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“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights...”
~ James 1:17

Friday, December 2, 2022

🌟🎁 Unwrap NEW Christmas Movies on Great American Family, the Hallmark Channel, UPtv, Lifetime and More... All Weekend Long! 🎁🌟


It's the first weekend in December, so that means we have a sleigh-load of NEW Christmas movies coming our way this Saturday and Sunday! Set your DVRs now! You'll find listed below 11 all-new Christmas movies from Great American Family, UPtv, the Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, ION, CBS, and Lifetime!

Recently, I found myself caught up in a re-airing of "White Christmas" on AMC and the 1994 version of "Miracle on 34th Street" on Freeform. While I do, of course, like the new Christmas movies, there's nothing quite like catching a beloved, cherished Christmas classic, as well. There's just something about the nostalgia and familiarity that is so warm and comforting.

As for the new Christmas movies, it's always delightful to watch something brand new and instantly know it's one of the movies you will enjoy watching over and over again - for years to come. Maybe there will be one like that this weekend???

Whatever you watch this weekend, old or new, I sincerely hope you find something enjoyable to view - that uplifts your spirit and brightens your day!

See the NEW Christmas movie premieres below...



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Saturday, December 3, 2022:


Storyline: After a disappointing restaurant opening and an embarrassing break-up, a celebrity chef takes her first real Christmas vacation. When she wanders into the kitchen at a luxury resort and is mistaken for the sous chef by the handsome but grouchy, head chef, their chemistry sparks a holiday romance. But will everything blow up when the head chef learns the truth about her?

Premieres Saturday, December 3, 2022
at 7pm/6c. on UPtv


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Saturday, December 3, 2022:


Storyline: Ivy struggles with the long shadow cast by her late mother, Muriel, the darling of Icicle Falls; head of the Candy Cane Lane Lights Extravaganza, owner of The Christmas Haus, and a former TV star known adoringly as the “Christmas Maven.” This Christmas, a series of comical and mysterious events bring the town together in a masterstroke of perfection only the “Christmas Maven” herself could appreciate. A Candy Rock Entertainment production.

Premieres Saturday, December 3, 2022
at 8pm/7c. on Great American Family


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Saturday, December 3, 2022:


Storyline: “Talia and her childhood best friend Anderson unexpectedly reunite in a curiously familiar looking town full of Christmas spirit that restores its visitors when they need it most.”

Premieres Saturday, December 3, 2022
at 8pm/7c. on the Hallmark Channel


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Saturday, December 3, 2022:


Storyline: “In this Hallmark Mahogany presentation, RJ is a new angel, who is given the chance to address his one regret, that he didn’t help his sisters reconcile while he was still alive. Returning to earth as a stranger, he gets each of them to revive The Holiday Stocking, their parent’s old tradition to encourage charity at Christmas.”

Premieres Saturday, December 3, 2022
at 10pm/9c. on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries


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Saturday, December 3, 2022:


Storyline: Grace Hill (Keshia Knight Pulliam) and Anthony Brown (Brad James) could not be more different. Despite having gone to college to study architecture together, their lives took them on completely separate paths. But when they’re both hired to work together on the home of Loretta Brown (Patti LaBelle)—a New Orleans praline icon—the two find themselves stuck working together at Christmas...and butting heads over more than just architecture. When Anthony and his family discover that Grace will be celebrating Christmas alone, they invite her to take part in their traditions and their celebrations. Soon, fiercely independent Grace begins to learn the importance of family and community, while modern Anthony learns to embrace tradition and the magic of Christmas. And when Grace is offered a new job far away from New Orleans, she’ll have to decide if she’ll leave or follow her heart.

Premieres Saturday, December 3, 2022
at 8pm/7c. on Lifetime


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Sunday, December 4, 2022:



A ski-lodge event manager's task of hosting a corporate Christmas party goes awry when the resort is cut off by a snowstorm and the hard-to-please CEO turns out to be an old flame.

Premieres Sunday, December 4, 2022
at 7pm/6c. on UPtv


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Sunday, December 4, 2022:

*Holiday Special


Hosted and Executive Produced by Inside Edition’s national correspondent and best-selling Author Megan Alexander, each episode takes viewers to a different small town around the country. Through food, drink, music, entertainment and faith, we will highlight local businesses and towns that are making Christmas special in their own unique way. This episode highlights the Christmas magic at Dollywood.

