Welcome, Friends...
to the 2025
Christmas Movie Review Page!
Here we go! π This marks our 6th Year celebrating and sharing Christmas Movie Reviews together at *It’s a Wonderful Movie*!
If you’ve been with us from the very beginning, thank you from the bottom of my heart! π And if this is your first Christmas season with us, a warm and merry welcome!
Throughout the holiday season, I’ll be updating this page with reviews of nearly every new Christmas movie on Great American Family, Hallmark Channel, UPtv, Lifetime, and more... shared by *It’s a Wonderful Movie* followers like you!
Be sure to bookmark this page and check back often for the latest updates and reviews. ✨
If you'd like to know more about how to share a review, please see details at the end of this post. Simply put, please share in comments the movie title of the film you want to review, then share your review (it can be long or short - that's up to you!), and please, please, please write your name or nickname after your review - even if you have an account. That would be most helpful!
I hope you enjoy the Christmas movie reviews below...π
* 2025 CHRISTMAS *
MOVIE REVIEWS
πππππππππππππππ
*Christmas movies are listed in order by their premiere date below - underneath each individual network.
πGREAT AMERICAN FAMILY:
A Wisconsin Christmas Pie- October 11, 2025
π I watched A Wisconsin Christmas Pie on Pure Flix and found it to be full of all the Christmas feels! I must admit, I didn’t have super high expectations because I don’t usually enjoy the acquired movies as much as the GAF produced movies and I am not familiar with these actors. However, I am happy to say that this movie is top-notch! The actors have great chemistry, the storyline pulled at my heartstrings, and the Door County setting is stunning! This movie put me right in the mood to start the Christmas season. Great American Family is off to a festive start and I loved A Wisconsin Christmas Pie! It is one of those movies you can enjoy watching over and over! ~Gena
π A Wisconsin Christmas Pie is a very sweet start to this Season. –Maria
π A Wisconsin Christmas Pie was a surprise to me. I loved it! The natural snow in this movie is a big plus for me. It left me wanting a slice of cherry pie with vanilla ice cream. Oh, did those pies look yummy!~~kitkat
π I LOVED a Wisconsin Christmas Pie. I thought it was well acted. I usually haven't been a big fan of the acquired movies GAF brings in, but I thought this one was full of Christmas Spirit-I loved her parents! This one is of course Family friendly and I highly recommend watching it! ~Sarah
π Review: A Wisconsin Christmas Pie -
Family-friendly? Yes -
Recommend? Unfortunately no -
NOTE: SPOILER ALERT
While I certainly wouldn't say this was a bad movie, for me there were just too many problems for me to recommend it:
1. Kate's character came across as too harsh for me to root for her. I did not appreciate her rude attitude toward her parents because they didn't let her know about their situation (and for good reason), and toward Ryan's character because he didn't tell her about his son (which was understandable). I thought her giving back his gift from their teen years was a childish move. Simply, I didn't find her likable.
2. The storyline was too cookie-cutter and predictable: Successful big-town girl (who is up for a promotion) goes back home to the country for Christmas, her parents are hoping she will stay and help, she meets up with her former boyfriend...what will she do?? But what really got me is that she didn't face any internal conflict - she was adamant that she was going back to Chicago, until a VERY sudden (and frankly unbelievable) change of heart at the very end.
3. Kate's acting was good, but Ryan's was just so-so, and I didn't sense any spark between them. A very romance-less romantic movie.
4. And finally, a minor quibble - was anyone else bothered by the fact that at different times in the movie Kate seemed to have a lot of freckles, to some freckles, to no freckles at all? Somebody needs to talk to the makeup person.
I was really hoping to like this movie, since I have been to Door County many times for a getaway. (FYI - Door County has many bays and harbors - they do not mention which location they are at, but the sites did not look familiar to me.) – Mark 25
π A Wisconsin Christmas Pie - Hi Mark, I agree with a lot of what you mentioned, I did not feel the chemistry between the leads. And I totally know what you mean about the change in makeup. I watched a Lifetime movie with one of the Mowry twins, not the one that does Hallmark movies but the other one. Anyways, her hair and makeup in the movie were awful! It was like they just scraped that from the budget & said “figure it out, your on your own girl” π it always blows my mind how they think that us as viewers will not notice those things? ~Paula
π I wasn’t going to bother doing a review for a Wisconsin Christmas pie since others already had, but since I didn’t see anyone mention a certain aspect of the movie I thought I would. First, I actually was pleasantly surprised how well it was done and how much I liked it and it having a bit more interesting story line. The acting was good and it wasn’t low budget looking like some GAC movies. I especially loved the Dad daughter scene when he explains his feelings (made me cry).
