For years now , Lifetimevs . Hallmarkhas been a heated warfare of Christmas pic , a struggle for who can produce the best , the sweetest , the holiest , and jolliest movies of them all . These movies all feature warm and fuzzy options , quirky characters , and deliquium - suitable vacation Romance . Fans often debate Hallmark vs. Lifetime Christmas motion picture and even wonder if Hallmark owns Lifetime because both networks feature such snug stories .

They both have an utterly consecrated hearing built into them , as year after twelvemonth devoted fans line in to see the latest motion-picture show , no matter how they turn out . But after all these years , the public debate still go forward : are Hallmark ’s classically favourite Christmas movies really the best , or has Lifetime get going to surpass them in terms of quality ?

Updated on December 6 2022 by Aya Tsintziras : The deviation between Hallmark vs Lifetime Christmas movies often seems slim as both networks offer up enjoyable and sweet holiday movies that are exactly what people would like to see . When comparing Lifetime vs Hallmark , the films all have well-chosen endings , characters nominate big decisions during this cheery sentence of year , and snowy scenes and pretty Christmas tree . When compare whether Hallmark or Lifetime Christmas pic are ranking , fans can pick out a few things that they care about each .

In a dusty landscape Finn stares out into the distance in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Lifetime Christmas Movies Are The Best

Some Lifetime Movies Are Funnier Than Hallmark

When watching Christmas movies , lover know that tropes will be used , and they are often present in Hallmark Christmas movies . Some Lifetime Christmas movies , however , have risible plotlines , which make them stick out .

One of the most hilarious Lifetime Christmas movies isOn hit for Christmaswhich stars Daphne Zuniga as Joy Robertson , a stressed - out wife and mother . Joy is tired of doing everything by herself and encourages her family to help out so she can take a break . Of course , her husband and teen kids have trouble keeping up the same tradition . It ’s a feel - practiced , whacky story .

Lifetime Characters Have Better Jobs

When comparing Hallmark vs Lifetime Christmas movies , Lifetime eccentric have more compelling jobs . The master characters in Hallmark Christmas films tend to have the same kinds of careers , typically advertising or marketing . It can get dusty view the same type of jobs be portrayed .

The Lifetime movieA Sweet Christmas Romancestands out because the chief character , Holly , is a food stylist . This is a cool and originative chore that is n’t ordinarily part of these types of movies , which wins Lifetime a point .

Lifetime Characters Get Together Faster

A fundamental trait of both Hallmark and Lifetime pic is the romance plots ; however , both line networks approach this differently . One of the reason fans favour Lifetime is because they tend to get their characters together much quick .

rather of watching character pine for each other , Lifetime Christmas flick make the couples prescribed soon , which lets consultation hook in all a Christmas relationship has to offer , including the eventual drama of it all . This is why there were manyanticipated Lifetime Christmas movies in 2021and the same thing is lawful of 2022 .

Lifetime Christmas Movies Tend To Focus On Younger Characters

Everyone merit a Christmas romanticism no matter how one-time or vernal they are , but Lifetime Christmas movies lean to rivet more on the dear of untried character still figuring thing out .

With twenty and thirtysomething quality , Lifetime Christmas movies are able to tackle the pressure sensation these untried adult sense to have it all together while also juggling the Christmas spirit . It ’s one of the intellect why Lifetime boast younger actor who often star in iconic adolescent shows .

Lifetime Is More Modern and Self-Aware

lifespan has always had a moment of an edge in its report as a connection , due in large part to the offence thrillers and steamy romances it regularly airs throughout the yr . As a result of being edgier than Hallmark , Lifetime ’s Christmas moving-picture show often have a bit more mood and snark to them .

life Christmas moving-picture show can appeal to a more modern audience , using the kind of antic and innuendos that any Hallmark film would blush at , even to this daylight .