*Holiday Special
airs Sunday, December 4, 2022
at 9pm/8c. on UPtv


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Sunday, December 4, 2022:




Storyline: Renowned luxury travel blogger, Tracey Moore, is invited to a Christmastime getaway in exchange for a review of a smalltown B&B. Despite her initial reservations, she finds herself wanting to help the property… and falling for the owner’s handsome son, Graham, who helps her to learn that every experience can be five-star when shared with kindred spirits.

Premieres Sunday, December 4, 2022
at 8pm/7c. on Great American Family


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Sunday, December 4, 2022:


Storyline: “When returning home for the holidays, newly minted pop star Jaylen tells her protective family that Matt is her new beau, when in reality, he’s her overzealous security guard.”

Premieres Sunday, December 4, 2022
at 8pm/7c. on the Hallmark Channel



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Sunday, December 4, 2022:


Storyline: This is the holiday tale of Audrey (Amanda Kloots of THE TALK), an enthusiastic Christmas-obsessed fitness instructor teaching classes at her beloved, financially beleaguered community center in quaint Mistletoe, Mont. She begins a holiday romance with a charming, mysterious businessman (Paul Greene), complicating his plans to turn the center into a more financially profitable resort property.

Premieres Sunday, December 4, 2022
at 8:30pm/7:30c. on CBS



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Sunday, December 4, 2022:


Storyline: Gaby Diaz (Ariana Ron Pedrique) is an app developer from Austin, Texas, and the last unmarried sibling in her very close and very traditional family. Every year, the Diaz family gathers at abuela's house in Oaxaca, Mexico, a town renowned for its "12 Challenges of Christmas," which playfully ignites the entire town's Christmas spirit. When Gaby accidentally adds Alex Alvarado (Rodrigo Massa), a handsome graphic designer who's lost touch with his own Mexican roots, to the family group chat, her well-meaning family decides to secretly invite him to join them in Oaxaca for Christmas. As they begin to play matchmaker for Gaby and Alex, can the Diaz family help Gaby and Alex recognize that each of them is actually the other's perfect Christmas present?

Premieres Sunday, December 4, 2022
at 8pm/7c. on Lifetime



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Sunday, December 4, 2022:




Storyline: "Cub reporter Sophia (Coyne) thinks she's found a Christmas story that will save her career when she discovers a long-lost, undelivered Secret Santa gift from 'Tony to Abigail.' But the mystery gets even juicier when she learns that the item – a priceless nutcracker – was in fact stolen years ago. With the help of a handsome and shady art dealer Jackson (Trumble), she sets off on a dangerous, romantic quest to match the Secret Santas and catch the thieves."

Premieres Sunday, December 4, 2022
at 8pm/7c. on ION


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Once again, it looks like there are plenty of interesting Christmas movie options this weekend! I'm planning to watch "Christmas on Candy Cane Lane" and "B&B Merry," and I'm hoping "A Fabled Holiday" and "Fit for Christmas" are also good. Be sure to share which ones you're looking forward to this Saturday and Sunday in comments below.

Movie Reviews:

If you'd like to check out the 2022 Christmas Movie Reviews shared by It's a Wonderful Movie family members and myself, please visit *here*.

Christmas Schedule:

To see more Christmas movies coming up, be sure to visit the Christmas Movie Schedule.

Disclaimer: Please know when I share a movie, this is NOT an endorsement of any of the actors involved, personally or professionally, with their other TV/film projects.

Please note: I haven't pre-screened the new Christmas movies airing this weekend. If you'd like to post a review on whether a film is family-friendly, please share in comments. Thank you so much to everyone who participates in this.

I pray you all have a joyous, wonderful weekend!

God Bless Us, Everyone!

Merry Christmas to You All!!! Net





"The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.
We have seen His Glory, the Glory of the One and only Son,
who came from the Father, full of Grace and Truth."