But, having said all that, in the middle of the movie they are oddly and weirdly specific on what cancer the mother of the little girl dies of. My sister and i were literally like uhhhh what? Lol. Randomly talking about ovaries is just plain out weird and and not family appropriate nor feel good Christmasy. I honestly am over them having everyone die of cancer in these movies that I want to feel good and escape reality watching. But this is taking it to another level. What are they going to do next to be “relevant”? “Dad died of prostate cancer”? Who wants to have little ones ask what ovarian cancer is in the middle of a Christmas movie? So, I would say it’s oddly not exactly family friendly. - Anna P.
π A Wisconsin Christmas Pie - This family-friendly movie follows a familiar Christmas storyline - a woman returns to her hometown, eventually discovers the family business is in trouble, and reconnects with an old boyfriend. If you love Christmas movies, then you’ve seen the story. And usually, I admit, I adore it! I love when the lead rediscovers her roots, she sees her hometown with fresh eyes, and starts to feel that gentle tugging feeling in her heart to stay. In this instance, however, I just didn’t get that special cozy warm feeling. For the majority of the movie, it felt like Emma was moody and frustrated, and just wanted to leave, which made it hard to connect with her.
One of the most touching moments came when Emma discovered her grandmother’s old apron. You could truly feel the emotion in that scene as she remembered cherished childhood memories with her grandmother, and it was sweet to see Emma wear it proudly while baking. Later on, however, Emma is given another apron, and she begins wearing that one instead. It said on the front of it: “Merry Crustmas” instead of Christmas. I know the phrase was meant to be cute, but I personally don’t like it when any word is used in place of Christ. Anyway, the whole second apron story felt completely unnecessary. By the end of the movie, Emma was wearing her grandmother’s apron again. I was happy to see that.
Emma’s change of heart at the very end of the movie felt abrupt to me. I just wish we could have seen a little more of that positive spirit a whole lot sooner. ~Net
A Christmas Prayer - October 18, 2025
π I watched A Christmas Prayer on Pureflix and it was wonderful! It was a beautiful story that really tugs at the heartstrings. A lovely celebration of faith and the true meaning of Christmas, it brought me to tears several times but warmed my heart with humor as well. I can't wait to watch it again on Saturday night!! Also the young lady who played Caroline was so captivating!! I hope we see more of her on GAF/Pureflix!! ~MoreThanAHopefulRomantic
π I have already watched A Christmas Prayer twice on Pure Flix and highly recommend it. In fact, I liked it even better the second time I watched it. It is very heartwarming and full of faith! No spoilers, but I really liked seeing Christopher Russell in a more serious role. He played the role perfectly. I may have been misty eyed a few times during this movie! Shae Robins was great as always and I am happy to see her back in a movie for Great American Christmas. It can be hit or miss with child actors, but I thought the actress who plays Caroline was adorable. I hope everyone enjoys this movie as much as I did! ~Gena
π A Christmas Prayer is so lovely! -Maria
π I absolutely loved A Christmas Prayer! It’s nice to see a Christmas movie that centers on faith. Christopher Russell and Shae Robins were fantastic! Honestly, I wasn’t sure how they'd pair up, but they had great chemistry. All the actors were terrific! ~Allie B
π I watched "A Christmas Prayer" and just loved it, I loved how integral it was to showcase Christ during the season...because after all He is the reason for the season! Shae was wonderful as always I thought she and Christopher were wonderful together. Loved seeing Christopher in a more serious role! ~Sarah
π Review: A Christmas Prayer -
Family-friendly? Yes -
Recommend? Most definitely!
A perfect blend of religion and romance...with an emphasis on religion and how important it is to reach out and help others (which is the message of Jesus). The storyline is unique and interesting, and the cast is perfect - I don't think Shae has ever been better than in this role! For a movie that drives home the true meaning of Christmas, you can't do better than this!