Lifetime Christmas Movies Have Rotating Casts and Characters

It ’d be pretty unmanageable to watch two movies on Lifetime back to back and find any of the same faces or couple on up of character . It ’s not a bad thing to lean on well-heeled and democratic face and pairings , but Lifetime rarely does just that .

If anything , Lifetime has been committed to find new talent in recent long time , with many of its most successful picture show in 2020 alone featuring actorsthe connection has never work with before . New is n’t always a bad thing , no matter how unlike it may be .

Lifetime Has The ’90s & ’00s Nostalgia

It ’s been interesting to watch the crops of endowment change at both meshwork over the year , but in recent years , it ’s become decipherable that Lifetime seems to be the preferred destination fortelevision wizard of the 1990s and 2000s .

The cast ofOne Tree Hill — including Hilarie Burton , Robert Buckley , Tyler Hilton , Bethany Joy Lenz , and more — can regularly be found on Lifetime , while other ' 90s stars such as90210alumni andSabrina the Teenage Witch ’s Melissa Joan Hart also bolt down up on the internet .

Lifetime Is More Openly Inclusive

Hallmark may be diversifying their stories and characters more this year , with support LGBTQ+ characters , but Lifetime has been beating the Hallmark internet at this game for years now .

life-time regularly features actors of color , interracial love affair , Judaic family holiday celebrations , and more , with 2021 ’s craw of films inclose a leading peeress with a disability , an Asian American kinfolk , and an LGBTQ+ romance front and center .

Lifetime Christmas Movies Are Unafraid to Try New Things

Lifetime is reasonably far ahead of Hallmark when it comes to attract to young , younger , more diverse audiences . But they ’re also not afraid of try out new thing in footing of the story they order .

While Hallmark continues to surrender romantic stories and retellings of literary favorites likeA Christmas Carol , Lifetime focuses on stories that encompass integral family , have New mates , challenge biases and beliefs , and bring a new meaning to the season . This let in create one of the firstmainstream mirthful Christmas movies .

Hallmark Christmas Movies Are The Best Because

Hallmark Finds New Ways To Tell Stories Using Favorite, Familiar Tropes

Hallmark Christmas movie are know for their tropes and sometimes that ’s a good thing , as these film constantly discover new ways to severalize beloved stories . It ’s nice to get a new Hallmark release and roll in the hay what to expect . One good example is the 2022 filmA Christmas Cookie Catastrophe .

There have been many Hallmark Christmas movies about a type journey from the expectant city to a pocket-sized townsfolk to put a cooky company or factory out of patronage . The magic of the season means that someone will be able to convince the city - be reference that the townsfolk needs this party and there ’s no ground to alter anything .

Hallmark Settings Evoke The Holidays The Best

It ’s operose not to pick Hallmark over Lifetime when it comes to the perfect holiday place setting . A Magical Christmas Villageis about a female child bring up Chloe have fun with a small holiday village and realize that these objects seem to have the power to make the vacation time of year even more special . Another plastic film , A Cozy Christmas Inn , is set in snow - track Alaska .

When fans require to see a Christmas motion picture , they want snow and Christmas trees and other decorations . earmark movies are always extend to deliver the exact fix that viewing audience are looking for . This make Hallmark the quintessential Christmas movie experience .

Hallmark Has The Miracles Of Christmas Themed Lineup

During the months of November and December , Hallmark ’s Movies & Mysteries channel turns into the Miracles of Christmas transmission channel which has become a devotee favorite . With two meshwork dedicated to Christmas movie programing , it ’s no curiosity Hallmark continues to be so popular .

Miracles of Christmas is a sports fan favorite for those who like more spiritual and spiritual Christmas pic . This is a subgenre Lifetime tend to stay away from which is why Hallmark rule .

Hallmark Christmas Movies Almost Always End With A Romantic Gesture

While Lifetime Christmas Movies tend to get their character together rather , Hallmark Christmas movies make the initial pining last longer . This is to the movie ' benefit because they all end with some kind of grand romantic gesture that makes audiences swoon .

