. Specifically, I fired up the fireplace, snuggled up with my daughters, and watched “Moonlight & Mistletoe,” “Let It Snow,” and “A Christmas Detour.” Not only did that get me even more excited for the upcoming, “A Shoe Addict’s Christmas,” but it also gave me a few ideas for you. Here’s how you, too, can have the best holiday movie watching experience ever:
- Get some cozy, seasonal socks that send a message.
- Pour yourself a nice, hot drink. Like this DIY PSL (yum!).
- In a jumbo mug, of course. (This one is perfect for the season!)
- Get comfy in a cute shirt. (Maybe grab this one for an extra layer.)
- Take advantage of this downtime and rearrange your Pinterest boards (or make an actual vision board, like the one Candace Cameron Bure’s character is obsessed with in “A Christmas Detour”).
- Munch on some sweet and salty snack mix. (This is my favorite mix recipe!)
- Put it in the perfect bowl to hold on the couch.
- Get in the mood for a fish out of water doctor story (like in “Let It Snow”) by watching a few episodes of Hart of Dixie.
- Why not go full romantic and pick up a few bridal magazines to flip through while you watch?
- Flip through your old scrapbooks and photo albums to remember holidays past (and maybe sort that box of photos that’s been sitting on a shelf or organize this year’s cell phone shots into a photo book for the grandparents).
- Keep your hands busy (and away from the rest of the snack mix) with a coloring book.
I haven’t watched “A Shoe Addict’s Christmas” yet, but I’ve definitely seen trailers and commercials. (You can see the trailer, too, on the Hallmark Channel website.) From what I can tell, our heroine (played by Candace Cameron Bure) is going to get locked overnight in the department store where she works. She’ll encounter a Christmas Carol sort of stranger who shows her the past, present, and future — and then there’s a hunky firefighter and a charity event. All this works together to help our main character figure out her life and, of course, find her Christmas spirit. So I can’t help but think that a few other things might make this holiday movie viewing even more fun…
12. Multitask in the best way by enjoying a movie for yourself and doing something for someone else. Bake bread for the local fire station. Fold clothes, blankets, or coats you can donate to a women’s shelter. Or, in honor of a movie character who loves shoes, put together gift bags for the homeless containing warm socks, lotion, and foot warmers.
Finally? THIS:
Last but not least, my number one recommendation (or number thirteen, for the purposes of this list!) for enhancing all your holiday movie watching experiences is to wear THE EXACT SAME APRON Candace does in the movie while you’re baking this holiday season. Because who doesn’t enjoy having one of these fun movies playing while we bake (and wrap and clean and generally prep for the holidays)? And just look at this Dough, a Deer Apron from Candace Cameron Bure’s line at DaySpring! IT. IS. ADORABLE.
I love this super cute apron, and I’m excited that DaySpring is giving one away to a lucky reader. See below for ways to enter to win!
Did someone say ANNOUNCEMENT?
I am so excited to tell you why, exactly, I’m looking forward to watching, “A Shoe Addict’s Christmas,” so much. It’s because I have the honor of co-hosting a watch party during the movie’s premiere on November 25!!! Anna Rendell and I will be live tweeting and hosting a watch party on DaySpring’s Facebook page from 7:00 to 9:00 pm CST this Sunday, and we really hope you’ll join us. We will be sharing trivia, holding giveaways, and — of course — giving you our in-the-moment, play-by-play reaction to this movie. (If you think we won’t fangirl just a little bit when we see Candace wearing one of DaySpring’s very own aprons, you do not know us at all…)
Head over to Facebook now to add this party to your calendar. And make plans to send your family on their way with leftovers and hugs, to get your kids in bed so they’re rested up to go back to school, and to claim the remote before anybody gets any funny ideas about watching a football game! Anna and I are super excited for this event but it won’t be the same without you. Please join us!
And now, for that GIVEAWAY!
To help you have the very best movie-watching experience possible, Dayspring is giving away the following products to one reader: the adorable holiday apron Candace wears in “A Shoe Addict’s Christmas,” a gorgeous mug that says, “Love makes us brave” (aka, a lesson most Hallmark holiday movie heroines must learn), and a Christmas wooden bowl for your favorite snack mix or popcorn. Enter below for a chance to win!
What holiday movie are you most looking forward to watching?
This post is sponsored by DaySpring, but all opinions (and holiday movie obsession) are mine. The post also includes affiliate links, which means that if you click and shop, I’ll earn a tiny commission at no extra cost to you. So, please, click and shop to your heart’s content!
Looking forward to watching Love at the Thanksgiving day parade again, and of course holiday classics like Its a wonderful life.
I like that one, too! It’s one of the few non-Christmas holiday movies and so cute!
I look forward to watching Elf.
Me too. I love Elf!
I love watching Home Alone.
Yes! So fun!!
I can’t wait to watch When Calls the Heart Christmas!
Yay! I love that they do a special every year!
