Netflix

Heading into the home stretch of Peak Holiday Movie Season, you’ve come to expect certain things in your viewings of Netflix, Hallmark, and Lifetime Christmas movies. No, I don’t just mean all your fave staple holiday movie actors (paging Candace Cameron Bure and Lacey Chabert) taking on new characters. There are certain scenes and tropes you want—nay, need—to see in each TV movie in order for it to be a fulfilling Christmas movie viewing experience.

Related Story

All Your ’00s Faves Are in New Holiday Movies

You know what I’m talking about: the small-town holiday festival, the Christmas meet-cute, and so many other clichés we’ve come to know and love in our winter TV movie schedule. Here’s a handy checklist of all the classic moments you could want (and need) in the holiday movies of your dreams.

As a professional reporter, let me say that yes, this is exactly what my notes look like. Way to ruin our secret, A Christmas Prince! 😂 pic.twitter.com/cZG5dHd0Dk
— Julia Ann Cain (@OhJuliaAnn) December 10, 2017

The main character is a female journalist investigating a Very Serious Christmas Story.

You know this one all too well. Of course, you need a main character who is a journalist on assignment to track a hot holiday lead…which we all know will lead to love.

As seen in: A Christmas Prince, Random Acts of Christmas, The Mistletoe Secret, Christmas 9 to 5

The main character just lost her job.

She should be good at her job and even striving for a promotion. But somehow, the movie has other plans for our holiday heroine and she gets fired and/or laid off.

As seen in: Christmas in Rome, Oh Christmas Tree, Christmas Under the Stars, The Christmas Temp, Crown for Christmas

The big-city gal heads to a small town.

Whether or not the main character is a journalist, she needs to go from the big city to a small town for some reason. Sometimes, the small town is her hometown. Other times, she just needs a change of scenery due to a bad and unexpected breakup.

As seen in: Christmas in Louisiana, Sweet Mountain Christmas, Radio Christmas, The Road Home for Christmas, You Light Up My Christmas

The family business is in trouble!

And only our holiday heroine can save the day in time for Christmas. She’ll find a way. She always does.

As seen in: Christmas A La Mode, Check Inn to Christmas, Always and Forever Christmas

The ruggedly handsome love interest.

He’s got to be not only dreamy but also a little guarded—at first. But as the movie moves along, he lets his guard down and shows himself to be sensitive, thoughtful, and loyal.

As seen in: Honestly, like, every single one.

You know, Lifetime’s version of “rugged.”

Lifetime

**The ruggedly handsome love interest who is also a very busy businessman with no time for Christmas.**

Consider this a subcategory of handsome love interests. He’s always sharply dressed for a meeting and so consumed with his job, but he’ll have to eventually make time for Christmas—and true love.

As seen in: A Cheerful Christmas, Christmas Made to Order, Christmas at Pemberley Manor

**The ruggedly handsome love interest who also knew the heroine back in the day.**

Another subcategory of handsome love interests. He has history with our holiday heroine, and that will make their reunion a bit awkward at first.

As seen in: Christmas Hotel, Matchmaker Christmas, Catch a Christmas Star, Christmas Joy, Christmas Everlasting

The Christmas meet-cute.

Our lovebirds need to first encounter each other in true rom-com fashion but with a holiday twist. Sometimes, there’s even a magical element to bring them together....

As seen in: The Road Home for Christmas, Welcome to Christmas, Christmas Under the Stars, The Christmas Club, A Storybook Christmas

Al bumping into each other meet cute and Christmas tree lighting within the first 5 minutes. I very much approve. #ChristmasWishesandMistletoeKisses
— Erin 🐧☕❄📚 (@ems616) October 27, 2019

The actual Christmas “magic” that changes EVERYTHING.

Theoretically, every holiday movie has a hint of Christmas magic, but sometimes you should opt for the mystical, witchy, spell-casting route to find true love.

As seen in: The Magical Christmas Shoes, Ghosting: The Spirit of Christmas, A Christmas Wish

You in danger, girl.

