Lacey Chabert’s 10 Best Christmas Movies, Ranked

Some of those unfamiliar with Lacey Chabert’s work on the Hallmark Channel may be discovering her for the first time after watching her on Hot cold on Netflix, but Chabert is a certified Christmas movie queen. The actress has starred in countless holiday movies over the years, mostly on the Hallmark Channel. However, some of Chabert’s film roles are more memorable than others, making them stand out from the rest, which is quite a feat given that the actress has appeared in over 15 holiday films.

Despite her tireless work on Christmas projects year after year, many will first recognize Chabert for her iconic role as Gretchen Wieners in Mean Girls alongside Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams and Amanda Seyfried. Nearly a decade after her breakthrough through the memorable 2000s chick flick, Chabert turned to Hallmark. Since the beginning of 2010, Chabert made his mark on the world of Hallmark holiday (and non-holiday) movies, and in 2024, she joined Netflix’s Christmas movie universe.

10

Matchmaker Santa Claus

Release date: November 17, 2012

Matchmaker Santa Claus is one of Lacey Chabert’s first Hallmark Channel Christmas movies, and its nostalgia and stereotypical premise of a cheesy holiday movie make it one of the best. It’s hard not to feel joy when watching the 2012 festive romantic comedy. Matchmaker Santa Claus It features predictable tropes, palpable chemistry, and Santa Claus (of course), but none of it is bad (especially for those who love a good Hallmark movie).

In Matchmaker Santa ClausChabert stars as Melanie Hogan. Melanie owns a bakery and is dating an incredibly handsome CEO named Justin. So everything in her life must be perfect, right? Wrong. Something seems off in her relationship with Justin, and Melanie begins to realize it when she starts spending a lot of time with her boyfriend’s best friend, Dean, during the holidays. A good old-fashioned love triangle mixed with the magic of Christmas equals a totally fun holiday in Matchmaker Santa Claus​​​​​​. The film also features some Hollywood icons – Florence Henderson and John Ratzenberger – making everything even better.

9

Pride, prejudice and mistletoe

Release date: November 23, 2018

As the title suggests, Pride, prejudice and mistletoe is a version of Jane Austen’s classic tale Pride and Prejudice. While it may not live up to other interpretations of Austen’s story (like Joe Wright’s 2005 Oscar-nominated film), perfectly encapsulates Pride and Prejudiceon the container of a cheesy Hallmark Christmas movie. Chabert stars as Darcy, a successful businesswoman who returns to her hometown, where she meets her former rival, Luke, played by Brendan Penny.

As fate would have it, Darcy and Luke are forced to work together to plan a charity event. As time passes and they get to know each other better, one thing leads to another and, suddenly, their hatred turns into love. After all, hate and love are two sides of the same coin. For those who love the enemies-to-lovers trope in film and TV (which Pride and Prejudice undoubtedly does the best), Chabert Pride, prejudice and mistletoe is the perfect Christmas movie.

8

Hot cold

Release date: November 13, 2024

Although Hot cold is the final installment in Lacey Chabert’s Christmas cinematic universe (and may suffer from some recency bias as a result), it’s still one of the best. Perhaps on the surface, the 2024 fantasy romantic comedy might seem like one of Chabert’s cheesiest holiday films. After all, a movie about a snowman who comes to life and falls in love is bound to be cheesy. However, by the end of Hot coldIt’s clear he has a lot of heart and is deeper than anyone could have predicted.

Hot cold presents tragedy and sadness mixed with lots of Christmas magic. For the most part, it’s a happy story, but it has complex layers due to Kathy’s backstory and struggle to overcome her loss. Plus, Dustin Milligan is a delight as Jack in the cast of Hot cold – it’s hard not to smile when he’s on screen.

7

Family for Christmas

Release date: July 11, 2015

Family for Christmas Tells the classic “what if” story that is, what someone’s life could have been like if they chose a different path. For Lacey Chabert’s Hannah Dunbar, she wonders what would have happened to her if she had stayed with the love of her life, Ben, instead of choosing her career. Santa Claus grants Hannah’s wish and suddenly she is back with Ben and they have children together.

Family for Christmas is a fun yet heartwarming Hallmark Christmas movie to watch. This could leave viewers unsure of what the right path for Chabert’s character is, causing an intriguing story that is sure to touch someone’s heart. It’s also nice to see a holiday movie that isn’t 100% about romance.

6

It’s time for us to go home for Christmas

Release date: December 5, 2020

If anyone is tired of the stereotypical Hallmark Christmas movie that follows common and tired tropes, It’s time for us to go home for Christmas It is the ideal watch. It’s also great for those who like mystery. In the filmfive people (including Lacey Chabert’s Sarah) receive strange invitations to celebrate the holidays together at an inn. They must work together to discover what connects them and why they were specifically chosen.

