During this Advent season, streaming platforms are putting us in the holiday mood with a veritable array of Christmas films that celebrate gay and lesbian romances.
The tree is lit, the fire crackles in the fireplace, the hot chocolate is ready… there is only one thing missing: launching a good little Christmas TV movie whose plot you can guess from start to finish, but whose marshmallow romance you adore. For a long time, the genre remained exclusively heterosexual. It must be said that in the United States, these feature-length TV movies are produced by networks like Lifetime, Hallmark Channel or Great American Family that promote traditional, if not conservative, values. But things are changing! In recent years, queer Christmas TV movies have appeared! têtu· has combed through streaming platforms’ catalogs to uncover about ten films where gay and lesbian characters also get kisses under the mistletoe.
- Christmas, You and Me
Renowned for her outstanding knowledge of trees, Charlotte is sent by the governor of Maine to locate THE tree that will stand in front of his enormous house for the holidays. She then sets foot in a small village where the Beltran family, owners of a business that specializes in Christmas products, reside. On their land, Charlotte spots the ideal tree… but Alma, the Beltran clan’s daughter, plans to ensure the tree is not uprooted. When the two young women start spending time together and growing closer, the story takes a new turn.
>> Christmas, You and Me, streaming on TF1+.
- The Christmas Nanny
A few days before Christmas, Sam finds himself tricked by his sister who entrusts him with watching her children. A challenge for this lifelong bachelor who rejects any form of serious commitment. Overwhelmed by his nephew and niece whom he cannot manage, he asks for help from Jason, his sister’s neighbor. Behind this rescue mission might lie the great love…
>> The Christmas Nanny, streaming on TF1+.
- A Hell of a Christmas
The holidays are shaping up to be busy for Hugo. While visiting his native Wisconsin for the holidays, he must deal with his best friend who accompanies him, his quirky mother who asks for his help organizing the Christmas festival, and Patrick, a former high school classmate he hasn’t seen in ages. When the two men start spending time together and the mutual attraction becomes undeniable, Hugo is unsettled. Especially since he has just received a promotion to drop everything and move to London…
>> A Hell of a Christmas, streaming on TF1+.
- A Christmas at the Mitchells
Married for years, Bill and Phylis Mitchell invite their adult sons to spend two weeks with them to honor an old family tradition: together they will decorate every room in the house in Christmas colors, one last time. For the elderly couple, the reason is that they plan to sell the property soon… But their sons have their own issues to address: the series in which Mike, the eldest, stars has not been renewed. As for his brother, Brandon, he begins a process to adopt a child with his husband, but the project seems more complicated than expected.
>> A Christmas at the Mitchells, streaming on TF1+.
- Duel at Christmas with the Mitchells
In the second installment of their misadventures, Noël at the Mitchells’ family is once again gathered… only to be split again. Two years after the first film’s celebrations, Mike’s manager has entered him in Décos de stars, a TV show where two celebrities compete to determine who has the best Christmas decorations. When the rival celebrity ultimately bails on the program, Brandon steps in as a replacement. The holiday season will then take on a fierce sense of competition for the two brothers…
>> Duel at Christmas with the Mitchells, streaming on TF1+.
- Christmas Moms
In a couple for several years, Erin and Kelly begin to believe in Christmas miracles when they find a baby left at their shop. They decide to welcome it under their roof while waiting for the baby’s mother to return or for the child to be placed in a new permanent home. But the more time they spend with him, the more they wonder if they should start an adoption process…
>> Christmas Moms, streaming on TF1+.
- The Christmas Spark
After rescuing a family, Dani, a lieutenant with the firefighters in the town of Silver Pines, decides to reengage in the charitable sector to help families in need. She is supported by her sister Jackie who decides to enlist Sasha, a photographer friend capable of giving visibility to the project. Between the two, the chemistry is immediately palpable. But their lifestyles are very different: Dani longs for a quiet life while Sasha is constantly on the move, seeking new adventures. Will the magic of Christmas help them find common ground?
>> The Christmas Spark will be broadcast on December 10 at 14:25 on TF1.
- Christmas at Home: Best Wishes
In Christmas at Home: Best Wishes, the main character is… a house. Indeed, it is at 7 Cherry Lane that the story unfolds across three timelines: while the first two – set in 1951 and 2003 – focus on heterosexual couples, the last one centers on a gay couple. In 2024, Zian and Mike are about to spend Christmas with their daughter, Tina, whom they adopted a year earlier. The two have planned lovely surprises for December 25, but they struggle to keep them secret before the big day.
>> Christmas at Home: Best Wishes will be broadcast on December 15 at 14:25 on TF1 and streaming on TF1+.
- Let the Romance Take Flight
While his family keeps pressuring him to settle down, Peter asks his best friend Nick to play the role of his boyfriend during the holidays to escape their criticisms. But, as his mother arranges a date for him with a handsome fitness coach, the ambiguity of his relationship with Nick — between deep friendship, pretense and unspoken feelings — becomes more and more evident, forcing Peter to confront what he really feels.
>> Let the Romance Take Flight, streaming on Netflix.
- Snowflakes of Love
When a colossal snowstorm hits the Midwest on Christmas Eve, a group of high school students sees their plans go completely off track. A night of revelations looms that could shake things up… Designed as a teen Love Actually, Snowflakes of Love follows several romantic stories among high schoolers, with the magical Christmas season as the backdrop. Among the various characters we quickly grow attached to is Dorrie, a young waitress who has a crush on the school’s pom-pom girl, Kerry.
>> Snowflakes of Love, streaming on Netflix.
