Review

Movie Review: A Biltmore Christmas
Subtitle: "When History, Holiday Chaos, and Way Too Much Christmas Magic Collide in the Most Hilariously Predictable Way."

“A Biltmore Christmas” is Hallmark’s latest holiday flick that combines a grand historic estate, way too many Christmas traditions, and a love story so predictable it’s almost as if the couple were pre-ordained by the Christmas gods. If you’ve ever wondered, “What if a perfectly charming woman with a mysterious Christmas connection meets a handsome, grumpy historian at the most perfectly decorated mansion in America?”—then this movie is your holiday wish granted.

The plot follows Megan (played by the ever-lovely Jodie Sweetin), a woman who’s come to the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina for a very important job, which, of course, involves a ton of holiday chaos. She’s there to help organize the biggest Christmas event of the season at the historic Biltmore—and, naturally, everything that could possibly go wrong with a perfectly planned Christmas event does, because this is Hallmark, and no one gets to have a smooth holiday season.

Enter Zachary (played by Brendan Penny), the grumpy historian who works at the estate and is way too serious about the history of the place and how Christmas should be celebrated. He is absolutely not interested in Christmas magic, holiday parties, or the idea of a Christmas love story unfolding in the middle of one of the most over-decorated houses in the country. So naturally, when he’s forced to work with Megan to bring her over-the-top holiday plans to life, the tension is palpable. It’s the “we’re definitely not going to fall in love” romance that everyone sees coming, including the town’s entire population, who is way too invested in making sure this Christmas event is perfect.

The humor comes from watching Megan try to keep everything on track while being constantly distracted by Zachary’s charming grumpiness, way too many holiday mishaps, and the overwhelming Christmas magic that the Biltmore Estate is practically built for. The mansion itself is so beautifully decorated that it’s basically a character in the movie, and every scene inside it looks like a Christmas catalog exploded in the most glorious way. Megan’s attempts to get Zachary into the Christmas spirit—by showing him way too many festive traditions like cookie decorating, tree trimming, and the obligatory “accidentally kiss under the mistletoe” moment—are so predictable, you’ll be grinning like a kid who just opened the best present ever.

Of course, let’s talk about the romance—because this is Hallmark, after all, and no one does “we’re definitely not falling in love” like this movie. Zachary and Megan’s romantic tension is so delightfully obvious that you’ll spend the entire movie wondering when they’ll finally kiss (spoiler: it happens, and it’s everything you wanted). Their bickering over Christmas trees, historical facts about the Biltmore, and way too many Christmas ornaments only makes their eventual “we’re totally meant to be together” moment even more adorable. The awkward moments they share (like being forced to bake cookies together) are so cheesy you’ll roll your eyes—but you’ll also love every predictably sweet second of it.

But let’s be real—the real star of this movie is the Biltmore Estate. It’s so perfectly grand and over-the-top festive that you’ll spend half the movie googling how to get tickets to see it. From the stunning Christmas trees to the historic decorations that seem too perfect to be real, the Biltmore feels like the ultimate Christmas movie set. Watching Megan and Zachary navigate their holiday duties while constantly running into each other in the mansion’s opulent halls is peak Hallmark magic. The entire town is involved in making sure the event is a success, from random Christmas carolers to the always overly enthusiastic townsfolk who are just too obsessed with the Christmas magic happening at the estate.

The grand finale? Predictable, of course. Megan and Zachary finally admit that they’re madly in love, after way too many Christmas miracles, an accidental holiday disaster, and an epic Christmas Eve kiss under the twinkling lights of the Biltmore’s most ridiculously decorated Christmas tree. It’s so cheesy, so magical, and so ridiculously perfect that you’ll leave the movie wondering how you can book your own Christmas getaway to a mansion where every detail is perfectly Christmas-y.

“A Biltmore Christmas” is a heartwarming, totally predictable holiday movie that will make you laugh, swoon, and probably start planning your next Christmas trip to the Biltmore Estate. If you love over-the-top Christmas decorations, historical mansions, and a romance so sweet it could give you a toothache, this movie is your holiday miracle. Grab a cozy blanket, some way too many Christmas cookies, and get ready for a holiday movie experience that will have you grinning from ear to ear. 🎄🏰💋