Hallmark Christmas movies have ironically become my holiday staple. I love watching them. Each movie is comforting, doesn't make me think too hard, and Hallmark's heroines always make me happy.

I've been watching these movies for years now, so I know which ones are must-sees and which ones are only worth a lump of coal. Below are the films that should be on your Hallmark Christmas Movie watch list and details on whether or not they are on the streaming service. Plus, check out our Hallmark Christmas Movie Guide for 2023.

Hallmark's queen is undoubtedly Lacey Chabert, who has produced about a dozen Christmas movies so far. In "A Royal Christmas," she plays Emily, an aspiring fashion designer. She goes home with him for the holidays and meets his mother, the monarch, played by Jane Seymour.

The couple is endearing together and there are many amusing moments about Emily being a fish out of water in her new, upper-class environment. Because of this, Emily is liked by other families and the local orphanage, but the queen plots to get rid of her. One is left grinning throughout the film to see if the young lovers can make it work.

Rent/streaming purchase on Amazon or Apple

Winnie Cooper ("Danica McKellar" to be technical) is hired to tutor the princess during her vacation. An earnest American, she becomes a popular figure at the castle and wins the heart of the widowed king, played by Rupert Penry-Jones. Rupert Penry-Jones, who also played the tragic romantic hero in "Black Sails," is perfect for the role. The entire film is a delight. Alex Zam, who previously directed "Royal Christmas," definitely seems to be the king of the "My Boyfriend is Royalty" subgenre.

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In Chabert's most delicious Christmas entry, he plays Kylie, a pastry chef who works as a temp and is dating her clueless boss. When she gets a promotion instead of a proposal, she decides to enter a gingerbread-making contest in order to open a bakery with the prize money. After the oven breaks down, she reunites with her childhood sweetheart, who owns a restaurant, and rents his kitchen.

There are many familiar developments, but the lead duo is utterly charming. Gorgeous gingerbread also makes an appearance and is a feast for the eyes. Plus, there's a mini-reunion of Mean Girls, as the girl who plays Lacey's friend from work, "She's Not Even Going Here," makes an appearance.

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Ione Bailey from Band of Brothers plays a widower with a young son who crosses paths with baker Molly (Alvina August). She becomes infatuated with him, but also with a mysterious new customer whom she only knows what he told her over the phone. Luckily, it was the same man. I like how well this couple gets along, but what I really like about them is their maturity. When a misunderstanding arises, another character comes in and says, "Wait a minute, that sounds like a misunderstanding." So they can deal with the issue like adults and avoid a big dramatic breakup.

Streaming on Hallmark Movies Now

This story is more mature than the typical Hallmark holiday movie. The main characters, played by Rochelle Aetos and Mark Taylor, are paired up on a town project, and the issues that arise to interfere with their romance are serious, such as children's Internet privacy and eminent domain, but fortunately, their smoldering chemistry is undeniable undeniable. There are also secondary romances involving likable gay couples, and the topic of single men adopting older children is also in the spotlight. There is also plenty of realistic humor, such as a scene where a Secret Santa at work struggles with a Secret Santa and everyone gets in trouble with scented candles.

Streaming on Hallmark Movies Now

Aimee Teegarden (Julie from Friday Night Lights) plays Vanessa, a former foster child who took a DNA test online. Richard invites Vanessa to spend Christmas with his out-of-town family to make up for lost time. He arranges for his surrogate son Chris (Andrew Walker) to drive her, and sparks soon begin to fly. They are so cute together.

The whole family accepts Vanessa and everyone has great chemistry. However, after receiving a voicemail from the testing center, Vanessa doesn't have the courage to tell them that a mistake was made. In the end, everything worked out fine, making this one of Hallmark's most endearing Christmas movies. Now that a sequel is in the works, we hope to see this family again.

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The next film is not a Christmas movie, but is set during the holiday season. Sarah (Inbar Lavie) is an optometrist, a Hallmark heroine with a groundbreaking career. She begins receiving Hanukkah gifts from a secret admirer, which is probably her dreamy contractor best friend Daniel (Jake Epstein, aka Craig from "Degrassi").

"The Eight Gifts of Hanukkah" is the first cable television production to focus exclusively on a Jewish holiday, and the juxtaposition of the genre's archetypes is interesting. Sarah always wears blue instead of red or green, and her apartment is decorated with dreidel knick-knacks and menorahs instead of nutcrackers and Christmas trees.

Stream in Peacock