~John 1:14



54 comments:

  1. Man, this sure is a lot. It'll be GAF, UP TV, ION, and CBS for me on the DVR. -Maria

    ReplyDelete
  2. Cloudy with a chance of Christmas is clean and fun! -Maria

    ReplyDelete
  3. Our Take: With this year’s Hallmark movies, it’s been fun to pinpoint where the plots venture off the beaten path and into the woods. A Fabled Holiday really starts like a classic Hallmark movie: Talia dreams of being a writer, but instead she owns a small business. Her bestie is, of course, a best-selling author. And the only person who ever really believed in her writing is her childhood best friend Anderson, who’s suddenly come back into her life. There’s another version of this movie where Talia and Anderson reconnect as adults and, as their romance blossoms, Talia realizes that this is the basis for a fairytale romance that could get the interest of publishers. Then, I dunno, Anderson would find Talia’s manuscript and think Talia was only dating him for the story but then she’d turn down the publisher’s offer and they’d get back together and then Talia would self-publish a book and it would become a hit and etc. etc. etc. I’m just riffing here.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I’m watching Destined at Christmas

    We love your reviews

    Here are your favorites so far…

    Top 3 movies:
    #12 Candace Cameron Bure Presents: a Christmas…Present

    #2 Catering Christmas

    #11 I’m Glad It’s Christmas

    ReplyDelete
  5. Really, really hoping A Fabled Christmas is family friendly. Not only do I love Brooke D'Orsay but Lindsay Stirling is on it and my girls adore her! We've seen her in concert multiple times, my girls interviewed her for their podcast they have with their dad and we've met her in real life and she is so sweet and kind. Praying they'll be able to see it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I don't know if I can take Andrea Barber Seriously. I'll always see her as Kimmy Gibbler.πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow! That ION network are doing quite a bit of holiday mysteries so far. I hope they intend to continue with regular mysteries after the Christmas season!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Christmas On Candy Cane Lane seems fun!
    Misty

    ReplyDelete
  9. Christmas on Candy Cane Lane is very delightful! -Maria

    ReplyDelete
  10. Christmas on the Slopes. Ugh. Not enough time in my life or on my dvr for this one! Watched about 30 minutes and just could not take anymore. Not my cup of tea. The stilted acting, the script, everything was a big miss for me. Up until the point where I hit delete it was family friendly.
    ~~Jane

    ReplyDelete
  11. lots of wonderful movie-watching options

    ReplyDelete
  12. "A Fabled Holiday" -- family-friendly. This cute, imaginative storyline was a nice way to spend an evening!
    *tiny SPOILER ALERT*
    I think it may have been Jane who mentioned that so many women, versus men, are initiating romantic declarations in movies this year--this is another one. I'm old-fashioned, and, to me, it seems to detract from the sweetness of the moment. Oh well!

    ~Alicia

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alicia, Thank you so much for this great review!

      How thoughtful of you to think of Jane and others. I'm the same way as you all with these sorts of things. I still like to see men being gentlemen... opening doors, giving their arm, paying for the dinner, standing when a woman enters the room or walks over to their table, etc...

      Anyway, I'm still delighted to hear this one is family-friendly, and I will look forward to watching it one of these days! :)

      Merry Christmas to you!!! πŸŽ„

      Delete
    2. Yes!! Y'all know I totally agree!! Bring back the strong, manly men who were raised to be true gentlemen and the women who know how to be sweet and modest and ladylike no matter how strong and capable they are.
      ~~Jane

      Delete
  13. Christmas on Candy Cane Lane is family friendly is based on the book by Shiela Roberts about Ivy Donaldson struggles her Mom’s shadow, Muriel Sterling was the Christmas Darling of Icicle Falls. She is now separated from Husband named Rob & tries her best with her Daughter named Jordan. Devon Johnson decorates Officer Tilda Morrison’s House. Rob decorates Christmas Lights at Donaldson’s house. Devon & Tilda kiss under the mistletoe. Rob proposes Ivy at Officer Morrison’s house. Rob & Ivy are back together.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Christmas on Candy Cane Lane was a good movie. Family-Friendly, and somewhat funny. The neighbor lady did get a little annoying and Dan Payne is a horrible Santa. I also didn’t really like the whole divorced couple thing where he decides he doesn’t want to be divorced anymore. **Spoiler*** I’m glad they got back together, that’s how it should be, but it was still really weird. All in all it was a good movie that I would watch again.

