It only takes a few seconds to realize where you are. The light is warm, the colors are bright, with a dominant hint of red, and there's no doubt a string of lights twinkling in the background, while characters with impeccable blow-dries chat amiably against a background of light music. No doubt about it, this is a Christmas TV movie.
It's hard to guess which one, though, from the ever-changing catalog from Hallmark, the American chain that produces and streams them (founded by the eponymous company that makes greeting cards). Is it The Christmas Contest or My Southern Family Christmas or maybe another of the hundreds of titles suggesting that we'll have something for Christmas (a dog, a wish, a grandfather, a fiancé, hope)?
It doesn't matter. That's the "magic" of Christmas TV movies: They all look the same, and yet we still watch them. And not just during the festive season: This year, one French television channel kicked things off on October 15, closely followed by TF1, with a repertoire of 40 new films (and as many repeats), and C8, which broadcasts four in a row on Saturday afternoons. Why change successful programming?
Hallmark movies are cultural objects as easy to make as they are to consume. There are no special effects, few extras, simple sets and relatively similar scenarios played out by second-rate actors, all in less than an hour and a half. The scenario usually amounts to a love story between a man and a woman who have nothing in common (beforehand). One has felt their heart and soul grow cold in a big city (usually New York), where they went to seek their fortune. For the holidays, this character, who no longer believes in love, returns to their native village (or moves to a small town), where they meet a beautiful stranger or reunite with a childhood sweetheart who now has a family (but is possibly widowed).
Along the way, you'll come across a mysterious old man with a beard, who'll repeat seasonal formulas ("It's time to believe in the magic of the holidays"), and a good friend who'll serve as a model for marital bliss. With a bit of luck, there will also be (overly) smiling children and a cute dog. Gradually won over, the main character will eventually recognize that "these last few days have made [them] a better person": "I was skeptical, but I've seen things that are more precious than money." Of course, there will be a character who doesn't believe in anything, but they too will eventually be converted to the "magic of the holidays" (or disappear from the plot without a second look). After a final upset, it all comes to a close, under snow and lanterns, with the long-awaited final kiss, to the sound of violins and bells. In short, everyone loves the fairy tales that children are told over and over again, even if they know them by heart.
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