Freeform

Everyone needs to prepare for the BIG holiday event.

It’s not really a Christmas movie without a big gala, festival, or party looming that our heroine and her potential soul mate/nemesis are scrambling to prepare for.

As seen in: Christmas in Louisiana, No Time Like Christmas, Twinkle All the Way, A Christmas Duet

Holiday baking time!

Christmas bread, cakes, cookies—prepare yourself for intense munchies during the genre’s almost-required baking interlude.

As seen in: The Knight Before Christmas, The Sweetest Christmas, A Sweet Christmas Romance, A Very Nutty Christmas

The search for the perfect (or perfectly imperfect) Christmas tree.

Our heroine needs to set off on this search (preferably with her ruggedly handsome love interest—subcategory doesn’t matter), and it should double as a romantic bonding experience for her and the love interest. Bonus points if they decorate the tree together too.

As seen in: Oh Christmas Tree, My Santa, Miss Christmas

Line from a Hallmark movie that just absolutely made me scream.

Guy from Desperate Housewives to a man selling Christmas trees: “Yeah, I’m not the Christmas tree type.”
— Kristen Bartlett (@kristencheeks) November 17, 2019

The “villain” threatens Christmas cheer.

When I say “villain,” I mean some of the most lightweight antagonists you’ve ever seen. The “villains” are usually the heroine’s ex-boyfriend or the ruggedly handsome love interest’s ex-girlfriend—and they should jeopardize our holiday heroine’s burgeoning romance just a little bit.

As seen in: Holiday in the Wild, Oh Christmas Tree, Santa Girl, Write Before Christmas

The heart-to-heart moment (for the lovebirds).

There should always be that scene where our holiday couple lets their guard down and brings up a topic that’s super personal to them. It’s often a cherished memory of a late family member, the tragic loss of a former lover or spouse, or the dream that they desperately wish could come true. Basically, it’s a one-on-one date on The Bachelor.

As seen in: The Knight Before Christmas, The Holiday Calendar, Christmas Wishes & Mistletoe Kisses

Sticking on a romantic,boy meets girl,lovey dovey Christmas movie,Excellent idea Vanessa. For one reason,& one reason only...fell in love with this dude 30 seconds into the trailer.Damn. #KnightBeforeChristmas #netflix pic.twitter.com/jp2QiYuHvN
— Paintedlady28 (@Paintedlady1991) November 24, 2019

Stumbling upon the mistletoe and it leads to a kiss (or an almost kiss).

Tradition says you’re supposed to kiss whoever you’re standing under the mistletoe with, and isn’t that convenient in a holiday TV movie? It’s usually the moment our duo realizes there’s an attraction there, but it might take them a little bit longer to actually acknowledge it.

As seen in: Holiday in the Wild, Christmas Wishes & Mistletoe Kisses, Always and Forever Christmas

Consent laws apparently do not apply when it comes to the sacred mistletoe rule.

Courtesy of Marvista Entertainment.

A frustrating misunderstanding that keeps the lovebirds apart.

The movie’s third act (or even first act) needs some kind of complication to overcome, so enter miscommunications, misunderstandings, mistaken identities, missed connections, and mixed signals.

As seen in: Write Before Christmas, The Holiday Calendar, A Very Merry Mix-Up

Everyone falls in true love and Christmas is saved!

Of course, it’s a requirement of the genre.

As seen in: The ending to every TV Christmas movie you’ve ever seen.

Giphy

BONUS: A brand-new, centuries-late trope seems to be emerging this year:

Learning about Hanukkah

She celebrates Christmas and is almost a Christmas expert of sorts. He’s Jewish and celebrates Hanukkah. Together, they learn to embrace both December 25 and the Festival of Lights and bring about peace in the Middle East (we assume).

Friends did it first, btw.

Giphy

As seen in: Holiday Date, Double Holiday, Mistletoe & Menorahs, and perhaps more next year!

Mallory Carra Mallory Carra is a freelance writer & editor based in Los Angeles.

Mallory Carra

The Ultimate Cheesy Holiday Movie Trope Checklist