Gretchen Wieners may not have made fetch happen, but Lacey Chabert absolutely made Christmas magic happen. Something about that iconic “Jingle Bell Rock” dance in “Mean Girls” must have unlocked a primal dose of holiday spirit, because Chabert has since delivered over two dozen holly-jolly Hallmark Christmas movies and counting.
Yes, there’s a long-running joke about the Hallmark formula: big-city exec, small-town cocoa shop, Christmas tree farmer soulmate. Mild variations optional. But the comfort of a low-stakes romance with guaranteed snow and a guaranteed ending? That’s the whole point. And while Chabert has plenty of cozy, cookie-cutter hits under her Santa belt, she also knows how to shake the snow globe when she wants to.
From her Christmas horror flicks to low-budget Indiana Jones energy, here are seven of Lacey Chabert’s best Hallmark Christmas movies, ranked by originality, chemistry and plot.
7. ‘Time for Us to Come Home for Christmas’
It’s always time for someone to come home for Christmas on Hallmark — there are practically 12 versions of that title alone. But Chabert’s 2020 entry brings a refreshing twist: a mysterious invitation to an inn, with a group of strangers who all received the same message.
I love a Christmas mystery, and while this one isn’t breaking new ground, it’s intriguing enough to stand out. Sarah (Chabert) and Ben (Stephen Huszar) do have a romance, but it’s secondary to her grief over her mother and uncovering her family’s past.
The whodunnit reveal is a little underwhelming, and the chemistry between the leads is … not giving. Still, the musical moments and wholesome side plots keep it watchable. Just beware the borderline-creepy sibling vibes that feel like déjà vu from that infamous 2009 Folgers commercial. Hallmark, I beg you to retire the weird sibling dynamics.
Watch on Hallmark Plus
6. ‘A Christmas Melody’
I’ll be honest: “A Christmas Melody” (2015) didn’t fully land for me, but Mariah Carey directed and starred in it, so it’s basically required viewing. Chabert plays Kristin, a single mom who moves home after her fashion career fizzles and immediately gets swept into PTA drama.
Mariah Carey’s Melissa is a cartoonishly villainous helicopter mom, more invested in living through her daughter than supporting her. The finale is fun, but Carey directing and starring without singing even one live note feels like a missed opportunity. Yes, “Oh Santa!” makes an appearance … sung by a child.
The plot is middling, the romance between Kristin and Danny (Brennan Elliott) is lukewarm at best and borderline weird at worst (who makes out onstage at a children’s recital?!), and Carey’s character never grows. It’s entertaining, but not enough to outrank the rest.
Watch on Hallmark Plus
5. ‘A Royal Christmas’
Royalty-based Christmas movies exist for a reason, and the formula rarely changes: Normal Girl dates Secret Prince, disapproving royal family meddles, hijinks ensue. And honestly? We eat it up.
These movies tap into the childhood fairytale nostalgia we never quite shake, even though real-world royals (hi Diana; hi Meghan) prove the fantasy is … selective. Still, “A Royal Christmas” (2014) plays the trope well. We’re dropped into Emily (Chabert) and Prince Leo’s (Stephen Hagan) established relationship, skipping the meet-cute in favor of instant, playful chemistry.
Leo’s mother is busy being classist and controlling, but for once, the prince actually defends his girlfriend. No limp-spined royal here. And Emily refuses to shrink herself to fit the crown. It’s run-of-the-mill, but charming — and sometimes that’s enough.
Watch on Hallmark Plus
4. ‘Haul Out the Holly’
I love a good bah-humbug arc, and “Haul Out the Holly” delivers. In this 2022 romp, Emily (Chabert) gets tricked by her parents into embracing her small town’s over-the-top Christmas traditions. Chaos follows.
Unlike most sappy Hallmark romances, this one leans into rom-com territory, and it’s genuinely funny, not try-hard cringe. Peter Jacobson, Ellen Travolta and Stephen Tobolowsky steal scenes with impeccable comedic timing, and the movie sprinkles in delightful Easter eggs, from “Love Actually” to Chabert’s own “A Royal Christmas” and “Christmas in Vienna.”
Viewers loved it enough to spawn both Christmas and Halloween sequels. And for the “Halloweentown” girlies: The Halloween follow-up reunites Kimberly J. Brown and Daniel Kountz (Marnie and Kal!). Justice for Luke and Marnie forever.
Watch on Hallmark Plus
3. ‘The Christmas Quest’
Deck the halls with boughs of mystery. It’s rare for Hallmark to deviate from romance, but someone clearly said, “Indiana Jones, but make it Christmas,” and honestly? I respect it.
In “The Christmas Quest” (2024), Chabert’s Stefanie is an archaeologist chasing a treasure from her late mother’s bedtime stories. Is the mystery overdone? A bit. But for Hallmark, it’s practically avant-garde. Stefanie teams up with her ex-husband Chase (Kristoffer Polaha), who is — conveniently — a Norse language expert. Yes, the Yule Lads treasure name is goofy. No, I don’t care.
Instead of a meet-cute, we get a second-chance dynamic that lets Chabert and Polaha bicker through mildly perilous scenarios. It’s a low-stakes Christmas mystery, but their charm carries it.
Watch on Hallmark Plus
2. ‘A Merry Scottish Christmas’
Most people don’t discover they’re descended from royalty during a holiday trip — unless you’re Mia Thermopolis or in a Hallmark movie. While the premise isn’t new, “A Merry Scottish Christmas” sets itself apart with bagpipes, believable sibling dynamics and an actual sense of place.
Hallmark families can be a little too perfect; I can buy green telekinetic space wizards more easily than their Stepford energy. But the reunion of estranged siblings Brad (Scott Wolf) and Lindsay (Chabert) feels refreshingly grounded. Gone are the 2009 Folgers commercial vibes. Their relationship is the true heart of the story (and it’s never weird).
The romantic subplots? Chemistry-free and useless. But the Scottish setting, music, and culture more than make up for it, and the performances are stronger than most holiday fare. Plus, the “Party of Five” Easter eggs — Salinger’s Pub and a bartender named Charlie — add charm without overdoing it. It’s funny, warm and just grounded enough to stand out.
Watch on Hallmark Plus
1. ‘A Wish for Christmas’
I love a Christmas movie that centers self-love more than the love interest. Romance may be the genre’s bread and butter, but subplots often feel like filler in Hallmark world. In “A Wish for Christmas,” Chabert’s Sara asks Santa for something a little … unconventional. Even Santa checks in to make sure she doesn’t want a million dollars. (Miss Girl, that money could buy you every life coach in California, but go off.)
Instead, she wishes for the courage to speak up — and she does. A lot. Most women know what it’s like to have their ideas stolen, but calling it out gets us labeled “difficult.” Cue “The Man” by Taylor Swift. So it’s refreshing when Peter (Paul Greene), the head of Sara’s company, immediately believes her after she publicly shades her boss.
Office romance power dynamics aside, Peter and Sara’s chemistry is unexpectedly wholesome. Even better, the 2016 movie manages to weave both romance and self-discovery without sacrificing either. And Sara keeps her career goals instead of ditching them for a mid lumberjack. That alone earns “A Wish for Christmas” the top spot.
Watch on Prime Video with Hallmark Plus
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