WISE Score
IMDb
A romance expert who has never actually been in love returns home to find a firefighter who is basically a walking Christmas card.
5.9
Dear Christmas is a by-the-numbers holiday rom-com that serves as perfect background noise for wrapping presents or folding laundry. It's safe, sweet, and entirely devoid of surprises.
If you're looking for a cinematic masterpiece, this isn't it. But if you want a movie where you know exactly how it ends within the first five minutes—and that ending involves a snowy kiss and a happy family—it hits the spot. Just don't expect the kids to stay off their iPads while it's on.
Best for adults and teens who enjoy the 'cozy' genre. While it's safe for kids as young as 6 or 7, they will likely find the focus on adult romance and anniversary parties incredibly boring.
It is exactly what you expect from a Lifetime holiday movie: heavy on family traditions, anniversary celebrations, and sweet, low-stakes romance with zero edge.
It follows the festive rom-com formula to a fault. The 'podcast host' angle is a modern touch, but the plot beats are entirely predictable.
Exceedingly safe. There is no violence, no gore, and the romance stays firmly in the 'PG' realm of longing looks and snowy walks.
While it doesn't offer deep intellectual growth, it models healthy family dynamics and the value of returning to one's roots.
There is a specific kind of alchemy in the Lifetime holiday movie. It requires a protagonist with a slightly quirky but successful job (in this case, a podcaster), a return to a picturesque hometown, and a love interest who is as dependable as a golden retriever. Dear Christmas checks every single one of these boxes.
Melissa Joan Hart plays Natalie Morgan, the host of 'Holiday Love,' a podcast that celebrates true romance. The irony, of course, is that Natalie is single and a bit of a skeptic when it comes to her own life. When she returns home for her parents' 50th wedding anniversary, she meets Jack (Jason Priestley), a local firefighter.
For parents, the real draw here isn't the riveting plot—it's the cast. Seeing Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Brandon Walsh from 90210 fall in love in a winter wonderland is a specific kind of millennial catnip. They have decent chemistry, and they both know exactly what kind of movie they are in. They lean into the sweetness without making it too saccharine.
Technically, yes. There is nothing here that would warrant a 'skip' for safety reasons. However, from a developmental perspective, this movie offers very little for a child. There are no animated sidekicks, no slapstick humor, and the 'drama' revolves around whether a podcast host will go on a book tour or stay in her hometown. It’s a movie about adult feelings wrapped in Christmas lights. If you're putting this on for family movie night, have a backup plan (like a board game or some LEGOs) for the kids who will inevitably lose interest in the romantic tension.
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