Countdown to Christmas: A Hallmark Holiday Analysis
Will there be a happy ending? The data says yes.
Christmas is right around the corner! One of my favorite holiday traditions is watching as many Hallmark Christmas movies as possible. In recent years, that’s become a lot easier as the sheer number of seasonal movies produced by the Hallmark Channel has skyrocketed. This year, Hallmark will release 44 new original Christmas movies–all of which will follow their predictable, yet somehow irresistible, formula.
If you’ve seen more than one Hallmark Christmas movie, you’ve likely seen them all. And I mean that in the most adoring way. There’s nothing better than sitting down to a feel-good movie about the big city girl who ventures back to her small hometown for Christmas, only to run into her rugged, rough-around-the-edges, beloved-by-the-whole-town high school sweetheart. Challenges are ahead, but you know the movie will end with a happy-ending kiss shared by the two main characters.
For this project, I attempted to find the recurring themes and plotlines from these movies, using title, actor, and character data from IMDb and plot summaries from The Movie Database.
This was a fun project, and I’m excited to share my Countdown to Christmas: A Hallmark Holiday Analysis dashboard on Tableau Public with you all. Feel free to plus away and explore the results. You can even use it to plan your next movie marathon! Read on for some more backstory on how I completed the analysis.
Collecting the Data
First, I needed a list of Hallmark Christmas movies, and luckily I found a handy list on IMDb by user Amaniloulou: All of Hallmark Christmas Movies. I took the title of each movie and ran it through The Movie Database API in order to get release dates and plot summaries. With that data collected, I took two of IMDb’s non-commercial datasets, title.principals and name.basics, and joined them by nconst (name ID, or ID of an actor) to get a comprehensive dataset of all Hallmark Christmas movies with their characters and actors.
Performing Text Analysis on Plot Summaries
With the data on titles and plot summaries collected from The Movie Database, I built an LDA model in Python on the summary data, which found frequently occurring words in the summaries and put each movie title into one of five topics (you can always adjust the number of topics–I chose five). I also chose to add several custom “stop words” (words to exclude in the analysis) beyond the typical “and”, “the”, “is” words. Those words included: 'christmas', 'town', 'family', 'find', 'jack', 'emily', 'one', 'finds', 'holiday', 'holidays', 'york', 'miranda', 'chris', 'lucy', 'nick', 'new', 'love', 'two', 'help', 'get', 'life'.
The five topics the model produced, and associated words, are below. I then took these findings, combined with my domain knowledge of Hallmark movies to come up with the overarching themes of each topic you’ll see below.
SINGLE FATHER STRUGGLING: school, home, time, father, young, daughter, take, high, santa, together
CAREER OVER FAMILY: must, time, mother, together, back, brother, hometown, work, father, son
NOSTALGIC FEELINGS OF CHRISTMAS: home, season, spirit, man, small, nell, first, meet, joy, together
BIG PROJECT WITH UNEXPECTED OBSTACLES: must, home, make, young, together, eve, back, unexpected, years, true
CHRISTMAS WEDDING: time, santa, father, home, romance, mother, gets, wedding, meets, man
Like me, you may think that these words and topics seem very similar, and overlap in many cases. And honestly, I think that’s the glory and genius of Hallmark movies–even when trying to identify distinct themes among the hundreds of movies produced by this cable channel, in the end each one has a very familiar (and comforting) formula.
Five Hallmark Christmas movies written by ChatGPT
Here’s a fun little extra section to go with my analysis. I took those topics with associated words and asked ChatGPT to write summaries of Hallmark Christmas movies. Grab a cup of hot cocoa, a cozy blanket, and curl up to enjoy some mindless holiday content!
SINGLE FATHER STRUGGLING
In the quaint town of Evergreen, a close-knit community prepares for the holiday season. The heartwarming story revolves around a dedicated father named Mark, who is an esteemed high school teacher. Mark's daughter, Emily, is a bright and ambitious young woman attending the local high school.
As Christmas approaches, Mark finds himself caught up in the hectic school schedule, organizing festive events for the students. Meanwhile, Emily is working hard on a special project that involves bringing the spirit of Santa Claus to the school, encouraging everyone to take time to spread joy and kindness.
Amid the holiday chaos, Mark realizes he has been so focused on work that he hasn't spent quality time with Emily. Feeling the need to reconnect, they embark on a journey to rediscover the magic of Christmas together. Along the way, they encounter the mysterious and benevolent Santa Claus, who imparts valuable lessons about the importance of family and togetherness during the holiday season.
As the story unfolds, the small town of Evergreen comes together in the true spirit of Christmas, creating lasting memories for Mark, Emily, and the entire community. Through heartfelt moments and unexpected twists, this Hallmark Christmas movie captures the essence of love, family, and the joy of being together during the most wonderful time of the year.
