Hicks: Hallmark's holiday films highlight what Americans truly think is important (2024)

FAQs

Why do people like Hallmark Christmas movies? ›

“There's a lot of dopamine and oxytocin that gets released in watching these things,” said T. Makana Chock, a researcher of media psychology at the Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Public Communications. “They can be very de-stressing. They make you feel happier.”

At Christmas time, a close-knit group of childhood friends returns home after 10 years to take part in the celebration of life of their beloved high school teacher.

Predictable, wholesome and lighthearted are some of the words that come to mind to describe Hallmark Channel's made-for-TV movies.

As The New Yorker notes, the Hallmark Movies audience is decidedly Middle-American and Christian.

"[Hallmark movies] give us hope for things like love, 'true happiness,' overcoming obstacles, and compassion," says Rutledge. Recognize that these possibilities exist in your life, rather than focusing on the unlikelihood of specific plot points that led the protagonists there.

1) Persistence Pays Off. If any movie knows the value of persistence, it's A Christmas Story, which hung around in the far corners of cable TV, eventually snowballing into a cult classic, and then a holiday tradition in and of itself. The same lesson is taught bythe film itself, in its most memorable element.

Christmas films often give us hope. They make us believe in all the good in this world, something we all need at the end of each year. We can all use some hope in our lives, and that is what makes us come back each year to watch the same movies over again.

“And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth peace, and good will toward men.”” And that is what Christmas is all about. For Charlie Brown.

What is the least liked Christmas movie? ›

1. Christmas Vacation (1989)

Hallmark events are the best events which are imbedded in a particular place or culture (Getz et al., 2012) . These events are recurring events whose identity is linked with the host destination as a result they form an important part of its image and branding. ...

"Hallmark movies provides an escape from 'real life' and allow the individual to tap into their fantasies, which people often do not get the opportunity to do in daily life," adds Dr. Tamar Blank, a licensed psychologist.

Since 2009, Hallmark has aired more than 300 Christmas movies (and a handful of Hanukkah films, too). They are a win-win economic prospect for the channel. They're relatively cheap to produce, with budgets often under $2 million, and shot in Canada, where tax credits make shooting even less expensive.

Having 30 Hallmark movies to her name, Lacey Chabert – known for her roles on “Party of Five” and “Mean Girls” – has been called the “Queen of Hallmark Movies,” something the actress takes as a compliment.

If you look at only the telefilms that have aired between the two TV channels, it might surprise long-time devotees to learn that actor Steve Bacic has appeared in the most Hallmark movies.

Hallmark movies are a beautiful thing, and their Christmas options are an exceptional blend of cheesiness and feel-good romance—as are Hallmark's Hanukkah movies, which gets its own awesome list. There's a pretty fun formula: They all have over-the-top premises, predictable storylines, and happy endings.

Despite their reliance on cheesy romances and tired tropes, Hallmark movies still draw a massive audience every year. “Even if the plots are predictable, they have funny and heartwarming moments that are entertaining to watch,” said Khado Tsephel '23.

Why Does Hallmark make cheesy movies? ›

With the Hallmark Channel it is all about volume. Quantity over quality - which is the exact opposite of what you need in the arts. When your genre options are so narrow, there are few surprises, and it ends up being the same themes rehashed over and over again.

As the triumphant and touching end of the story goes, Scrooge is able to defeat a lifetime of selfishness and the worship of money to become a new man with an entirely new outlook on life. He learns how to be patient, kind and generous. The story can teach us a lot.

In this story of a miserly man, we are presented with ideas of greed, forgiveness and tricky concepts of time, as well as themes of generosity and compassion. Three main themes include: Christmas. redemption.

Christmas is a Christian celebration of the birth of Christ, though it also encompasses Greek, Roman and pagan traditions of giving gifts and feasting around the Winter Solstice. It is a time when families and friends come together to share food and exchange gifts. Dickens wrote this novella before Christmas 1843.

Christmas 2021: History

Christmas is celebrated to remember the birth of Jesus Christ. Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. The name Christmas comes from the mass of Christ. A mass service is where Christians remember that Jesus died for us and then comes back to life.

Why is Christmas important? Christmas is important because it is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the Son of God who came to redeem all mankind and call them to himself.

What is the most important thing about Christmas? The fact that is the birth of Jesus.

Christmas is the holy and sacred season of remembering and celebrating the birth of Jesus. It's a time to come close to the manger with fresh eyes to remember God's great mercy.

