Review

Movie Review: When I Think of Christmas
Subtitle: "When Small-Town Charm, Holiday Mishaps, and Way Too Many Christmas Puns Collide in the Most Hilariously Predictable Way."

Love Hallmark movies? “When I Think of Christmas” is Hallmark’s latest holiday masterpiece that proves two very important things: 1) Christmas can absolutely fix anything (including a highly questionable romantic past) and 2) Nothing says “Christmas cheer” like a ridiculously charming small town, way too many holiday traditions, and a woman who’s definitely not falling in love—except, of course, she totally is. If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if you combined romantic nostalgia, way too many cookies, and a town that’s way too into Christmas, then this movie is exactly what you’ve been waiting for.

The plot follows Katherine (played by Alison Sweeney, because of course), a woman who has spent years avoiding the holidays after a painful breakup and way too many bad memories tied to Christmas. Naturally, she’s not super into it this year—until she returns to her small hometown (because every Hallmark movie has to take place in a town so charming you definitely want to live there). Her mission? To avoid everything Christmas—except, of course, her family, her ex-boyfriend, and her secret wish to rekindle the magic of the season. The twist? Her ex (played by Luke Macfarlane, because he’s obviously the perfect Hallmark love interest) happens to be doing something way too festive for his own good, like running the town’s annual Christmas event and being way too involved in everything that could reignite old romantic sparks. Naturally, Christmas magic is going to make everything way more complicated than it should be.

The comedy in this movie comes from watching Katherine try to keep it together in the middle of way too much holiday spirit—from baking cookies she definitely wasn’t prepared to bake to accidentally getting caught in a snowball fight (because, let’s face it, Hallmark movies are not complete without an awkward snowball fight). Every time she tries to be “grinchy” about the holiday season, her small-town friends and family seem way too determined to bring Christmas joy into her life—whether she likes it or not. Watching Katherine try to pretend she doesn’t secretly love Christmas, while avoiding her ex, is comedic perfection. Every forced “I’m definitely not falling for you” moment is followed by way too many adorable holiday moments involving mistletoe, Christmas lights, and awkward “I’m not ready to be in love with you” looks under snowflakes.

But let’s talk about the real star of the movie—the town. It’s so perfectly Hallmark that you might start wondering if the Christmas spirit is somehow in the water supply. The streets are lined with way too many twinkling lights, the stores are all so festive they might as well be straight from a holiday card, and the town is obsessed with holiday traditions. Watching Katherine try to escape this overwhelming Christmas magic while simultaneously falling back into old patterns with her ex is like watching someone try to dodge a Christmas parade—but everyone’s involved, and there’s no way out. And don’t even get me started on the Christmas market, which is basically a mini Hallmark village where Katherine runs into her ex every five minutes in the middle of way too many mistletoe moments.

As for the romance? Oh, you know it’s coming, we need it from Hallmark movies. Katherine and her ex have that classic Hallmark “we’re definitely not in love” vibe, but really, they’re just one perfectly timed Christmas kiss away from realizing they’ve been falling for each other this whole time. And sure enough, after a few too many Christmas cookie mishaps and way too much forced small talk about holiday magic and their shared past, they finally admit they’re totally in love. Every suspiciously romantic Christmas setup (like a Christmas tree decorating competition or a snowstorm forcing them together) leads to a predictable yet totally adorable finale where Katherine finally embraces the Christmas spirit—and, of course, her ex.

The grand finale? Well, obviously, Katherine and her ex finally realize that love isn’t just about avoiding Christmas—it’s about embracing the memories, rekindling the romance, and maybe falling in love again, but this time, with way more holiday magic involved. Cue the snowfall, the perfect Christmas kiss, and a whole town cheering for their happily ever after. It’s Hallmark, so you know exactly how it’s going to end.

“When I Think of Christmas” is a delightfully predictable, heartwarming holiday movie that will have you laughing at the way-too-festive chaos and swooning at the predictable romance that only Hallmark can deliver. If you enjoy holiday nostalgia, too many Christmas cookies, and the inevitable reunion with your ex under a twinkling Christmas tree, then grab your coziest blanket, your most festive mug of cocoa, and settle in for a movie that proves there’s no such thing as too much Christmas cheer in one of our favorite Hallmark movies. 🎄❤️💋