Of course, It’s time for us to go home for Christmas It has a little romance. However, it is the mysterious aspect of the 2020 festive film that separates it from the rest. Who wouldn’t love a good old Hallmark Christmas movie that’s defined by solving a mystery but also has plenty of romance? For these reasons alone, It’s time for us to go home for Christmas is among Chabert’s best Christmas films.

5

A Christmas melody

Release date: December 19, 2015

The name Mariah Carey has essentially become synonymous with Christmas. Then, a Hallmark Christmas movie with Carey and Lacey Chabert (one of Hallmark’s best Christmas movie actresses) has to be among the best, and A Christmas melody of course. The 2015 film centers around Chabert’s Kristin, a single mother and fashion designer whose financial situation forces her to move herself and her daughter back to her hometown.

Kristin’s daughter, Emily, has a difficult time with the move, which is why Chabert’s character enlists the help of Emily’s music teacher, Danny. Meanwhile, Carey’s Melissa acts as Kristin’s rival, trying to make her life more difficult than it already is. Ultimately, the power of love, music and Christmas shines through and makes A Christmas melody one of Chabert’s most joyful films.

4

The sweetest Christmas

Release date: November 11, 2017

Lacey Chabert played several cooks and bakers throughout his career in Christmas cinema. However, The sweetest Christmas is arguably his best performance as such. The 2017 holiday romance film follows Chabert’s Kylie Watson, a baker who competes in the American Gingerbread Competition. She hopes the competition will help her realize her dream of opening a cafe. However, things go horribly wrong when her oven breaks down.

Kylie gets help from her ex-boyfriend, Nick. The two must work together to make Kylie’s dreams come true (and maybe to fall in love again). For those passionate about cooking, romance, and Hallmark holiday movies with happy endings, The sweetest Christmas satisfies everyone.

3

A Royal Christmas

Release date: November 21, 2014

A Christmas Prince may have kicked off Netflix’s holiday movie universe in 2017, but A Royal Christmas came first in 2014. Chabert stars as Emily Corrigan, a seamstress who comes from a working-class family and is in love with her European boyfriend, Leo. However, she is shocked to learn that Leo is actually Leopold, a prince of Cordinia who is next in line for the throne.

A Royal Christmas is a milestone in Chabert’s filmography of Christmas films as it is one of his most memorable projects. As mentioned above, it occurred three years before A Christmas Prince premiered on Netflix and became such a hit that the streaming service continued producing original holiday movies. So the Hallmark movie A Royal Christmas is the original cheesy Christmas story about an ordinary woman who falls in love with a prince, and it has Jane Seymour, so it’s safe to say it’s one of Chabert’s best.

2

Christmas in Rome

Release date: November 30, 2019

Christmas in Rome undoubtedly gets a boost from your setup – what could be more romantic or moving than a Hallmark Christmas movie in Rome? After all, Italy is one of the best places to spend your holidays. However, the 2019 film also presents a thoughtful, layered love story that is unlike many Hallmark romances. For this reason and against the backdrop of Rome, Christmas in Rome is at the top of Chabert’s list of festive films.

Chabert stars as Angela, an American tour guide, in Christmas in Rome. After losing her job, Angela meets Oliver, an American executive played by Sam Page, who is in Rome trying to buy an Italian ceramics company. Oliver asks Angela for help to show him the beautiful historic city. While Angela and Oliver can’t help but fall in love, they also fall in love with Roma, which is a significant reason why Christmas in Rome is one of Chabert best Hallmark Christmas movies.

1

Christmas Waltz

Release date: November 28, 2020

Christmas Waltz is without a doubt Lacey Chabert’s superior holiday film. Hallmark Channel’s 2020 Christmas Movie Tells a unique, sincere and memorable story and presents one of the actress’s best romantic pairings. Chabert has great chemistry with Will Kemp, especially on the dance floor, and it’s a joy to watch their characters fall in love over the course of Christmas Waltz​​​​​​.

Chabert portrays Avery, a woman whose fiancé leaves her a month before her picturesque Christmas wedding, in Christmas Waltz​​​​​​. To recover from her heartbreak, Avery decides to take the dance classes planned for her wedding anyway. She meets her instructor, Roman, who makes Avery’s dream of becoming a dancer come true (and he changes her whole world, of course). If someone watched just one of Lacey Chabert’s Christmas movies after checking out Hot cold on Netflix, it should be Christmas Waltz​​​​​​.