Hallmark Channel's Top 28 Christmas Movies Of The 2020s (So Far), Ranked From Worst To Best

The Hallmark Channel is known for successfully delivering on its cozy movie quota, especially during the colder months of the year. However, Christmas is when Hallmark movies really shine, so much so that since 2012, Hallmark has even put together a Christmas in July event for all megafans who can't get enough of the festive feeling. That said, the endless selection of seasonal flicks makes it all the more overwhelming for viewers hoping to settle on a feel-good movie with a solid rating.

There are hundreds of Hallmark Christmas movies, with the channel releasing a whopping 246 Christmas (and Hanukkah) movies since 2020 alone, proving that holiday joy really is what Hallmark does best. Although some of the Hallmark's holiday projects have fallen flat, some are absolute classics that people return to every year. So, that led us to wonder — what are the top Hallmark Christmas movies of the 2020s? Here they are, ranked by IMDb user ratings and honest reviews.

"Next Stop, Christmas" is a story about Angie, played by Lyndsy Fonseca, who wants to spend Christmas alone only to find that her ride home has been transformed into a Christmas train, conducted by the legendary Christopher Lloyd. Fonseca is dropped off in her home town as planned — except it's 2011. Rated 7.0/10 stars on IMDb, "Next Stop Christmas" is well liked but has suffered from several poor reviews. One reviewer said, "Come on Hallmark, start brushing up on your on-screen relationship connections. Because this one, set partially on a passenger train, sure missed its biggest one."

Released in 2022, "My Southern Family Christmas" tells the story of Campbell Wallace, played by Jaicy Elliott, who meets her biological father (played by Bruce Campbell) for the first time. The twist is that Campbell doesn't know she's his daughter, and Elliott must weigh the pros and cons of telling him the truth. While it's one of the lower-ranked movies on this list, "My Southern Family Christmas" earned a perfectly respectable IMDb score of 7.0/10 stars. "This is actually a sweet family drama set during Christmas in the Louisiana bayou," wrote one reviewer.

"A Timeless Christmas" stars Ryan Peavey as Charles Whitley, a man who time-travels from 1903 to 2020, where he meets Megan Turner, played by Erin Cahill. Cahill was once a childhood hero to a whole generation, but in this movie, she treats Peavey to his first ever 21st Century Christmas. "A Timeless Christmas" is another Hallmark Christmas movie with an average score of 7.0/10 stars on IMDb, but one reviewer particularly praised it when they commented, "Excellent, subtle, and totally interactive chemistry between the two [stars] and the cast."

The sweet story of "A World Record Christmas" was inspired by real events, and star Nikki DeLoach has a personal connection to the story. In this movie, a boy diagnosed with autism — played by Aias Dalman — teams up with his mother Marissa (DeLoach) and community to reach his dream world record of the largest Jenga tower. "A World Record Christmas" has an average IMDb score of 7.0/10 stars, but a few reviewers gave it personal scores of 10/10. One reviewer said, "This movie is so worth watching. Bring your Kleenex."

When "Mystery on Mistletoe Lane" was released in 2023, Erica Cerra was a Hallmark newcomer. Much like Cerra herself, her character Heidi Wicks is new to town in the movie, and with help from local handyman and historian David (played by Victor Webster), Cerra and her family find a Christmas mystery in their own home. With an average IMDb reviewer score of 7.0/10, "Mystery on Mistletoe Lane" is another solid Christmas movie with cozy mystery vibes. "This is basically a treasure hunt at Christmas story," said one reviewer. "The mystery develops nicely into the treasure hunt."

Katie Findlay and Evan Roderick star in 2023's "Sealed With A List," which sees Findlay (Carley) on a mission to fulfil her list of abandoned resolutions from the start of the year. Roderick plays coworker Wyatt, who helps Carley find the confidence to strive to be the best version of herself that she can be. Another Hallmark Christmas movie with an average 7.0/10 stars on IMDb, "Sealed With A List" seems to have pleased several reviewers. One reviewer wrote, "In every single way this is original, fun, and just ... fresh."

