Review

Movie Review: Navigating Christmas
Subtitle: "When Christmas, Family Drama, and Way Too Many Holiday Mishaps Collide in the Most Hilariously Predictable Way."

“Navigating Christmas” is Hallmark’s latest holiday masterpiece—and by “masterpiece,” I mean it’s an absolute festive disaster of family chaos, way too many Christmas traditions, and a romance that’s so inevitable that even the elves are rolling their eyes at how obvious it is. If you’ve ever wondered, “What if a small-town family Christmas had way too many holiday secrets, a definitely-not-interested guy returning home for the holidays, and some very festive family drama?” then this movie is definitely your holiday binge-watch.

The plot follows Emily (played by Bethany Joy Lenz, because when you need someone who’s way too good at keeping things together, she’s your woman), a successful career woman who definitely does not want to go back home for Christmas—but, naturally, has to because family drama, a surprise crisis, and an inability to escape small-town charm. Emily’s big-city life isn’t exactly “made for Christmas,” but she’s forced to return to her hometown where everything is way too perfect, way too festive, and way too nostalgic for her “I’m too busy for love” attitude to resist. Of course, the perfect storm of holiday traditions pulls her in the minute she sets foot in town, and suddenly, she’s embroiled in the most ridiculous Christmas family drama of all time.

Enter Jack (played by Tyler Hynes, because no Hallmark movie is complete without the charming but grumpy guy who’s definitely not into holiday cheer), who’s definitely not interested in revisiting Christmas at home—and especially not with Emily, the woman who’s way too successful and way too polished for the chaos that is his family’s Christmas celebrations. Of course, in true Hallmark fashion, Jack and Emily are definitely not going to fall in love—except, of course, that they do, and it’s as inevitable as too many Christmas lights in a Hallmark town. The question isn’t whether they’re going to fall for each other, it’s how many holiday mishaps are they going to experience first?

The comedy of this movie comes from way too many holiday disasters—from misunderstood family traditions to way-too-complicated Christmas tree decorating disasters that result in accidentally spilling hot cocoa on someone’s sweater. Watching Emily try to maintain control in the middle of a perfect storm of festive chaos is hilariously relatable. It’s like if you tried to organize a Christmas dinner for your family... and then everyone insisted on doing their own thing until the mashed potatoes were cold, the lights were flickering, and the turkey was definitely overcooked. Every time Emily tries to avoid getting tangled up in this family drama or dodging her growing attraction to Jack, you can’t help but laugh because we all know how this ends—with them sharing a perfect kiss under the mistletoe, of course.

Then there’s the family drama—because no Hallmark Christmas movie is complete without a family that can’t agree on how to celebrate the holidays. Whether it’s the over-the-top grandma who insists on tradition, the way too involved sibling who thinks they have it all figured out, or the parent who’s just trying to keep it all together while the rest of the family falls apart, the relatable chaos will have you laughing while you’re secretly hoping your family doesn’t try to pull the same holiday shenanigans.

Of course, there’s the romance, which is as predictable as a Christmas snowstorm. Every “we’re definitely not into each other” moment is paired with way too much holiday magic and way too many accidental romantic moments—because Hallmark knows exactly how to turn a Christmas disaster into a romantic opportunity. Jack and Emily’s romantic tension is as thick as the holiday cookies they’re definitely not supposed to eat (but somehow do anyway), and you just know that by the end of the movie, they’re definitely going to be kissing under the Christmas lights with the whole family watching. Because, honestly, what’s more Christmas than that?

The grand finale? Predictably perfect, as expected. After way too many Christmas disasters, romantic misunderstandings, and too much family drama, Emily and Jack finally realize that maybe Christmas isn’t about perfection after all—it’s about embracing the chaos, sharing too many cookies, and finding love in the middle of it all. Of course, there’s the perfect Christmas kiss under way too many twinkling lights because, well, this is Hallmark, and nothing says “Christmas miracle” like a perfect kiss in front of an over-the-top Christmas tree.

“Navigating Christmas” is exactly what you expect from Hallmark: way too many Christmas mishaps, too much romantic tension, and a predictable yet heartwarming romance that will leave you laughing, swooning, and probably getting ready to binge-watch every other holiday movie Hallmark has to offer. If you love family chaos, romantic misunderstandings, and a movie that proves that Christmas is all about embracing the mess and finding love in it, then grab your coziest blanket, a hot cup of cocoa, and settle in for a holiday movie that will definitely leave you feeling festive—and a little bit nostalgic. 🎄💋🍪