In the lead-up to Christmas, we’re all gifting of being a little cheesier than normal. Maybe its the twinkly lights on the tree, the festive drinks or the idea of being together with all our loved ones, but there’s no time of year quite like it.
One streaming platform who leans into the cheesiness more than most, is undoubtedly Netflix. Establishing itself as the home of the festive rom-com, they have everything from cosy cabins in the woods to grand palaces in foreign countries far away. The one thing they have in common, though? They all revolve around a very soppy plot line.
Whether you love to hate it or hate that you love it, there’s no denying that the perfect way to boost your mood these holidays is to snuggle up on the couch, grab the remote and put one one.
Below, 14 of the most festive holiday rom-coms to get you in the Christmas spirit.
Love Hard
Love Hard is one of the newest holiday rom-coms to hit our screens this year, and we’re glad it did. Following the disastrous love life of Natalie, she’s just about to give up on online dating when she stumbles upon the potential love of her life in the handsome Tag. They talk all day and all night for weeks, before she decides to show up at his home for Christmas, to surprise him. Unfortunately for Natalie, she’s actually been cat-fished by Josh, who was pretending to be Tag. In exchange for pretending to be his girlfriend for the holidays, Josh promises Natalie that he’ll help her win the heart of the real Tag, who is actually his high-school friend. As time goes on, Natalie comes to realise that love can actually show up in the most unexpected of places, and that looks really aren’t everything.
A Castle For Christmas
Sophie Brown is a best-selling author, but that doesn’t mean she’s exempt from a scandal or two. Attempting to flee the drama, she travels to Scotland, hoping to buy a castle of her own. Unfortunately for her, the castle’s owner, Duke Myles, is very hard to please and resistant to sell. The pair attempt to find a compromise but find themselves consistently butting heads at every turn. Little do they know, though, they just might get more than they bargained for.
Last Christmas
Inspired by the music of the late George Michael, Last Christmas follows one very grumpy elf named Katarina, who truly hates working at her local Christmas store — especially over the holiday season. When she runs into Tom, her antithesis in every single way, he tries to change her mind about the festive traditions he loves so dearly. With a newfound perspective, Katarina begins to wonder if Christmas miracles could actually be real, until she uncovers a twist that changes everything.
Single All The Way
The newest addition to Netflix’s holiday rom-come repertoire is Single All The Way, the first LGBTQ flick in the genre. This Christmas, Peter is desperate to avoid his family’s incessant line of questioning about his love life, so he convinces his best friend Nick to join him, convincing his family that they’re now a couple. The only problem? Peter’s mother has set him up on a blind date with a man he might actually really like, sending his plans into a complete tailspin.
The Princess Switch 3: Romancing The Star
You might already be familiar with this series, but if not, we suggest streaming the first and second film immediately. In the third and latest instalment, Vanessa Hudgens is playing not two, but three different characters who all happen to look exactly alike. When a priceless relic is stolen, Queen Margaret and Princess Stacey reluctantly enlist the help of Margaret’s lookalike cousin, Fiona, who teams up with a charming yet mysterious man from her past. Will everything go to plan? Absolutely not. But will it be incredibly amusing nonetheless? Absolutely.
Holidate
One of the most popular holiday rom-coms on Netflix, Holidate follows the life of Sloane, a young, single woman who is tired of showing up to her festive family events by herself (and being seated at the kids table). When she meets the charming Jackson during a chance meeting, they make a pact to become each other’s ‘holidates’ for every festive occasion over the next year. Halloween, Easter, St Patrick’s day — you name it, they’ll be there. As their year of celebrations draws to a close, however, the pair find that they may have just fallen in love with the very thing they claimed to hate.
Christmas Wedding Planner
Kelsey is just starting her career as a wedding planner, and is working on her cousin’s incredibly elaborate and lavish wedding. Everything appears to be going smoothly, until a charming private investigator arrives and turns her plans completely upside down. Connor has been hired by an unnamed source, and it’s not clear what he’s looking for. Whether either of them realise it or not, they might just find love at the end of it all.
A California Christmas
Under the strict instruction of his mother, Joseph heads to a family farm in California to acquire it and complete a business deal. As soon as he arrives, however, he is mistaken for a ranch hand and immediately put to work. Not wanting to jeopardise the deal (and hoping to make moves from the inside), he plays along, hoping to convince the owner to sell. While attempting to seduce her to seal the deal, he doesn’t plan on falling in love with her for real along the way.
Operation Christmas Drop
Erica is an ambitious congressional assistant working in Washington, who has been tasked with investigating a US Air Force Base in Guam. While there, she needs to gather information to make a case for its closure. The only problem? Her handsome guide Captain Andrew Jantz is not so happy about its potential closure, and tries to convince her otherwise. During her stay, Erica and Andrew carry out the yearly tradition of airlifting goods to the small islands of Micronesia for Christmas. So, will Erica decide it should stay open? Or will she fall in love while figuring it out? Only time will tell.
Let It Snow
During an unseasonably large downfall of snow, a group of American teenagers find themselves brought together. With a stranded pop star, a stolen keg and an epic party at the local Waffle Town, everything will change for these rowdy teens. From repairing fractured friendships to exploring potential romances, you can bet that nothing will be the same come Christmas morning.
The Holiday Calendar
Abby Sutton is a talented photographer stuck in a dead-end job. Everything seems a little hopeless until she inherits a one-of-a-kind advent calendar from her late-grandmother. And, as it turns out, the sentimental gift has a few special powers. From job opportunities to a chance meeting with a potential love interest, the calendar starts to predict Abby’s future. But will she still see everything coming?
Christmas Inheritance
Wealthy heiress Ellen Langford has everything going for her. Engaged to a rich, handsome man and mere days away from inheriting her father’s successful business, it seems like nothing could go wrong. That is, until, her father demands that she visit the small town of Snow Falls to deliver a special Christmas card to his former business partner. If she doesn’t, she won’t receive the keys to the company. Begrudgingly, she sets off and finds herself in a world she never knew existed, but unfortunately for Ellen, she finds herself stranded there with no money when a snowstorm hits. Is this the reality check she needed? And will it change her mind about the life she thought she’d dreamed of?
A Christmas Prince
Amber, an aspiring, young journalist heads to the foreign nation of Aldovia to cover a press conference involving Prince Richard — an irresponsible playboy. When the prince fails to show at the conference, Amber decides to do a little snooping around the palace but is soon mistaken for young Princess Emily’s new American tutor, Martha. In an attempt to dig deeper into the story, Amber plays along, but finds herself getting very cosy with the Prince she was sent to investigate. Things soon get very complicated, particularly when she finds herself developing real feelings.
Holiday In The Wild
Beloved Sex And The City star Kristin Davis takes on an African safari solo, after her husband decides to end their marriage before the trip even begins. She’s definitely not looking for love, but that doesn’t mean it can’t appear out of the most unsuspecting places. Embarking on an adventure of self-discovery, Kate (played by Kristin) finds herself volunteering at an elephant safari over Christmas, where things take an unexpected turn.