Some fans may wonder whatever happened to One Tree Hill's Robert Buckley. Well, in 2024, he co-starred in "'Twas The Date Before Christmas" alongside Amy Groening. Using the always-fun 'fake dating' trope, this movie sees Bryan (Buckley) and Jessie (Groening) meet on a dating app before Jessie begs Bryan to join her and her family on Christmas — and deeper feelings develop amongst the festive fun. This movie has an average IMDb score of 7.0/10, making it another solid Hallmark effort. "They are both strong actors, and their chemistry is absolutely perfect," said one reviewer.

While "Round and Round" is technically not a Christmas movie, it is definitely a winter holiday movie. Here, main character Rachel (Vic Michaelis) is stuck in a time loop on the evening of her parents' Hanukkah party, and her only savior might be Zach (Bryan Greenberg), the boy her grandma is trying to set her up with. One reviewer said, "'Round and Round' is a delightful surprise ... the chemistry of the cast was quite good, and I found many of the jokes and sequences surprisingly postmodern." This movie more than deserves its 7.1/10 rating on IMDb.

There's a lot to know about Hallmark star Benjamin Ayres, including that in 2023, he co-starred in "Miracle in Bethlehem, PA" alongside Laura Vandervoort. Vandervoort plays the very independent and accomplished Mary Ann, who adopts a baby girl just before Christmas, before finding herself stranded in Bethlehem, PA for the holiday. Ayres plays Joe, the local innkeeper's brother, and sparks soon fly between the two. "Miracle in Bethlehem, PA" has a respectable IMDb score of 7.1/10, plus several glowing reviews. "This one may be the best of the Christmas 2023 movies," said one reviewer.

Channel mainstay Nikki DeLoach has one thing she loves the most about being a Hallmark star, and the family-like support seems to be a part of it. In "The Gift of Peace," DeLoach's character Traci experiences this when she joins a grief support group at Christmas after the death of her husband gives her a crisis of faith. "The Gift of Peace" boasts a solid 7.1/10 average user review score on IMDb, and one reviewer said, "The true Hallmark has returned with this one!! Finally a heart-warming, family-oriented Christmas movie about faith, hope, and dreams."

A lot of Hallmark movies receive respectable scores, which is also the case for "Crashing Through the Snow," which has an average user review score of 7.1/10 stars on IMDb. Starring Amy Acker as Maggie Collins and Warren Christie as Sam Reynolds, "Crashing Through The Snow" sees the two stars crash Christie's sister's perfect Christmas, only to find themselves up against some blended family shenanigans. One reviewer said, "I enjoyed this 'Christmas in July' Hallmark movie. The plot was a bit more 'grown up' as another reviewer has pointed out, and the acting was very strong."

Getting drawn into your wealthy boss' family is a tried-and-true romance trope, and "Christmas With The Darlings" is a Hallmark Christmas movie that takes it for a spin — with a twist. Kristina Law stars as Jessica, an assistant who quits her job and ends up helping her boss' younger brother (Carlo Marks) take care of his orphaned nieces and nephews over Christmas. "Christmas With The Darlings" has an average score of 7.1/10 stars on IMDb and has been praised for its heartwarming story, with one reviewer calling it a "sweet and cute Christmas movie."

"Take Me Back For Christmas" sees Christmas go very wrong for its star, Vanessa Lengies. As Renee, Lengies wishes for a different life after a difficult day at work, and she finds herself living her successful dreams, with the only problem being that she's no longer married to her husband. "I have watched a million Hallmark movies and this one is really a step above the rest, almost completely due to the acting job of Vanessa Lengies," said one reviewer — so, the star alone might have won the movie's 7.1/10 IMDb review score.