(Oh, and did everyone catch Shae's message on Christmas during one of the commercial breaks? What she said from her heart in those 30 or so seconds was so meaningful and powerful - she is obviously a true Christian! –Mark 25
π I enjoyed A Christmas Prayer. They all had good chemistry, but wished the list was shorter. I did like how the main characters were always being put together and showed faith in every day life. Misty
π A Christmas Prayer is a winner! This is a movie I could watch over and over. Everything about this movie is wonderful. Christian faith on full display! Praise the Lord! ~Anonymous
π 'A Christmas prayer' is such a sweet, heartwarming and touching story. The true meaning of Christmas - Jesus, the message of giving to others, heartfelt prayers, genuine acting of all the cast, everything was just top-notch. I'm so glad that GAF has decided to go that direction, be true to real values, Christian values, even though it's not so popular in this world. Their light shines even brighter. *Oksanka*
π A Christmas Prayer – Wow, this movie truly touched my heart!
What a special, heartwarming, faith-filled film that beautifully brings the focus back to the true meaning of Christmas… Jesus!
Christopher Russell was absolutely fantastic as Wes, a widowed father who’s lost some of his faith. With the help of his sweet, spirited daughter, Caroline, he slowly begins to find his way back.
The young actress who played Caroline was truly phenomenal, such a natural talent and pure joy to watch! I loved how her bright little spirit encouraged everyone around her to believe again.
Shae Robins was also lovely as Natalie, a children’s storybook illustrator whose faith is reignited as she helps answer a little girl’s Christmas prayer list. Her performance was gentle, inspiring, and full of heart - just perfect for this kind of story.
And I must include the grandparents (Caroline’s grandpa and Natalie’s grandmother)! They both added such warmth and wisdom to the story, guiding both Wes and Natalie not only in faith, but also in matters of the heart.
The way each character spoke so openly about Jesus and praying throughout this movie is simply outstanding, so refreshing and beautiful to see! If you’re longing for a Christmas movie that truly honors why we celebrate, this one is a must-watch!
It’s the perfect, family-friendly film for all ages… full of heart and hopeful reminders of God’s love! ~Net
A Royal Icing Christmas - October 25, 2025
Christmas in Midnight Clear - November 1, 2025
A Very Curious Christmas - November 8, 2025
π A Very Curious Christmas is a different type of movie more focused on the mystery but Brittany Bristow and Olivier Renaud have good chemistry and carry it although the romance element is quite restrained.
One thing quite a bit takes place at night so the background is quite dark. I don't recall anything unfamily friendly (Florence's rating A Very Curious Christmas 7) ~Florence
Christmas Of Giving - November 9, 2025
Timeless Tidings of Joy - November 15, 2025
Pencil Me In For Christmas - November 16, 2025
π Pencil Me In For Christmas - I streamed this movie last Christmas (I think it was on Xumo), and I found it to be sweet and lighthearted. Greer Grammer is delightful as Harper, so cheerful and full of Christmas spirit! Jason Cermak plays Caleb, who starts off as a bit of a Grinch, but it’s heartwarming to watch him slowly open his heart to the joys of the season. Overall, I recall it being a nice, family-friendly film. ~Net
π Pencil Me In For Christmas is a favourite of mine and almost brings tears to my (eyes) as I think of the good old days of Reel One.
Greer Grammer and Jason Cermak were both new to me but they made a great couple that I was really rooating for and it's one of those old-fashioned Rom.Coms which you've seen lots of times before that leaves you with a warm satisfying feeling - the tension simmers nicely and the ending is great. I don't recall anything unfamily friendly (Florence's rating Pencil Me In For Christmas 8.5) ~Florence
π I really enjoyed Creating Christmas (new title: Pencil Me In For Christmas)! A fun movie.... Matt LaBarre
π I watched Jason Cermak on Creating Christmas (new title: Pencil Me In For Christmas) on streaming service. It’s family friendly ~Anonymous
Christmas on Every Page - November 22, 2025
Christmas North of Nashville - November 23, 2025
The Christmas Spark - November 28, 2025
There’s No Place Like Christmas - November 30, 2025
Cranberries and Carols - December 6, 2025
Christmas at Mistletoe Manor - December 7, 2025
Have We Met This Christmas? - December 13, 2025
A Royal Christmas Tail - December 14, 2025
SURPRISE CHRISTMAS FILM - December 20, 2025
Chasing Christmas - December 21, 2025
πHALLMARK CHANNEL:
Mistletoe Murders Season 1 - TV Series - October 17, 2025
π Mistletoe Murders is family friendly (1st episode) and liking it so far. -Elizbeth
π Mistletoe Murders - Okay, so I decided to get Hallmark+ for the Christmas season. I’ve watched the first two episodes of “Mistletoe Murders,” and it is a cozy sort of mystery.