    ReplyDelete
  15. A Fabled Holiday is family friendly and a lot of fun. A definite keeper for me. I loved the fairy tale storybook aspect, the kind innkeeper family and their mission to help their guests get unstuck, and how the guests were brought together and each found what they needed. I didn’t want the movie to end.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is the same one & different scenes than CBS & Freeform

    ReplyDelete
  17. Christmas on the Slopes is a great, clean movie! -Maria

    ReplyDelete
  18. A Holiday Stocking is family friendly about a new Angel gets the chance to address his one regrets — that he didn’t help his Sisters named Dani & Marlow reconcile while he was still alive. Returning to Earth as Stranger, he gets each of them to revive their parents’ old tradition of encouraging charity. Including Holiday stocking game…

    ReplyDelete
  19. A Fabled Holiday is family friendly about Talia & her childhood best friend named Anderson unexpectedly reunite in a curiously familiar-looking town town full of Christmas spirit

    ReplyDelete
  20. I saw Christmas Advent Calendar while watching Christmas movies when oral light up at #3 on GFAM

    ReplyDelete
  21. A Big Fat Family Christmas is family friendly about a photojournalist named Liv gets a dream assignment of covering the Chang family’s annual holiday party for a front-page story – nobody at work knows that they are in fact, her family. She wants to confide in new co-worker Henry but doesn’t want to jeopardize her big break Changtastic Party

    ReplyDelete
  22. THE SEARCH FOR SECRET SANTA is family friendly about Cub reporter Sofia thinks she's found a Christmas story that will save her career when she discovers a long-lost, undelivered Secret Santa gift... from "B. to Claire." But the mystery gets even juicer when she learns that the item - a priceless FabergΓ© egg - was in fact stolen years ago. With the help of a handsome & shady art dealer, she sets off on a dangerous, romantic quest to match the Secret Santas and catch the thieves.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Search for Secret Claus is not family friendly

      Delete
  23. Undercover Holiday. Cute movie, but not a keeper for me. Family friendly, except the whole movie revolves around the lead actress lying to her family and constantly making excuses for the lies (and I think her reasons are unfounded).
    ~~Jane

    ReplyDelete
  24. The Search for Secret Santa is not family friendly about Cub reporter named Sofia/Sophia thinks she’s found a Christmas story that will save Christmas story that will save her career when she discovers a long lost, gift addressed to B. to Claire. Tony & Abigail reunited. Sophia’s best friends named Nancy & Laura to their honeymoon in Austria to honor the Prince & Finn the commoner to take historical nutcracker. Jackson hands Sophia a nutcracker

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The search for secret Santa has 2 conflicting reviews about if it’s family friendly or not. Any other watchers have an opinion. Thanks, JoCo

      Delete
    2. JoCo, More reviews are in for The Search for Secret Santa. It's, unfortunately, not family-friendly after all.

      You'll want to check out those reviews here:
      https://itsawonderfulmovie.blogspot.com/2022/10/2022-christmas-tv-movie-reviews-its-a-wonderful-movie-hallmark-great-american-family-up-lifetime.html

      Delete
    3. JoCo, The Search for Santa Claus is not family friendly when I found out at the end of the movie about 45 mins. Sophia lectures the audience by saying her best friends named Laura & Nancy are about to get married & ahead to their honeymoon to take historical nutcracker in Austria πŸ‡¦πŸ‡Ή to honor the Prince & Finn the commoner

      Delete
  25. Undercover Holiday is family friendly about Pop Star Jaylen Rodriguez returns home for the Holidays & tells her protective family that Matt is her new Beau, when in reality, he’s her overzealous security guard

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Search for Secret Claus

      Unfortunately I don’t see that coming until end of the movie in fact, Sophia’s best friends named Nancy & Laura ahead to their honeymoon in Austria to take historical nutcracker to honor Prince & Finn the commoner. I thought this family friendly but isn’t . Unless Sophia lectures nutcracker until see above until others asking Sophia about Tony & Abigail - Abigail shows up & sees Sophia so, Sophia walks toward Abigail until she calls out Tony, Abigail says Tony & Tony says Twirly, Abigail’s nickname. Jonathan carves heart (Jonathan & Sophia), Jonathan hands handmade nutcracker to Sophia Jonathan & Sophia need to avoid the thieves who want nutcracker named Justin Hawkins & Simon with eye patch just before cops come so, Jonathan asking Simon where’s his Sister in somewhere in the theater 🎭

      Delete
  26. Undercover Holiday is family friendly about Pop star Jaylen Rodriguez has recently catapulted to stardom and is about to headline her first tour, but before she does, she’s going back home for a REAL, traditional Rodriguez family Christmas. However, when she starts receiving concerning fan mail from a “secret admirer,” her team insists that she hire round-the-clock security for her trip home. Security guards & overzealous fans are everything her family was concerned about when she set off to make it in the music business, but this is her new reality, so she relents.

    However, not wanting to worry her fun, tight-knit family, specifically her beloved abuela, she pretends her security guard Matt (Huszar), a former Navy SEAL, is her boyfriend. The family is delighted that Jaylen is dating and welcomes him with open arms.