CAREER OVER FAMILY
In the picturesque town of Pineville, a heartwarming Hallmark Christmas movie unfolds, centered around a loving family. The story follows Alex, a hardworking son who, due to the demands of his career, has been away from his hometown for years. However, circumstances bring him back to Pineville just in time for the holiday season.
Alex's return to his hometown is met with mixed emotions, especially from his brother, Jake, who has taken on the responsibilities of their late father's small business. The family home is filled with memories, and Alex's arrival stirs up both joy and a sense of nostalgia.
As Alex reconnects with his family, including his caring mother, they realize the importance of spending time together during the festive season. The family must confront the challenges of balancing work commitments with the desire to create meaningful holiday traditions.
Amidst the twinkling lights and snow-covered streets of Pineville, the brothers, along with their mother, rediscover the true spirit of Christmas. Together, they embark on a journey to revive old traditions, mend relationships, and create new memories that will last a lifetime.
Throughout the movie, the town's close-knit community plays a significant role, offering support, festive cheer, and a touch of magic. In the end, the power of love and togetherness triumphs, leaving the family with a renewed sense of joy and the realization that sometimes the most meaningful gifts come from the heart.
NOSTALGIC FEELINGS OF CHILDHOOD CHRISTMAS
In the enchanting town of Harmony Hills, a heartwarming Hallmark Christmas movie unfolds. The story begins with Nell, a spirited and optimistic young woman, who has recently moved back to her small hometown to embrace the magic of the holiday season. Nell is determined to recreate the joyous Christmas memories from her past.
As Nell settles into her childhood home, she discovers that the town is hosting its first-ever Winter Festival. Excitement fills the air, and the festive spirit is contagious. Nell becomes involved in the preparations, bringing the community together to create a season filled with warmth and joy.
Amidst the holiday hustle and bustle, Nell encounters a kind-hearted man named James, who has also returned to his small hometown for the first time in years. James, initially reserved, finds himself drawn to Nell's infectious enthusiasm and passion for the season.
As Nell and James work together on the Winter Festival, their friendship blossoms into something more, and the small town becomes the backdrop for a heartwarming love story. Along the way, they discover the true meaning of Christmas—the spirit of giving, the joy of togetherness, and the magic of creating cherished memories in the place they both call home.
BIG PROJECT WITH UNEXPECTED OBSTACLES
In the charming town of Everwood, a heartwarming Hallmark Christmas movie unfolds on Christmas Eve. The story revolves around Sarah, a young woman who, after years of pursuing her career in the bustling city, decides to make an unexpected return home for the holidays.
Upon arriving back in Everwood, Sarah discovers that her childhood home is in need of repair. Determined to make it picture-perfect for the festive season, she teams up with a local handyman, Jake, who has lived in the town for years and is known for his skills in transforming spaces.
As Sarah and Jake work together to restore the house, they find themselves facing unexpected challenges that test their patience and resilience. Through these trials, they discover the true spirit of Christmas—bonding over shared memories, overcoming obstacles, and finding joy in the simplest moments.
The close-knit community of Everwood rallies together to support Sarah and Jake, bringing a sense of togetherness that defines the holiday season. As Christmas Eve approaches, the town comes alive with decorations, carolers, and the warmth of newfound friendships.
Amid the twinkling lights and snow-covered streets, Sarah and Jake's journey becomes a heartwarming tale of love and rediscovery. Through the magic of Christmas Eve, they realize that the true meaning of the season lies in the unexpected moments, the bonds of family and community, and the joy that comes from being together in the place they both call home.
CHRISTMAS WEDDINGS
In the picturesque town of Evergreen Pines, a heartwarming Hallmark Christmas movie unfolds. The story follows Michael, a dedicated father who, after years of working abroad, finally gets to come home for the holidays. His return coincides with the festive season, and the entire town is buzzing with excitement.
As Michael settles back into the warmth of his childhood home, he meets a charming woman named Sarah, who is not only the town's beloved schoolteacher but also a single mother. The two cross paths at the local holiday festival, and their initial meeting sparks a connection that goes beyond the ordinary.
Amidst the backdrop of twinkling lights and snow-covered streets, a romance blossoms between Michael and Sarah. The magic of Christmas plays a significant role as the town prepares for its annual Winter Wonderland Festival and Santa's visit, bringing joy to both young and old.
As Michael and Sarah spend time together, they discover that the true gift of the season is the time spent with loved ones. Their growing romance adds a touch of magic to the festivities, and the entire town eagerly anticipates the enchanting atmosphere of the Winter Wonderland Festival.
The climax of the movie centers around a heartwarming wedding ceremony, where the spirit of Christmas is felt by all. With Santa making a surprise appearance and the town coming together to celebrate love and family, the movie concludes with a magical holiday wedding that leaves a lasting impression on Evergreen Pines and its charming residents.