Sarah Drew (“Guiding Emily”) is the lead and she is good in this genre. Her character, Emily Lane, owns and runs a Christmas shop, but she also has a covert mysterious past.
The show has a sort of “Murder, She Baked” vibe to it with all the community involvement in Fletcher’s Grove, and Emily has two adorable cats. Sarah Drew’s opposite is Peter Mooney (“Fly Away with Me”), who plays local police officer, Sam Wilner. He is a single divorced father with a daughter in high school, who also works with Emily at her Christmas shop.
I won’t give any of the mystery away, but one of the suspects is an unmarried pregnant woman. There is some mystery as to who the father is of her unborn baby. Another male suspect is referred to as her (and I quote) “Baby Daddy.” Due to that and some violence centered around the murder, the episodes are best-suited for a mature audience.
Thus far, “Mistletoe Murders” is an intriguing mystery series. ~Net
π I’ve been watching the Mistletoe Murders Mystery series and so far it’s pretty good. I just finished the first half of episode 2 and so far it’s been family friendly. ~Abigail
π So I started a 7 day free trial of Hallmark + last night because I wanted to watch the Mistletoe Murders and I watched the first movie (episode 1 &2 as it breaks it up into 2 episodes I don’t know why) and it was surprisingly good! I personally don’t care for Sarah Drew, never cared for any of the movies she did, but this one surprised me! I think she was good in the sleuthing role and I’m excited to watch the other 2 mistletoe Murder movies. The only thing I don’t care for is how she narrates in the movie. I’m okay with that in the beginning to set the stage but she does it throughout the entire movie and it is kind of distracting to my own thoughts when I watch a mystery movie. I want to dissect it in my own mind and her narration is distracting. ~Paula
π Mistletoe Murders – (episode 3&4) Each murder mystery in The Mistletoe Murders series are written to cover 2 episodes, so it’s basically like watching a movie. The 3rd and 4th episodes were mostly family-friendly for a show that revolves around murder. These types of shows are best suited for pre-teen age and up.
Cautions: A woman who was killed in a car “accident,” was thought to be having an affair with a man who is in the local choir. This same man is questioned by Emily (Sarah Drew’s character) and when she asks if he was involved with her, he says something like, she’s not my type and Emily says, blonde?, and he simply says woman. Nothing else is said or shown afterwards. There is another murder near the end of the 4th episode.
Overall, I love the sweet relationship between Emily and Sam, and his teenage daughter, who is a breath of fresh air. The Christmas shop is darling, and it was nice to hear the choir sing Christmas carols in these episodes. ~Net
π Mistletoe Murders – I finished this entire series running on Hallmark+. There are 6 episodes in all. For me, it was just okay. I’ve reviewed the previous 4 episodes before, so I’ll focus this review on the last two.
The murder mystery in the last two episodes revolves around a book store owner. He has left a mystery behind to his nephews and various people in the community. That part of the story is intriguing, at first, but it feels drawn out by the end.
The local detective, Sam (a divorced single father), shares a special Christmas celebration with his teen-aged daughter, who will be leaving to spend Christmas with her mother. I usually find the daughter to be bubbly and fun, but she calls their early Christmas gift exchange, Dad-mas. This was mentioned several times, and I couldn’t help from cringing every time I heard it. I don’t like when anyone replaces Christ in Christmas.
Also, I didn’t notice any language in the previous episodes, but the d-word was used at least three times in this last episode. It’s like they asked what word are we allowed to use and they settled on that one and used it several times. Whatever. It really wasn’t needed.