    Meanwhile, Jaylen finds Matt’s presence invasive. As they do their best to maintain the charade, they continually butt heads. She wants to relive the hometown Christmases of her youth and he struggles to protect her in potentially vulnerable situations. As the holiday progresses, Jaylen & Matt begin to soften to each other and bond over their shared secret, as he embraces her large, Hispanic family’s wonderful Christmas traditions. Matt’s protection takes on a whole new meaning and the line between bodyguard & boyfriend becomes blurred as their lives are changed forever.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Fit For Christmas’ Review: Amanda Kloots Should Star in More Movies

    Fit For Christmas is family friendly about recognizing one’s gifts and using them to inspire others. Sure, a town like Mistletoe is a holiday cliche (in the best way), but preserving every corner of it instead of demolishing it is entirely due to the people who live there. It’s about using one’s platform and voice to spread the type of good news that’ll help people thrive. And, considering we can’t even get gingerbread lattes at chain coffee shops anymore, I’d do anything to keep the local coffee shop that sells them afloat. 

    The plot is one of the more tired, worn-out holiday tropes, but the screenplay and performances make every moment feel right and believable. The only thing that doesn’t work is the ex-boyfriend’s involvement. But that might be a “me thing” if we examine this closely. Still, the film works entirely because of Kloots’ spirit, and that’s something that we need to harp on. She’s the undeniable star of the film, and as an actual fitness instructor, she makes the career path believable, and her passion makes it feel genuinely motivational.

    While the bits with Audrey’s ex-boyfriend were a whole lot of meh, the corporate, seemingly big bad grinch, I mean Griffin, sweeping in to steal the Christmas aficionado’s heart is a trope that might never get old. Paul Greene has been around in the holiday game for a long time, but never has his character been more delightful than when acting alongside Kloots’ Audrey. Once it became clear that Griffin’s vision wasn’t entirely malicious, it became easier to root for them as a pair. Simultaneously, his choices to try out everything in this town while looking at Audrey like she invented Christmas made for the kind of swoony moments we all long for this time of year.
    At the end of the day, Fit For Christmas is about understanding the perils of heartache and how they thrust a person forward when leading with love. Both Audrey and Griffin lost their mothers, choosing to work in such a way that honored them while their grief shaped them into the person they are.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Christmas on Candy Cane Lane was a cute movie. Loved Andrea Barber! And for her first Christmas movie, I thought she did a great job. The secondary storyline with Tilda and Devon was fun to watch as well.
    Jennifer R

    ReplyDelete
  29. Undercover Holiday is family friendly, but it wasn't a keeper for me. Stephen Huszar is a favorite of mine, and I really liked the lead actress who I hadn't seen before, but their characters' relationship kind of fell flat for me. I never felt a connection between them. There wasn't enough buildup to their relationship or evidence that they liked each other romantically. Their first kiss felt like it came out of nowhere.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amy, I'm so glad you shared this! I haven't seen Undercover Holiday, yet, but I got that feeling about their lack of connection in the promo. Interesting to hear my hunch was right.

      Also, it's nice to see Stephen Huszar looking a bit more polished. I thought his appearance was looking a bit sloppy and disheveled on Chesapeake Shores.

      Thank you for this review! :)

      Delete
  30. A FABLED CHRISTMAS

    Family friendly. This was cute, although the whole story was a bit odd to understand in the beginning. I do like the unique format of how the story was told like in it’s happening a book. I’m not a big Ryan Paevey fan and I wasn’t feeling the chemistry too much with Brooke D’orsay. I also wished that Brooke’s character didn’t proclaim her feeling before Ryan’s character, but I’m just old fashioned ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CH Mom, Thank you for posting this review. I'm old fashioned with my views on these things, too... so I'm glad to get your take.