Instead, Charlie Brown chooses a small, sickly looking real tree that he believes needs some tender loving care. Although it is the exact opposite of what his cast asked him to get, it may act as that symbol to bring the true meaning of Christmas back into everyone lives, with a little help from a speech by Linus.

She meets Golding's character Tom, who takes her on a tour of the city and implores her to “Look up” as a way of getting away from distractions and really being present in life. Henry Golding and Emilia Clarke in 'Last Christmas.

What is the most liked holiday in the world? ›

1. Christmas. Christmas may be represented by presents and Santa Claus nowadays, but this popular holiday had another origin story.

The classic A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is the most popular Christmas story of all time. Written in 1843, it has been read by generations of adults and children, and it has been adapted many times for plays, movies, and tv, making it the most beloved story to read each holiday season.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby is not only the best-selling Christmas/holiday single in the United States, but also the best-selling single of all time, with estimated sales in excess of 50 million copies worldwide.

The list that rounds out the top 10 is as follows: Crosby's “Silent Night,” 1933, $30 million; Mariah Carey's “All I Want for Christmas is You,” 1994, $16 million; Gene Autrey singing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer ” brought in $12 million in 1949; the Band Aid song “Do They Know It's Christmas” (for famine relief ), ...

A hallmark is an official mark or series of marks struck on items made of metal, mostly to certify the content of noble metals—such as platinum, gold, silver and in some nations, palladium. In a more general sense, the term hallmark can also be used to refer to any distinguishing mark.

Events are important because they allow for a more intimate and engaging experience with your audience which ultimately leaves a lasting impression and one that is more memorable than a passive viewing of a more traditional form of advertising.

Why theme is important for an event? ›

An event theme gives an event planner information about what type of decor they should invest in. Certain themes lend themselves very well to specific colors, patterns, and decorations. All of this ultimately simplifies the process of planning.

Greene credits it to the movies' irresistible formula. “The formula gets addicting because it's kind of predictable, but also they feel comfortable in almost the structure of the story,” Greene says. “Even though they kind of know what's going to happen, they want to be taken on the ride to get there.”

Dr Lishman says the made-for-holiday movies are filled with nostalgia, taking us back to simple childhood memories "when life wasn't so complicated". Nostalgia not only brings up emotions we attach to memories of people, events of the past and places we've been but sparks a particular reaction in our brains.

Excellence in all we do. High standards of ethics and integrity. Caring and responsible corporate citizenship for Kansas City and for each community in which we operate.

I'm not ashamed to say I've watched a lot of Hallmark Christmas movies in the past couple of weeks (okay, maybe slightly ashamed — but only for screenwriting research purposes, I swear!) Thanks to said “research”, I have discovered that each one of these movies contains the exact same storyline.

Hallmark's two networks made 37 original Christmas movies in 2018 — and more than 80 million people will watch them. The obvious answer to why Christmas completely dominates Hallmark's winter programming lineup (and that of its sister channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) is that it makes the channel money.

There's Always a Market for Family-Friendly Films

Christmas time is also vacation time for many people. It's not uncommon for several generations of family members to end up together and ready to see a movie either in the theater or on TV as people unwind and get ready for the next year.

1. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

February 18, 2022 at 2:08 p.m. Having 30 Hallmark movies to her name, Lacey Chabert – known for her roles on “Party of Five” and “Mean Girls” – has been called the “Queen of Hallmark Movies,” something the actress takes as a compliment.

What was the very first Hallmark Christmas movie? ›

The first episode to debut on Hallmark Channel was One Christmas Eve, starring Anne Heche. On the cable channel, four original movies at most would air as a part of the Hall of Fame with multiple encores.

Instead of offering up a digital version of Hallmark's cable channels, Hallmark Movies Now takes a more Netflix-style approach. While this means you don't get access to live channels, you'll find hundreds or thousands of hours of both classic and modern movies that aren't currently airing on the cable networks.

Dr Lishman says the made-for-holiday movies are filled with nostalgia, taking us back to simple childhood memories "when life wasn't so complicated". Nostalgia not only brings up emotions we attach to memories of people, events of the past and places we've been but sparks a particular reaction in our brains.

Watching Christmas films can instantly boost our happiness as it triggers the release of dopamine, a feel-good hormone. "It does create that neurological shift that can produce happiness," the psychologist said.

Christmas is celebrated to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the Son of God. The name 'Christmas' comes from the Mass of Christ (or Jesus). A Mass service (which is sometimes called Communion or Eucharist) is where Christians remember that Jesus died for us and then came back to life.