The Best Hallmark Christmas Movies Of All Time, Ranked
At Christmastime, the last thing you want to watch is a dark, ripped-from-the-headlines thriller that'll punch you in the gut. You want something warm, predictable, and guaranteed to leave you with a smile. Enter the Hallmark Christmas movie! But there are literally hundreds of these holiday treats to choose from. How do you know which are the best? Don't worry: we've got you covered. This is a list of the highest-rated Hallmark Christmas Movies on IMDb. The only criterion was that these were holiday-themed TV films originally aired on the Hallmark Channel — no Netflix or Lifetime movies were allowed!
40. An Unexpected Christmas (2021)
Director: Michael Robison
Stars: Tyler Hynes, Bethany Joy Lenz, Alison Wandzura
IMDb rating: 6.9
"Hallmark's a great family to be a part of," Bethany Joy Lenz told Woman's Day. "They really welcome you in and make sure you're taken care of."
"I hope it just gives them relief for a little while, and I hope that families, as they watch this, are reminded of the goodness in each other and that most people are just doing the best that they can and the choices they make," she also told Glitter. She has since become one of the channel's most beloved stars.
39. Crown for Christmas (2015)
Director: Alex Zamm
Stars: Danica McKellar, Rupert Penry-Jones, Ellie Botterill
IMDb rating: 6.9
Danica McKellar takes the job of a governess to a rebellious young princess in Crown for Christmas — and the scene is set for a holiday romance. Can McKellar's character win over both the princess and her handsome, single father?
We won't give you any prizes for figuring out the ending of this whole flick, but that's not really the point of Hallmark movies, right? The point is enjoying the royally wholesome journey along the way.
38. Christmas Waltz (2020)
Director: Michael Damian
Stars: Lacey Chabert, Will Kemp, Katrina Reynolds
IMDb rating: 6.9
Lacey Chabert is one of the signature stars of Hallmark movies — at Christmas and throughout the year. “I see myself being a lifer as long as I’m inspired by the stories and as long as they’ll have me,” she told Vulture in 2022.
Chabert has starred in more than 35 movies for the channel and shows no sign of stopping. “I found a real home in Hallmark,” she said. “I’m able to be more of who I am here than possibly anywhere else I’ve worked.”
37. Checkin' It Twice (2023)
Director: Kevin Fair
Stars: Kim Matula, Kevin McGarry, Brittany Mitchell
IMDb rating: 6.9
Checkin' It Twice premiered in 2023, so its position in this ranking could be down to recency bias... or just because audiences really enjoyed it. Only time will tell.
The story certainly has the bones of a Hallmark classic. Kevin McGarry's hockey player thinks his career is coming to an end when he's transferred to a small town. But it happens to be the hometown of Kim Matula's real estate agent — and that's when things start to look up.