      Merry Christmas to you!!! :)

      Delete
  31. Merry Textmas. Watched 30 minutes and decided to delete and move on. I found this movie to be cute with a fun premise but also slightly annoying and inconsistent. I enjoyed the big fun family all chiming in on their Christmas group text (including the stranger they accidentally included on the thread – oops!!). It’s probably a nice movie but I just wasn’t in the mood to stick it out. The part I watched was family friendly and I think if others aren’t bothered by the little things that bothered me, then this could be a cute movie. I enjoy movies that highlight the Christmas customs and traditions of different cultures (and this year there seems to be quite a multitude of those that are focusing on Latino culture) but I would like to hear them in English and not have to read subtitles, especially since I was not watching them on a Spanish-speaking network. I don’t mind a subtitle here and there, as needed in a story, but in this one they were excessive and they were teeny-tiny print and blended into the colors on the screen, thus making it very difficult to read and follow along (and I got tired of constantly rewinding to see if I could decipher them). Another thing in this movie that bothered me was that the accents kind of come and go depending on when actors forget to lay it on heavy; I can understand the older generations having accents but the younger kids having heavy accents just didn’t make sense in this movie where they supposedly were American-born kids. Also, the lead actress was unnaturally exuberant at times and sort of melancholy at other times, leading me to believe she was new to acting (but it might just be her personal style and something I’d get used to as the movie went on??). I liked the lead actor, although it was a bit odd that his character’s parents were originally from Mexico (and speak with heavy accents) and yet he didn’t understand ANY Spanish language terms at all (huh??).
    ~~Jane

    ReplyDelete
  32. Christmas on the Rocks. Meh. Watched an hour and decided to quit and find something better. There’s not really anything Christmas-y about this movie, it could easily be set in any season of the year. In fact, contrary to the supposedly mountainous & snowy location which just produced an avalanche down the road, there are quite a few outdoor scenes and the grasses, trees, perennials and shrubs are all lushly green and flowering with an occasional small patch of fake snow thrown in, and the lake has lots of boats still bobbing around (I haven’t seen anyone water skiing in the background but it’s probably happening just off camera!). {Note to directors of these movies: if you want us to believe it’s a wintertime, snowy, mountainous location, DON’T film any scenes outside in the summertime greenery!} Overall, the movie isn’t completely horrible but it just feels kind of slow, flat and mediocre. The hour I watched was family friendly but it’s time for me to hit delete and move on to find a movie that’s more fun or has some warm Christmas feels.
    ~~Jane

    ReplyDelete
  33. The Search for Secret Santa. Not family friendly. Such a shame because this was a cute and cozy movie with good lead actors and a fun Nutcracker mystery up until the one-hour mark. As the mystery is unfolding, we then hear a detailed story on how there was a royal prince back in the late 1800’s in a small European country and he was the only one left to carry on the royal line. But Peter “was not the marrying kind”. Twenty-four-year-old “Peter loved Finn, a male commoner” and he showered Finn with gifts and Finn took some of the gems and made a gold and precious-gem-encrusted nutcracker as a gift for Peter. The king found out about their relationship and separated the two and banished Finn, and young, heartsick Peter died of a heart attack and the valuable nutcracker became cursed forevermore. After being told this secret tale the lead actress says, “it’s 100 years later and we’re still struggling to accept people for who they are and who they love”. That’s when I was about to hit delete but I decided to fast forward through the movie to see if I could confirm a suspicion I’d had since the beginning of the movie. And, sure enough, at the end of the movie we find out that the lead actress's two best girl friends are actually lesbian lovers and about to get married and go on a honeymoon. Ugh. This makes two Ion movies that I’ve tried to watch that were not family friendly so I’m thinking I’ll not watch anymore Ion movies?
    ~~Jane

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    1. Jane, I always enjoy reading your refreshing take on these movies. Thank you, Thank you sooooo much for your latest drop of Lifetime, ION, UP, etc... Christmas movies!!!

      Thanks to you I'm going to be erasing both of the latest ION movies off my DVR. I'm so glad you informed us of the stories not being family friendly.

      Hopefully, the next Christmas movie you watch will be a keeper! You've definitely paid your dues and you deserve a good one in the mix. :)

      I'm so grateful you are a part of this IAWM family! Bless you and Merry Christmas!!! πŸŽ…πŸŽ„

      Delete
    2. Aww, Net, thank you. You are such a sweetie! And such a huge help for all of us!!
      You know how I tend to try to clear off my dvr of movies that might be questionable (or just not my cup of tea) and then save the best for last which probably means I'll be watching most of the "keeper" movies in January and February. And this year, I feel like I'm being pickier or more critical than in the past but it's definitely helping to clear off the dvr more quickly. So far, based on everyone else's reviews, I'm most looking forward to "Catering Christmas", CCB's "A Christmas...Present", "In Merry Measure", "My Southern Family Christmas" and "Time for Him to Come Home". My schedule is weird so I may go a week with no movies and the following week I'll have time to fit in multiples each day. And you know I grew up on a farm and love all things rural and "cowboy" so, right now, I'm a bit obsessed with watching the 10-day National Finals Rodeo on the Cowboy Channel -- it's definitely cutting into my Christmas-movie-watching time (as well as my dvr space... and my sleep time). πŸ˜„

      Thank you for all you do and for hosting all of us on your great site! A wonderful, warm Christmas to you!!! πŸŽ„⭐

      ~~Jane

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  34. OMG, Christmas in the Wilds was amazing!! -Maria

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    1. Maria, So glad you enjoyed it, too.