From someone leave their job in the boastful metropolis to over - the - top love proposals , the grand romantic gesture is central in Hallmark ’s happily ever after formula .

Hallmark Is Cheesy and Proud

Part of what makes Hallmark Christmas movies so soft to make fun of is the improbably tinny nature of their stories . Almost too earnest and quaint for their own goodness , these movies follow unrealistically pretty the great unwashed in out of the question fairytale - type scenario . The number of royal - themed Christmas movie alone says it all .

But the meshwork never shy away from its wholesome , corny nature . If anything , arrange out record act of raw pic year after twelvemonth demo that they ’re more than happily lean into it .

Hallmark Christmas Movies Have Familiar Leading Faces

Though Hallmark does mix thing up once in a while , there ’s no denying that the web definitely has its preferred leading actors , peculiarly in the case of its impressively prolific guide ladies .

Actresses like Lacey Chabert , Candace Cameron Bure , Danica McKellar , Alicia Witt , and more can be expected to star in least one unexampled Christmas movie each year for the meshwork , if not more .

Hallmark Has The ’70s & ’80s Nostalgia

On the other hand , Hallmark has become an almost " second career " haven for sr. histrion , asterisk of the 1970s and eighties who can now perfectly populate the roles of the independent characters ' parents and grandparents .

Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter Birney reunited inNaughty or Nice;Treat Williams and Sharon Lawrence play parents inThe Christmas House;Donna Mills appear in12 Gifts of Christmas ; while Florence Henderson , Mrs. Brady herself , shows up alongside the omnipresent John Ratzenberger inMatchmaker Santa .

Hallmark Christmas Movies Rely on Romance

Though some of Hallmark ’s older ( and , often , better ) movies focused on family bond and Christmas - y magical realism , the web has come to realize that its principal audience strain in for one thing and one thing only : romantic wish fulfillment .

Hallmark has , in its own cheesy elbow room , revitalized the schematic romance novel " marriage plot " for a new , vacation - themed amusement - craving generation , even sound so far as to grow Christmas - centric adaptations of classic Jane Austen novels in recent days .

Hallmark Has Tried and True Favorites

There ’s nothing wrong with loving Hallmark ’s tried and truthful recipe for some cozy Christmas comfort . certain , many of their picture polish off the accurate same beat act after act , and peradventure they all build to the net scene buss climax between the cardinal lovers .

But there ’s a reasonableness why Hallmark has long been consideredtheChristmas connection . They know what they ’re doing , and it works , class after class . The viewership of their movies routinely trounces Lifetime ’s viewership , too , so maybe Hallmark really does have this mart all figured out .

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Split image of Lacey Chabert in A Christmas Melody and Ben Lewis and Blake Lee in A Christmas Set-Up

A dad and his sons baking cookies in On Strike For Christmas

A couple eating dessert in A Sweet Christmas Romance

Couple in Baking Spirits Bright hugging by the Christmas tree

Couple in A Sweet Christmas Romance holding gingerbread cookies

Very Vintage Christmas Lifetime Female Character shaking hands with someone else

Couple in Snowed Inn Christmas arguing in the doorway

Hilarie Burton and Robert Buckley in The Christmas Contract (2018)

Main characters in Christmas Ever After pose for a picture in the snow

Two men standing under the mistletoe in The Christmas Setup

The main characters baking cookies in A Christmas Cookie Catastrophe

A girl smiling at home in A Magical Christmas Village

Promo picture for Hallmark Miracles Of Christmas

Scott Wolf and Kristin Chenoweth star in “A Christmas Love Story,”

Lacey Chabert and Stephen Hagan in the Hallmark Channel movie "A Royal Christmas."

Candace Cameron singing and holding a candle in a Hallmark Christmas Moive

Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter Birney in Naughty or Nice Hallmark

A couple in black and grey coats about to kiss in a Hallmark movie

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