There is a kiss by a man and woman (I won’t say who) at the end that is rather steamy. It’s not your standard, simple Hallmark kiss and the credits roll. Without going into detail, I’ll just say it was more than the typical kiss. Honestly, I was watching with other family members and it felt a little uncomfortable. Needless to say, I was glad when it ended.
I won’t give away any of the mystery portion, but I’ll simply say this episode leaves you with more mystery around Sarah Drew’s character.
If you really enjoy murder mysteries, you might like this series, but if you want a warm and cozy, lighthearted, stress-free Christmas movie/show, you’ll probably want to skip this. ~Net
π Hey everyone, just wanted to report back on the Mistletoe Murders from Hallmark +. They were great! The narrating was distracting at first but I got used to it, but I would rather do without if I had a choice. The mysteries were very interesting and I liked the characters of the detective and his daughter, I just wish she had a friend in the show to be her partner in crime.
The final and 3rd movie left on a major cliffhanger. Aside from her year round Christmas store and the charming downtown area, the movies didn’t have that cozy vibe a la Murder She Baked that I love. Her own background being intertwined (similar to Jeff in Martha’s Vineyard Mysteries) made it slightly creepy for me. But if they made more I would definitely watch them, just not alone at night Lol ~Paula
π Mistletoe Murders was fun. Agree it is not for kids, so I was surprised Hallmark started their Countdown with it, but I guess that’s Hallmark these days. ~Allie B.
π I liked Mistletoe Murders enough to keep watching. My only gripe, honestly is there going to be a new murder every week, for like 10 weeks and a season 2 with new murders, in a small town? Really??????? I kind of was hoping maybe it would be 1 murder and the season revolve around it, but no. Always thought it was interesting that Aurora, in her small town, found like 10 to 15 murders. But that was over the course of many years (still ridiculous). But why can't they have at least half the season on MM to unravel the murderer? I do like Sarah Drew's character, and can't wait to find out all her secrets. Love Peter Mooney. ~Sabrina
A Royal Montana Christmas - October 18, 2025
π A Royal Montana Christmas is clean and charming. –Maria
π Well, A Royal Montana Christmas was very “meh” for me. I think i am over fake accents and hugging to “teach” someone how to rope / almost kissing in the first few minutes that people meet. The whole movie just felt cringy with nothing really happening and no real connection felt with the couple. I honestly found the father/Son relationship more real and interesting. Family friendly.. kind of. Thankfully the guy that they obviously want to seem gay doesn’t get a boyfriend but I don’t think the over the top kissing in this and that they seem to be including more and more is appropriate for families. -Anna P.
π Montana movie family friendly. ~Anonymous
π Review: A Royal Montana Christmas -
Family-friendly? Yes -
Recommend? Maybe for a one-time watch -
A standard "princess-in-the-USA" movie - predictable, nothing special but nothing bad. Fiona and Warren are fine in their roles, but Fiona obviously went to the same school where Merritt Patterson got her fake royal accent in Jingle Bell Princess! (Close your eyes and see if she doesn't sound exactly like Merritt!) If you're tired of these princess movies, you can skip this one. Otherwise, it's okay for a one-time watch. –Mark 25
A Christmas Angel Match - October 19, 2025
π Review: A Christmas Angel Match -
Family-friendly? No - The angels try to match up a gay person -
Recommend? No -
A had high hopes for this one, since it involved angels. And I really liked a couple of older Hallmark movies with angels where they are sent to earth to help others: Christmas Magic with Lindy Booth and Christmas in Angel Falls with Rachel Boston. Sadly, this one doesn't come close to these others.
This one is just, well, weird! I mean, they come from the Christmas Connection Department (?? - is this supposed to be part of heaven?) which may be downsized (huh?) and merged with Cupid's Department (again, ??) if these angels don't succeed in bringing two specific people together. "God" is never mentioned in the movie, nor is "heaven". This movie may have angels, but it is certainly not a religious movie at all!