      Since you liked Christmas in the Wilds, I'm sure you'll like Christmas in Wolf Creek, as well.

      Delete
  35. I don't care for the cover of Fit for Christmas. Don't like how they displayed her.

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  36. A Fabled Holiday is family friendly about A Wunderbrook Christmas by Robertson. Miles is King, Judy is Queen, Izzy is Freckled Princess, Jay is the Fool, & Mildred is the witch. Even Charles wanna stay at Gingerbread Inn if he’s the Wizard. Welcome to Wunderbrook: Where Everything is Magic.There’s only five people are Talia, Anderson, Charles. Diane. & Keith invited to Gingerbread Inn with the owners of Gingerbread Inn are Miles, Judy, & their Daughter named Izzy. When someone heard chime? Talia heard chime when she gave her best friend named Anderson.

    Talia Munro wrote Another Wunderbrook Christmas

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  37. I wonder about Aimee Teagarden with Marshall Williams’ characters are at the end of the movie in Christmas Class Reunion?!?!?

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    1. Yes, I've been wondering about this movie, as well, based on the preview.

      Delete
  38. Holiday Stocking was family-friendly. I thought it was a pretty good movie about a brother trying to reunite his younger sisters. Only catch...he’s an angel. The movie was moving good until they had to throw in the usual argument or whatever that makes the characters mad and pull apart. The end is a bit emotional. Worth a watch if only to remind us of the giving spirit. Not really a keeper though.

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  39. B&B Merry....
    How wonderful to have a channel that's always family-friendly! This film was a treat and a huge success! The story was so warm and heartfelt and had the sweetest, kindest characters. I loved his aunt, she made me laugh. Another good film from Jen Lilley and they had great chemistry, which I believe is very important. I would have been nice if she told them the truth early on, but she was in a difficult situation, she does try to in the beginning. And I would have liked it if they didn't mention Mother Nature, but other than that it was a delightful movie. Makes you want a peppermint hot chocolate! Give it a try! You'll all LOVE it!!

    P.S. The mother made Peppermint smores, as much as I love peppermint... Stick with the original smores! No adding or changing them. Hahaha ;)

    ~Abigail

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  40. A New Orleans Noel. Parts were different and refreshing, and other parts were odd or kind of disjointed. Probably worth a one-time watch - it was fun and sweet, at times, and they were a nice, big, loving family. The movie made me want to eat pralines! 😊 There’s a fun Jingle Bell Hop scavenger hunt around the city where they’re rewarded lots of jingle bell necklaces when they find the different hidden treasures; it’s a nice, clean twist on the rewarding of beads during Mardi Gras (which is oftentimes quite tawdry). There’s a young girl in the movie and I thought she was refreshing and rather unique; likewise with the free-spirited best friend character. Patti LaBelle is, of course, one-of-a-kind and I enjoyed her sweet and sassy senior romance (“I know my gumbo’s good but don’t you go falling in love with me – we haven’t had our first date, yet.”) but I wasn’t as sure about her portrayal as the family matriarch. I liked the two leads but I didn’t love them together and thought they were missing some chemistry (even though I think they’re married in real life). My dvr didn’t record properly so I’m missing the last 15 minutes; I didn’t love the movie enough to go in and re-record a later airing just to see the ending (although, if I wasn’t swamped with other things I maybe would have done so). What I saw was basically family friendly (except for some mentions of needing alcohol and a section where the lead actor is “breaking into” his grandmother’s locked safe to find her famous, secret praline recipe -- he knows it’s wrong but he’s doing it anyway because he’s “got something to prove and I never lose a bet” – it all backfires on him in a funny way, but it felt a bit tarnishing to his character.
    ~~Jane

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  41. "A New Orleans Noel" -- family-friendly, it's a fine movie for a one-time watch.

    Merry Christmas, everyone!

    ~Alicia

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