Inspired by true events, 2023's "Holiday Road" tells the story of nine strangers who embark on a holiday road trip to Denver after they're all stranded at the airport due to bad weather for the festive season. The strangers, headed up by Sara Canning as travel writer Dana and Warren Christie as tech entrepreneur Clay, navigate a series of adventures together and finish the road trip as good friends. Seen as a Hallmark stand-out, "Holiday Road" has a very solid review score of 7.2/10 stars on IMDb, and one reviewer called it, "Brilliant — one of Hallmark's best."

A meet-cute is classic for a reason. In "My Christmas Guide," a college professor, played by Ben Mehl, adopts a guide dog after losing his sight. The trainer (Amber Marshall) and the guide dog help Mehl regain his confidence, and as they spend time together, Mehl's heart starts to open to Marshall in particular. "My Christmas Guise" proudly has an average IMDb reviewer score of 7.2/10 stars. One reviewer said, "From the start to end this was an enjoyable film which was well produced, great acting, and good story."

New York City is a familiar setting for a Christmas romance, and "A Holiday Spectacular" pairs the iconic city with a 1958 setting. Heiress Maggie (played by Ginna Claire Mason) has a secret dream to dance live on stage at Radio City Musical Hall in the annual "Christmas Spectacular" alongside the Radio City Rockettes — but it unfortunately clashes with her upcoming high-society wedding."Holiday Spectacular" has a solid 7.2/10 IMDb rating, but reviewers seem torn. One reviewer wrote, "Breaking the mold — sort of," while another reviewer said, "Lots to like, but a missed opportunity."

Hallmark's Jessy Schram looks different without her blonde hair, but fans don't have to worry about that in "Time for Them to Come Home for Christmas." In this movie, Schram plays a woman with amnesia, who is helped by her handsome nurse (played by Brendon Penny) to rediscover her true identity. With an average reviewer score of 7.2/10 stars on IMDb, "Time for Them to Come Home for Christmas" is very well-liked by viewers. "Brendan Perry and Jessy Schram, I love them both and they have great chemistry," said one reviewer.

"A Dickens Of A Holiday!" is one of many festive romances to earn a score of 7.2/10 on IMDb. Set around a Victorian festival, Brooke D'Orsay plays Cassie, who is determined to make the festival's 100th anniversary a success. D'Orsay then invites Jake (Kristoffer Polaha), her former high school friend, who now works as an action movie star, to play Scrooge and boost the festival's profile. "An entertaining and engaging story with some lovely dialogue, amazing performances, and a lot of heart," wrote one reviewer.

Hallmark's Kimberley Sustad and Paul Campbell started collaborating a long time ago, and in 2020, they co-starred in "Christmas By Starlight." With 7.2/10 stars on IMDb, "Christmas By Starlight" sees Sustad play Annie, who in the lead-up to Christmas is determined to save her family's cafe, The Starlight Eatery, from closure and demolition. Campbell plays William, the son of the property developer who has slated the cafe for demolition in the first place. One reviewer said, "The best dialog of any of the Hallmark movies. Reminds me of snappy repertoire from the old classic movies."

In "On The 12th Date of Christmas," Jennifer (played by Mallory Jansen) and Aida (played by Tyler Hynes) are forced to team up to create a romantic, city-wide scavenger hunt for the classic "Twelve Days of Christmas" carol, and their inevitable clashing dynamic gives away to deeper romantic feelings before long. Rated 7.2/10 stars on IMDb, reviewers praised the movie's originality. One reviewer said, "I'm glad to see a bit more creativity out into at least a few of the 2020 Hallmark Christmas movies ... this one is unique and much better than average."

"A Reason for the Season" tells the story of Evie (Taylor Cole), who attempts to earn her trust fund by granting Christmas miracles to those who saved her life on the night she was born. The gift-giving leads to romance with local attorney Kyle (Kevin McGarry) by her side. With a 7.3/10 rating on IMDb, the Hallmark project was well received, though some criticized the pacing. "While [this movie] is not going to become a recurring Christmas classic in my household, it is still a movie that I would recommend," said one reviewer.

