Queer holiday films used to be few and far between, but the past 10 years have shown a lot of progress in representation. Even holiday film stalwarts like Hallmark Channel and Lifetime have started making more diverse and inclusive offerings to make viewers’ holidays merry and gay. From Sapphic road trips, fake romances that turn out to be real, and family drama, these films have the goods for your holiday viewing pleasure. The only thing missing is a partridge in a pear tree.
“Christmas on Cherry Lane”
Three families living on Cherry Lane all have their own holiday surprises in store, including gay couple Mike and Zain, who find out they are about to become adoptive parents—this latest LGBTQ+ inclusive holiday film from Hallmark Channel premieres Dec. 9.
Watch “Christmas on Cherry Lane” on Hallmark Channel.
“Friends and Family Christmas”
Starring out actors Humberly Gonzalez and Ali Liebert, this is the first lesbian holiday romance from the Hallmark Channel. Entertainment lawyer Amelia (Liebert) and free-spirited artist Daniella get set up by their parents and agree to pretend they are dating in order to please their families. However, after pretend dating, it doesn’t take too long to fall for each other for real. Premiering Dec. 17.
Watch “Friends and Family Christmas” on Hallmark Channel.
“A Holiday I Do”
“A Holiday I Do” is the latest holiday film by Tello Films, the studio that pioneered the queer holiday romance. Single mom Jane (Lindsay Hicks) is having zero luck in the lesbian dating scene. Between raising her daughter and helping with her ex-husband’s wedding, she’s all but given up on finding her happy ending. That’s until she meets wedding planner Sue (Rivkah Reyes).
Watch “A Holiday I Do” on Tello Films.
“The Christmas Set Up”
Real-life couple Ben Lewis and Blake Lee star in Lifetime’s first same-sex holiday romance, released in 2020. Lawyer Hugo (Lewis) travels home with his best friend for the holidays and his mother (Fran Dresher) decides to play matchmaker. She sets up Hugo to help out his old high school crush, Patrick (Lee), with the town’s Christmas celebration.
Watch “The Christmas Set Up” on Lifetime.
“A New York Christmas Wedding”
Jennifer Ortiz (Nia Fairweather) is set to marry her fiancé David on Christmas Eve, but an angel shows up in a very unusual way to show her what life would have been like if she had married her longtime best friend Gabby (Adriana DeMeo) instead.
Watch “A New York Christmas Wedding” on Tubi.
“Looking for Her”
Taylor’s (Olivia Buckle) family is looking forward to meeting her girlfriend over the holidays. The only problem? They broke up right before the holidays. Taylor holds auditions for a woman to play her girlfriend and lands on awkward but sweet Olive (Alexandra Swarens). All is going according to plan until the two start catching feelings.
Watch “Looking for Her” on Tubi.
“The Christmas House” and “The Christmas House 2”
This ensemble film brings two brothers home for the holidays at the behest of their concerned parents. The brothers, one straight and single, the other gay and married, gather in their hometown to plan a memorable holiday for their family and their hometown. After finding love, adopting babies and planning an engagement, the brothers return home for the sequel.
Watch “The Christmas House” and “The Christmas House 2” on Hallmark Channel and Peacock.
“Under the Christmas Tree”
This film is the first Lifetime movie to star two queer women in a holiday romance. When tree whisperer Charlie (Tattiawna Jones) is assigned to find the perfect tree for the Maine Governor’s Holiday Celebration, she finds it on the Beltran’s property. Alma Beltran (Elise Bauman) is busy trying to save her family’s holiday business from being sold to a corporation and initially clashes with the laid back Charlie over the tree, but the two find common ground and romance along the way.
Watch “Under the Christmas Tree” on Lifetime and Prime Video.
“Carol”
Yes, this film adaptation of “The Price of Salt” is widely considered a Christmas film. Set in 1952, Carol (Cate Blanchett) and Terese (Rooney Mara) meet and fall in love during the holiday season. Romantic road trips, gifts of love and difficult choices follow.
Watch “Carol” now on Netflix and Prime Video.
“Dashing in December”
When Wyatt (Peter Porte) returns home to his family’s ranch to try and convince his mother, Deb (Andi McDowell), to sell and move on, he runs into opposition from ranch hand Heath Juan Pablo Di Pace), who has been finding new ways to revitalize the struggling homestead. Can this big city lawyer and rugged ranch hand find a connection? You can probably already guess the answer.
Watch “Dashing in December” on Prime Video.
“Holiday Sitter”
Jonathan Bennett and holiday movies go together like hot chocolate and marshmallows. In this Hallmark feature, Bennett plays single guncle Sam, who has to help out his sister by babysitting her kids over the holidays. Not used to being around kids, Sam’s pretty hopeless. Thankfully, handsome neighbor Jason (George Krissa) is around to lend a helping hand.
Watch “Holiday Sitter” on Hallmark Channel and Peacock.
“Single All the Way”
Peter (Michael Urie) can’t bear the thought of returning home for the holidays and facing all the questions about why he’s still single. Peter hatches a plan to bring his best friend Nick (Philemon Chambers) along and pretend they are dating to take some of the heat off of Peter. However, Peter begins to see Nick in a new light. One of many fake-dating tropes on this list, but it’s popular for a reason!
Watch “Single All the Way” on Netflix.
“Scrooge and Marley”
In this adaptation of Charles Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol,” most of the characters are LGBTQ+, including Ebenezer Scrooge (David Pevsner) himself. He is visited on Christmas Eve by his former business partner Jacob Marley (Tim Kazurinsky) and looks back on his life with his lost love Bill (Christopher Allen). Produced by our very own Tracy Baim.
Watch “Scrooge and Marley” on Vudu and Prime Video.
“A Jenkins Family Christmas”
The Jenkins sisters and their families gather for the first Christmas since their father’s passing. Grandson Kenny (Anthony Chatmon II) brings his boyfriend, Logan (Derek Chadwick), home for the holidays and things get frosty. However, there’s always a little magic in a holiday get together.
Watch “A Jenkins Family Christmas on BET+.
“Home for the Holidays”
Directed by Jodie Foster and featuring an all-star cast including Holly Hunter and Robert Downey Jr., this 1995 film is now a holiday classic. After losing her job, Claudia (Hunter) travels home to visit her quirky family, including her gay brother Tommy (Downey Jr.). Confusion ensues when Tommy brings a stranger to Christmas instead of his longtime partner.
Watch “Home for the Holidays” on Paramount+.
Do you have an LGBTQ+ holiday film you think we should know about? Email us at newsisout@localmedia.org.