Review

Movie Review: The Holiday Sitter
Subtitle: "When Babysitting, Christmas Chaos, and Way Too Much Holiday Magic Collide in the Most Hilarious Way."

“The Holiday Sitter” is Hallmark’s latest Christmas movie that proves one very important thing: babysitting during Christmas is the real holiday miracle we never knew we needed. If you’ve ever wondered, “What if I spent the holidays with a gaggle of kids who are way too excited for Christmas, a neighbor who is way too charming, and a mountain of way too many holiday expectations”—then this movie is your festive answer.

The plot follows Sam (played by Jonathan Bennett), a guy who has somehow managed to avoid Christmas and all its ridiculously festive responsibilities for years. Why? Because he’s living his best too-busy-for-holidays life in the big city. But this year, Sam gets roped into babysitting his niece and nephew (because why wouldn’t your family make you the holiday babysitter?). Of course, Sam knows nothing about babysitting, let alone surviving the Christmas chaos that comes with two kids who are way too into the holiday spirit and a neighbor (played by George Krissa) who just so happens to be way too perfect for Sam.

Naturally, Sam gets way more than he bargained for when the kids turn their holiday expectations up to eleven, insisting on “decorating every room” and making Christmas cookies that are more disaster than delicious. Watching Sam try to keep up with the kids—who, by the way, are convinced that everything needs to be Christmas-themed—is like watching someone try to assemble a Christmas tree while the cat is actively knocking over all the ornaments. There’s the mandatory snowball fight, the absolutely ridiculous gingerbread house construction (spoiler alert: it collapses), and way too much decorating to make it feel like Christmas.

And then there’s the romance—because obviously, this is a Hallmark movie, and there must be a cute neighbor with perfect “I’m-not-falling-for-you” energy. Enter Jason (played by George Krissa), the neighbor who’s totally into Christmas and definitely doesn’t have his life together as much as Sam thinks (because obviously). The two start with a “we’re just neighbors” vibe, but soon, sparks fly faster than holiday lights on a malfunctioning Christmas tree. Watching these two attempt to get along while also pretending they’re not clearly falling for each other is comedy gold. They bicker about Christmas decorations, share awkward moments over overly decorated cookies, and accidentally bump into each other under mistletoe. All the classic “we’re totally not into each other” tropes come out in full force—and you can’t help but cheer when they finally realize they’re in love. (Spoiler: It’s under the Christmas tree, with too many ornaments everywhere).

The humor in this movie comes from the absolute mayhem that is holiday babysitting. Sam’s attempts to keep up with the kids’ enthusiasm are like watching someone try to keep a perfectly trimmed Christmas tree while it’s simultaneously being decorated by three overzealous toddlers. Every time Sam tries to have a “calm, relaxing evening,” something goes wrong—whether it’s a sugar high from way too many Christmas cookies or the kids’ holiday requests that are just a little too much for Sam to handle. Of course, everything goes wildly wrong until it magically goes right, because this is Hallmark, and everything gets resolved with love and Christmas spirit.

And the small-town setting? It’s perfect Hallmark magic. The town looks like it was lifted straight out of a holiday card, with streets lined with twinkling lights, too many Christmas decorations, and a local bakery that definitely makes cookies that taste like Christmas magic. Watching Sam and Jason fall in love while navigating way too much Christmas spirit is as predictable as it is entirely charming.

The grand finale? Obviously, Sam and Jason finally admit their feelings, there’s a ridiculously cute kiss under the Christmas tree, and of course, Sam becomes the best holiday babysitter of all time. Because, let’s face it—after one Christmas miracle, what’s more Christmas-y than realizing you’re totally in love, babysitting chaos be damned?

“The Holiday Sitter” is a heartwarming, chaotic, and hilarious holiday movie that proves that sometimes, the best holiday miracle is getting way too involved in Christmas traditions (and falling in love with the perfect neighbor along the way). If you’re looking for the ultimate holiday rom-com that involves kids, Christmas chaos, and a lot of accidental romance, this movie is your perfect Christmas gift. Grab your coziest blanket, a plate of slightly burnt cookies, and settle in for a movie that will make you laugh, cheer, and definitely believe in the magic of Christmas babysitting. 🎄🍪💋