Christmas isn't Mrs. Miracle's first outing, but the titular character — played by Caroline Rhea — gets a chance to help out a family facing a lonely holiday season in "A Mrs. Miracle Christmas." Alongside Kaitlin Doubleday as Laurel and Steve Lund as Will, "Mrs Miracle" (aka Gloria Merkel) creates the perfect holiday for the down-on-their-luck McCollough family. "A Mrs Miracle Christmas" earned 7.3/10 stars on IMDb. One reviewer said, "It is a warm and heartfelt story that touches upon heavier issues, for example, shining a light on adoption and the need for good homes for all children."

Kimberley Sustad starred in two Hallmark Christmas films in 2023, one of which was "To All A Good Night." As photographer Ceci, Sustad saves the life of a mysterious man, played by Mark Ghanimé, who has likely appeared in town to buy Sustad's family's land — which just happens to host the local annual Christmas celebration. Rated higher than many films on this list, "To All A Good Night" boasts a 7.4/10 rating on IMDb, and one reviewer said, "Sustad is the source of this drama gold if you ask me."

Pretty Little Liars alum Ian Harding caused quite a buzz with his Hallmark debut in 2022's "Ghost of Christmas Always." As Peter, Harding is helped by Katherine, the Ghost of Christmas Present (played by Kim Matula) to recover the Christmas spirit which has been sorely lacking in his life. While the movie received an IMDb score of 7.4/10, several reviews granted 8/10 stars or higher. "Coming up with a unique twist on the Scrooge story is a challenge, and this film was up for it," said one reviewer. "The chemistry between the leads was palpable."

Just before Christmas, Elizabeth Athens gets a voicemail from an unrecognized number — a man making a plea for a second chance with his beloved. This is the story of "Time for Him to Come Home for Christmas," starring Holland Roden as Elizabeth, Tyler Hynes as Josh, and award-winning singer Tenille Townes. This Hallmark project earned 7.4/10 stars on IMDb, with one reviewer calling it the "best Hallmark movie" of 2022. "The acting was excellent and the way the writers tied together the two stories kept my interest throughout," they added.

Anyone who's experienced grief knows the feeling of wanting more time with a loved one, and "Five More Minutes" puts a Christmas spin on this experience. Hallmark queen Nikki DeLoach plays Clara, a woman who desperately wants five more minutes with her grandfather and ends up with his long-lost journal, which has been hiding an unrealized romance for decades."Five More Minutes" has an average rating of 7.5/10 stars on IMDb, with several viewers praising its heartwarming story. One reviewer said, "I found myself shedding a few tears in this one. The writers do a great job."

There was one moment that Paul Campbell knew "Three Wise Men and a Baby" was going to be a Hallmark hit. In the movie, three brothers (played by Campbell, Tyler Hynes, and Andrew Walker) find themselves babysitting during the holidays, which leads them to rebuild their sibling relationship as well as their Christmas spirit. "Three Wise Men and a Baby," more than earns its 7.5/10 IMDb rating. One reviewer wrote, "Why does this have such glowing reviews? Three reasons: It's very, very funny. It's well written. And the cast ... are all equally superb."

Hallmark mainstays Bethany Joy Lenz and Kristoffer Polaha unite in "A Biltmore Christmas," in which Lenz plays Lucy, a screenwriter who lands the chance to work on a remake of a beloved classic holiday film. Polaha, who plays Jack, starred in the original film, and due to some time-travel shenanigans while visiting the titular Biltmore estate, Lenz must make the decision to stay or alter her future entirely. As the highest-rated movie on this list, "A Biltmore Christmas" boasts 7.6/10 stars on IMDb, and one reviewer said, "They knocked it out of the park with this one."

We put together this ranking of Hallmark Channel Christmas movies from the 2020s based on their average IMDb user review score. Because Hallmark movie viewers can review anything they like with a free account, we felt this was an appropriately viewer-based way to rank these beloved holiday projects.