Miracle on 34th Street!
Oh wow, I haven’t watched that in ages. But it was my very favorite as a kid. I need to watch it again – and introduce it to my girls!
I’m still stuck on the fact there are 67 (!!!) movies premiering. I was scheduling some on my DVR the other day and saw one from another year starring Chad Michael Murray. I can’t even remember the title, but I love CMM. I’m sure this doesn’t surprise you. :)
Haha! I also am a big fan. He’s in Road to Christmas this year, which was cute! (I’ll warn you, though – if you listen to that movie’s episode of A Very Hallmark Christmas, you may never call CMM by his real name again!)
OH my heck. I love this. I am a sucker for a good holiday movie and I’m going to convince my husband that on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and cocoa is EXACTLY what date night looks like this month, and in fact, THIS weekend. Thanks for the suggestion. My all time favorites are Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas, and A Muppet’s Christmas Carol but I won’t watch those until my kids are home closer to Christmas. In the meantime, I’m going to pick something new. Thanks for the list.
I love the Muppets, and a Muppet’s Christmas Carol is CLASSIC! My family’s favorite is the Claymation Christmas Special with the California Raisins. It’s ridiculous. But we love it and watch it every year!
Pride, Prejudice and Mistletoe
Me too! I saw the trailer for it several times today and am really excited to watch it now!
I look forward to watching Homegrown Christmas.
That one looks great!
Several!! I have recorded at least 15!
Haha! I hope your DVR can handle it! ;)
While You Were Sleeping! But I also HAVE to introduce some oldies to my kids…
Ooooh, yes, that is a good one!!
I love Christmas movies! White Christmas is my fav!
Yes, I do love the old classic Christmas movies, too!
My all time favorite is White Christmas…. gets me every time!
Yessss! (Although I actually love Holiday Inn a smidge more than White Christmas for some reason!)
elf
That’s a classic!
My favorite Christmas movie of all time is White Christmas. It brings back great childhood memories!
Yes, such a great one!
My annual tradition: While You Were Sleeping!
I love that one, too!
White Christmas and Love Actually are always on the list. Thanks to you I’m adding lots of new Hallmark/Netflix/allthethings Christmas Romantic Comedies. Exactly what I need this year. Light-hearted and fun!
Elf!!
I’m excited about seeing A Shor Addicts Christmas!
I hoep you go to watch it this weekend. I liked it a lot!
I’ve been loving Netflix original Christmas movies!
Did you watch The Holiday Calendar? I really liked that one!
I really enjoy watching the Christmas movies and all of the other Hallmark movies. Looking forward to watching the movie this Sunday night. I enjoy Candace’s movies.
I hope you liked it! I did!!
I am looking forward to all of the new Hallmark movies this year!
I’ve seen some good ones already. It’s a good year for Christmas movies!
I look forward to watching Elf each year – and I’m also addicted to Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas moves as well. Thank you for the fabulous giveaway!
Hugs,
Erin
Oh yeah, ELF is a must!
When Calls the Heart Christmas, is one I look really forward to watching. But really anything on Hallmark for Christmas, because I fill my DVR up with Christmas movies from Hallmark
Same here – my DVR is packed with Christmas movies! :)
I was already planning to watch this movie so your post only makes me that much more excited!
Did you watch it? What did you think?
It’s a little irreverent, but I love National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
Yes, so hilarious!!
I can’t wait to watch The Christmas Chronicles with my son today! It’s kind of genius to have Kurt Russell as Santa!
I’ve heard it’s really good!
I like watching the children’s movies with my little ones.
Me too! :)
I love watching Home Alone with my kids
Such a fun one!!
I love Miracle on 34th St.
ME TOO – it was my favorite when I was a kid!
The grinch
Yes, I love that one, too!!
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. We watch it every year while decorating the tree.
Ohhhh, perfect time to watch that one! :)
Smokey Mountain Christmas (an old made for TV Dolly Parton movie)
I haven’t seen that one. I’ll have to keep an eye out for it!
I love watching Rudolf and Frosty every year
Yes, I just set my DVR for Rudolph (it’s on this week)!
I love hallmark Christmas movies!! But with my kids i always look forward to watching The Polar Express.
Oh yeah, that’s a great tradition with kids!
Christmas Vacation. It’s my favorite. Thank you for sharing. Would love to win.
Yes, SO funny!
Awe man. I put National Lampoons Chrismas Vacation as mine on the other one. If I had to pick another movie it would have to be Scrooged. I love the comedies!
I love the comedies, too!
I always look forward to watching “It’s a Wonderful Life”
Would you believe I’ve never seen that? I’ve got to watch it this year!!
I love White Christmas and look forward to it every year.
Such a classic!
Christmas in Graceland
I don’t love Kellie Pickler, but I do really like the main guy in that one. It was cute!
I look forward to watching The Christmas Chronicles
I watched it with my girls last weekend, and it was so good! We loved it.