THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – CHRISTMAS ON CHERRY LANE (2023)

 

The story centres on Christmas Eve at 7 Cherry Lane over a period of 25 years beginning in 1973 with John and Lizzie Hamilton (John Brotherton and Erin Cahill).

Lizzie is eight and half months pregnant with their first child and they’ve only been in the house for 2 days and haven’t even unpacked.

Their hope was for a quiet first Christmas together in their new home before their lives changed forever, that hope was shattered however with the unexpected arrival of her overbearing parents Frank and Evelyn Sawyer (Fred Henderson and Lynda Boyd) who make no secret of the fact they don’t think John is good enough for Lizzie, they were joined by the rest of the Sawyer clan and they were all staying at the house for Christmas.

 

In 1998 Widowed Regina Johnston (Catherine Bell) lives alone at the house but when her grown up children, Conrad and Winnie Johnston (Matthias Falvai and Veronica Long) arrive her boyfriend Nelson King (James Denton) lets slip that they are getting married, and Regina is selling the house and moving to Florida and Conrad tries whatever he can to make his mother change her mind.

 

In 2023 its their first Christmas together in the house for couple Mike and Zian Harrelson (Jonathan Bennett and Vincent Rodriguez III).

They are planning to host a small Christmas Eve dinner with friends, if their contractor Quinn Lewis (Robert Moloney) actually finishes fitting the kitchen.

Throwing another spanner in the works is their acceptance as foster parents, and their charge Tina is expected to arrive that evening.

 

Amidst the trials and tribulations of the three featured Christmas Eves there are characters that thread their way across the years.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – THE GIFT OF PEACE (2022)

 

Traci (Nikki Deloach) once had a very strong faith until her husband's death despite her prayers and then she stopped believing.

On her second Christmas without him she decides to join a bereavement support group in search of comfort and inspiration

The leader of the support group Michael (Brennan Elliott) is masking his own grief and puts on a brave front to assist the other group members.

But Michael and Traci support each other through the grief process aided by their Christian faith.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – A MERRY SCOTTISH CHRISTMAS (2023)

Estranged siblings Lindsay and Brad Morgan (Lacey Chabert and Scott Wolf) and his wife  Sarah (Kellie Blaise) are invited by their mother Josephine (Fiona Bell) to spend Christmas at a Scottish Castle where Lindsay meets Mac Bell (James Robinson).

But reconciling Jo’s children’s differences is not the only reason for them sharing a Scottish Christmas and it’s a surprise that’s going to change their lives for ever.  

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – CHRISTMAS ON MISTLETOE FARM (2022)

 

Matt Cunningham (Scott Garnham), a widowed father of five, Rosie, Buster, Charlie, Violet and Lily (Delilah O'Riordan, Dexter Sol Ansell, Evan Scott, Faith Delaney and Madison Davis), inherits a farm in Cobbledon, and although it’s the last thing he wants to do, the kids persuade him to leave their London home for the farm.

His boss Ms Fletcher (Ashley Jensen) has him working on a pitch which she wants completed on time and he has to face a stark reality in adjusting to village life.

He doesn’t see himself staying in the Village but his eccentric farm hand Beano, and the children he spends a lot of his time entertaining, the Vet Miss Ashley (Kathryn Drysdale) and the rest of the villagers have other ideas and try to make Matt stay in Cobbledon.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – AN ECLECTIC CHRISTMAS (2022)

 

LA based Fitness Coach Kim (Hannah Galway) always spends Christmas with her Aunt Freida (Jill Frappier) who owns a Vintage store “Little Treasures Eclectic” in Forestbrook, but shortly before they were to get together her Aunt dies.

At the will reading Kim has been left with definitive tasks to be performed, in the form of riddles, which when solved reveal a gift from the shops inventory and the recipient, these tasks must be completed before the estate can be settled.

In addition as per her Aunts instructions she has to work closely with local realtor Scott Collins (Jeremy Walmsley) who just happens to be Kim’s former sweetheart.

As they work together on the riddles old feelings are reawakened, old secrets uncovered and revelations of what’s most important.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – MISTLETOE & MOLLY (2021)

Molly Bishop (Eden Broda) could have taken the easy option and got a senior position in her fathers (Howard Hoover) company but instead chose to go her own way, as a result she is struggling as a waitress while looking for an entry level job in marketing and her car is in the garage.

One of the regulars at the cafe, Aiden Ford (Zach Smadu), has a soft spot for her and wants to help her out but Molly is too proud to accept help, and gets an interview with Mike Ward (Shane Marriott).

Cameron (Steffi DiDomenicantonio), her friend at the cafe, thinks she should accept Aiden’s help, but she is adamant.

Aiden doesn’t give up though and they get to know each other, but to complicate things, Aiden and Mike are best friends.

Then friendship turns to love so should he intervene or let Molly get the job on her own merits?

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – AN ITALIAN CHRISTMAS (2020)

 

Natalie Rogers (Anni Krueger) learns that her cousin Olivia (Nia Vardalos) has to cancel the Christmas Eve opening of her new Italian restaurant because bad weather has her grounded in Rome.

Natalie’s heart goes out to Olivia and all of the guests who were planning on attending so, despite having no experience in such things she decides she will open it for her.

Luckily, an attractive if pessimistic chef named Stefano Grimaldi (Gilles Marini) is on hand.

Although he thinks getting ready to open with only three days until Christmas is impossible, but her positivity overrules his pessimism and with the help of two young students BeeBee Jordan and Tyler (Emma Myers and Andrew Brodeur) they overcome all the obstacles.

And of course, there is love on the menu.