And...then there's Benjamin's character who doesn't need to follow the laws spelled out in a book (he's the "fun" angel who drinks hot chocolate!) while Meghan's character follows the rules (and therefore has never had "fun" on earth and who therefore has never tasted hot chocolate). And maybe because I lost interest at some point, but I found the whole feather/wings thing confusing, as well as what "magic" these angels can and cannot perform. There's more, but I think you get my point. This one's a skipper! –Mark 25
π I did Not care for That Christmas Match movie on Hall Mark. I changed channel to Great American Pure Flix. To watch one of my favorites A Tail of Christmas ~Namegirl
π Disappointed in an Angel Christmas Match but not really surprised since it is hallmark. The whole movie was “tell me you don’t know God, without telling me you don’t know God.” Putting Cupids/Greek mythology together and yoga for Angels? You could overlook that until it was truly not family friendly when they made an angel making a match for the girls gay friend and meeting him at a bar. Turned it off. Guess i will watch the GAC movie i missed. -Anna P.
π That Christmas Match movie isn't family friendly and not good. The so-called angels in this one are the only thing halfway interesting. I wouldn't date a guy more interested in a grandma than dating women his age. Misty
π Montana movie family friendly. Sadly the angel one is not! ~Anonymous
Merry Christmas, Ted Cooper - October 25, 2025
Christmas on Duty - November 1, 2025
A Newport Christmas - November 2, 2025
Mistletoe Murders season 2 - TV Series - November 7, 2025
Christmas Above The Clouds - November 8, 2025
A Keller Christmas Vacation - November 9, 2025
*NOTE: This movie features a same-sex couple.
Three Wisest Men - November 15, 2025
Tidings for the Season - November 16, 2025
Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story - November 22, 2025
Melt My Heart This Christmas - November 23, 2025
We Met in December - November 27, 2025
The Snow Must Go On - November 28, 2025
The More the Merrier - November 28, 2025
An Alpine Holiday - November 29, 2025
A Grand Ole Opry Christmas - November 29, 2025
The Christmas Cup - November 30, 2025
Christmas at the Catnip CafΓ© - November 30, 2025
The Twelve Dates of Christmas - TV Series - December 5, 2025
She’s Making a List - December 6, 2025
Single on the 25th - December 7, 2025
A Suite Holiday Romance - December 13, 2025
Oy to the World! - December 14, 2025
A Make Or Break Holiday - December 20, 2025
The Christmas Baby - December 21, 2025
*NOTE: This movie features a same-sex couple.
πUPtv:
The Great Christmas Snow-In - November 2, 2025
A Royal Christmas Manor - November 9, 2025
Saving the Christmas Ranch - November 16, 2025
A Royal Christmas Hope - November 23, 2025
The Christmas Checklist Season 1 - November 29, 2025
π Nicely's The Christmas Checklist (streaming on Freevee) is so heartwarming and inspiring, which is why it pains me to say it's not a clean movie. There's 1 swear word that I know of, and near the end of the movie, there's a gay brother. Sorry to anyone who might have wanted to see it. -Maria
A Christmas in Amish Country - November 30, 2025
A Christmas Murder Mystery - December 7, 2025
Christmas in Big Sky Country - December 14, 2025
π Christmas in Big Sky Country. I rather enjoyed this predictable little movie. It was comfortable and satisfying, even though sometimes hokey. There wasn’t a huge amount of romantic chemistry but I thought all the actors did a decent job (in fact I kind of think it might be the best movie the two leads have each done?). It was the same old, same old plotline, and it’s not going to win any awards and I’m not even sure it was all that Christmassy, but there was just enough drama and uniqueness and family sweetness to make it stand out a little bit and be worth watching in a sea of Christmas-movie sameness. Loved the yarn shop; and the family patriarch, who is a sheep farmer, and has lots of silly Dad puns. Family friendly. {I watched this as part of a 3-movie dvd collection that I bought through Net’s affiliation with Amazon. All three movies are good so it was worth the purchase. “Christmas in Maple Hills”, “Christmas with the Knightleys” and this one.} ~~Jane
Christmas with the Knightlys - December 21, 2025
π Christmas with the Knightlys - What a cute little movie! Sweet, romantic, funny. Most all of the actors were new to me and they all did a good job. Family friendly. Glad I own the dvd so I can watch this again sometime. ~~Jane
πLifetime:
Christmas Everyday - November 29, 2025
The Christmas Campaign - November 29, 2025
Jingle All the Way to Love - December 5, 2025
A Christmas Cookbook - December 5, 2025
Deck the Hallways - December 6, 2025
Merry Missed Connection - December 6, 2025
A Runaway Bride for Christmas - December 12, 2025
Christmas in Alaska - December 12, 2025
Thank God: Christmas at Keller Ranch - December 13, 2025
Rodeo Christmas Romance - December 13, 2025
Sweet Holiday Romance - December 19, 2025
π Sweet Holiday Romance (Christmas Love and Fudge) is clean and quite sweet. -Maria
π Sweet Holiday Romance – I agree with Maria’s review; this movie is family-friendly and very sweet. The female lead, Amanda (Erin Karpluk), is quirky and cheerful, and her opposite, Simon (Christopher Russell), is a lot of fun! The two team up to uncover the secret ingredients behind Simon’s Aunt Jackie’s Joy to the World Fudge recipe.
