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Original painted Christmas scene, from the Cine Claus illustration set

Essential Christmas · 2020

The Christmas House

56/100Festive FactorWhy it scores 56 ↓
Not BBFC rated84 min
Romance · Drama

A Hallmark film about a house decorated to within an inch of its life, and a family that has to be talked…

Plan this film night ↓Can the kids watch? ↓
Explore this film 6 sections

The CineClaus Christmas score

Festive Factor

Christmas in good measure.

Original painted Christmas scene, from the Cine Claus illustration set

A little magic in the making.

Five ingredients make the Festive Factor.
Open an ingredient to find out more.

Christmas in the storyChristmas drives it, but another occasion could stand in.20/30

What we ask: Take Christmas out. Does the plot survive? Worth up to 30 of the 100 points.

A world dressed for ChristmasVisibly Christmas for most of it.15/20

What we ask: How much of the running time is visibly Christmas? Worth up to 20 of the 100 points.

The little seasonal details2 of the 10 kinds of Christmas icon we count turn up on screen.3/15

What we ask: How many kinds of Christmas icon turn up on screen: trees, lights, snow, carols and the rest? Worth up to 15 of the 100 points.

A Christmas heartHow far the ending rests on goodwill, family and belief: substantially.15/20

What we ask: Does the ending depend on what Christmas means: goodwill, family, redemption, belief? Worth up to 20 of the 100 points.

A returning traditionNiche at Christmas (under 25,000).3/15

What we ask: Is it actually watched at Christmas in the UK? Worth up to 15 of the 100 points.

87/100

Cosiness Rating Rating

Warm in tone. Nothing bad can really happen. A happy ending.

How we score →
What do these scores mean?

Festive Factor measures how Christmassy a film is. Five ingredients add up to 100: story (30), setting (20), seasonal details (15), emotional heart (20) and returning tradition (15).

Cosiness is a separate score for warmth of tone, sense of safety, visual comfort, a reassuring ending and how easily you can settle into it.

How the Festive Factor works →
The story

About The Christmas House

Two grown brothers are called home by their parents to bring back a family tradition: a house decorated to the rafters for the whole neighbourhood to visit. One brother is quietly waiting on news about adopting a child with his husband. The other is a television actor who finds his old high school sweetheart still next door. Underneath the decorations, the parents are keeping a secret about the house.

The CineClaus verdict

A Hallmark film about a house decorated to within an inch of its life, and a family that has to be talked into one last go at it. The romance and the adoption thread are gentle, and nobody is allowed to stay miserable for long.

Brandon and Jake waiting on a phone call is the most affecting part, with Mike and his old sweetheart doing the rest. More lights and cocoa than snow, and the ending is the one you ordered.

The family desk

Can the kids watch?

Not BBFC rated

Our take: nothing frightening in it, though younger children may drift during the talk of a marriage under strain and a family home being sold.

Content advice & accessibility
Not BBFC rated
The BBFC has no classification for this film, so it has no UK certificate. Our age guidance above is editorial, not an official rating.
The people behind the film

Cast and crew

The faces in front of the camera, and the people who brought the story to life.

Main cast

In billing order
Robert Buckleyas Mike Mitchell
Ana Ayoraas Andi Cruz
Young bearded man with tousled brown hair in a blue and red checked shirt, looking at the camera in a warmly lit room.Treat Williamsas Bill Mitchell
Sharon Lawrenceas Phylis Mitchell
Smiling man with short brown hair and stubble in a grey padded winter jacket, holding a furry microphone outdoors.Jonathan Bennettas Brandon Mitchell

Behind the camera

Directed by
Michael Grossman
Photo credits

Portraits via Wikimedia Commons, each under its own licence, approved for this page by a person. Sources and full photographer credits:

Treat Williams · Gotfryd, Bernard, photographer · Source image (opens in a new tab) · Public domain.

Jonathan Bennett · SWinxy · Source image (opens in a new tab) · CC BY 4.0 (opens in a new tab).

A little more The Christmas House

Film facts &
behind the scenes

For the fans who stay after the credits.

On set

The star pitched it, co-wrote it and produced it

Robert Buckley did far more than play the lead. He pitched the story to Hallmark, co-wrote it with Erin Rodman and served as an executive producer, having just made another Hallmark film earlier in the same year.

Read the story

Source: mediavillage.com ↗ (opens in a new tab)

On set

Hallmark's first married gay couple in a Christmas story

The film was the first Hallmark Christmas movie built around a gay couple, with a kiss between the two leads. Director Michael Grossman knew some viewers would find it a stretch and thought that was reason enough to include it.

Read the story

Source: thepinknews.com ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Movie magic

Props and costumes went to a museum archive

After the premiere, the Smithsonian asked for wardrobe pieces and props from the production for its LGBTQ+ collection, because of how significant the film was for the network.

Read the story

Source: mediavillage.com ↗ (opens in a new tab)

And at a glance

Releases and certificates
: First on TV (US). First shown on the Hallmark Channel in the United States.
Sources & a note on these facts

Each production story is linked to its source, in our own words. Ending details stay behind a spoiler reveal.

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Elsewhere on CineClaus

More places to find The Christmas House, and a few good reasons to keep exploring.

In this collection

Feel-good Christmas films for a cosy night in

The Christmas House is in this collection

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Read a little further

Collection

The best Christmas films for adults

Explore the collection
Stay for another story.All collections · The Christmas Edit