It's just good, cozy comfort entertainment. The heart of the story was all about the fudge and their amazing teamwork, which of course leads to love. This ended up being a lighthearted, delightful watch. ~Net
π I've already seen the Chris Russell movie - it was fine but nothing special ~Florence
A Pickleball Christmas - December 20, 2025
πLMN:
Do You Fear What I Fear - December 4, 2025
πStreaming:
Any streaming movie reviews from Xumo, Tubi, NetFlix, etc... will be shared here.
Stay tuned...
I will be updating this post above, from time to time, as reviews from our *It's a Wonderful Movie" family & friends come in!
Thank you to EVERYONE above who has contributed to this page, thus far, and those of you who will continue to do so throughout the Christmas season!
*HOW TO SHARE A REVIEW:*
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Thank you all so much!
It’s such a joy to share in this Christmas movie season with you, and I can’t wait to read your wonderful reviews of the *2025 Christmas premieres*!
God Bless Us, Everyone!
Netπ

Movie Review:
ReplyDeleteA Christmas Prayer – Wow, this movie truly touched my heart!
What a special, heartwarming, faith-filled film that beautifully brings the focus back to the true meaning of Christmas… Jesus!
Christopher Russell was absolutely fantastic as Wes, a widowed father who’s lost some of his faith. With the help of his sweet, spirited daughter, Caroline, he slowly begins to find his way back.
The young actress who played Caroline was truly phenomenal, such a natural talent and pure joy to watch! I loved how her bright little spirit encouraged everyone around her to believe again.
Shae Robins was also lovely as Natalie, a children’s storybook illustrator whose faith is reignited as she helps answer a little girl’s Christmas prayer list. Her performance was gentle, inspiring, and full of heart - just perfect for this kind of story.
And I must include the grandparents (Caroline’s grandpa and Natalie’s grandmother)! They both added such warmth and wisdom to the story, guiding both Wes and Natalie not only in faith, but also in matters of the heart.
The way each character spoke so openly about Jesus and praying throughout this movie is simply outstanding, so refreshing and beautiful to see! If you’re longing for a Christmas movie that truly honors why we celebrate, this one is a must-watch!
It’s the perfect, family-friendly film for all ages… full of heart and hopeful reminders of God’s love! ~Net
A Wisconsin Christmas Pie - This family-friendly movie follows a familiar Christmas storyline - a woman returns to her hometown, eventually discovers the family business is in trouble, and reconnects with an old boyfriend. If you love Christmas movies, then you’ve seen the story. And usually, I admit, I adore it! I love when the lead rediscovers her roots, she sees her hometown with fresh eyes, and starts to feel that gentle tugging feeling in her heart to stay. In this instance, however, I just didn’t get that special cozy warm feeling. For the majority of the movie, it felt like Emma was moody and frustrated, and just wanted to leave, which made it hard to connect with her.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most touching moments came when Emma discovered her grandmother’s old apron. You could truly feel the emotion in that scene as she remembered cherished childhood memories with her grandmother, and it was sweet to see Emma wear it proudly while baking. Later on, however, Emma is given another apron, and she begins wearing that one instead. It said on the front of it: “Merry Crustmas” instead of Christmas. I know the phrase was meant to be cute, but I personally don’t like it when any word is used in place of Christ. Anyway, the whole second apron story felt completely unnecessary. By the end of the movie, Emma was wearing her grandmother’s apron again. I was happy to see that.
Emma’s change of heart at the very end of the movie felt abrupt to me. I wish we could have seen a little more of that positive spirit a whole lot sooner. ~Net
A Christmas Prayer - We watched this movie with the kids, and seriously, what a sweet movie! Just like everyone’s been saying, the faith throughout the story is truly beautiful, and that little girl completely stole our hearts. Such a lovely film to watch together this Christmas season. I definitely recommend it. Christie
ReplyDeleteI always love seeing this big yearly post. :)) -Maria
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for putting this page together again this year! My family always checks it when we’re deciding what to watch, can’t be too sure these days.
ReplyDeleteBig thanks to everyone who shares info and to you, Net, for keeping it all updated!Ashley P.
Thank you so much for the all the reviews. After reading the reviews it appears that all the Itsawonderfulmovie community is very unified in finding family friendly movies with good stories.
ReplyDeleteI hope the various networks heed the advice of the comments which will result in better quality films.
-Gabe’s Mom
Santa’s Cousin (2024) is family friendly about Santa Claus’ Cousin named Colton Wade is sent to small town in New Mexico on the mission to bring holiday cheer when town is in jeopardy. Colton is with Gabriel the magical elf. Colton meets Natalie & her deaf Son named Zack Frost. People think Santa isn’t real but Colton tells Natalie that he’s Santa’s Cousin. Colton, Natalie, Zack, reindeer, Gabriel the elf to Tinsel Town to meet the real Santa. It’s available available on Tubi. Other streaming platforms: rent or buy
ReplyDeleteStarring Jonathan Stoddard, Alexandra Harris, Malcolm Engel, Eric Roberts, & Eliza Roberts
Saving Christmas Spirit (2022) is family friendly about an archaeologist named Lucy Stewart discovers the importance of reintroducing a little festive wonder into her life in Scotland. She uncovers not only historical treasures but also a newfound love; Duncan. Lucy & Duncan say something about ghillie. Its available on streaming services .
ReplyDeleteChristmas Overtime (2024) is family friendly about an unemployed actress named Noel tries to run away from Christmas; she is offered a commercial by a lonely ad executive named Eli if she can convince his Christmas-obsessed staff to finish an ad campaign on Christmas Eve. It's avail on Tubi. Other Streaming Services: rent or buy.
ReplyDeleteA Sprinkle of Christmas (2024) is family friendly about Libby, a baker, has opened up her business just in time for the Christmas season. She finds herself in a heated online feud with Peter after he gives the bakery a scathing review. It's available on Tubi. Other streaming services: Free Trail
ReplyDeleteReporting for Christmas (2023) is family friendly about when idealistic reporter Mary Romero is assigned a puff piece about a Christmas toy manufacturer over the festive period, a charming toymaker named Blake Johnson inspires her to search her heart in order to find true happiness. It's available on streaming services
ReplyDeleteCreating Christmas (2023) is family friendly. Aspiring illustrator Harper Young collaborates with demanding author Caleb Mitchell. When he insists on working through Christmas in a quaint town, she must use the holiday celebrations to help break his writer's block? Its available on streaming services
ReplyDeleteMeet Me at the Christmas Train Parade (2023) is family friendly about when Charlotte Atkins' son named Benny learns about an old tradition, he persuades her to try & reignite the Christmas magic that brought neighboring communities together. Charolette meets Zackary Gregory at Christmas Train Parade. It's available on streaming services
ReplyDeleteHi Net, I am going to try and comment on a few movies this year. The problem is that by the time I see most of them everyone else is getting a tan outside, but I'm determined to keep up this year. Also, are you planning on adding this *2025 CHRISTMAS MOVIE
ReplyDeleteREVIEWS to the widget on right side of the page? I LOVE that little widget with all the years of reviews. I use it all the time for a quick 'get to'. It would be great to have the 2025 widget there now replacing 2024 as the lead dog. No worries though if you can't. I know you are soooo busy this time of year. Thank you so much.
Jim, Aww, thank you so much! I'm so glad you find the Movie Review links (even from years back) to be helpful to you!
DeleteI just updated the right sidebar, so the 2025 Christmas Movie Reviews are now listed and linked at the top - ready for all the cozy new Christmas movies coming our way! π
I’m so glad you are planning to join in more this year! That's great! I really looking forward to reading your thoughts and reviews this season. Your reviews/comments typically bring such a fun spark to the conversations here! :)