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A tray of uneven iced biscuits rests in a warm teal kitchen. Two drawings hang on the cream fridge, and a snowy window reveals a neighbouring porch glowing with lights.

Essential Christmas · 2022

The Holiday Sitter

61/100Festive FactorWhy it scores 61 ↓
Not BBFC rated82 min
Comedy · Romance

Hallmark's first Christmas film built around a gay couple, and the quiet achievement is that it is otherwise…

On ITVX · UK subscription →
Plan this film night ↓Can the kids watch? ↓
Explore this film 10 sections

The CineClaus Christmas score

Festive Factor

Christmas all the way through.

Two paper elves inspect a miniature teal kitchen. One points at iced biscuits while the other holds a magnifying glass above the model's snowy window and cream fridge.

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 details5 of the 10 kinds of Christmas icon we count turn up on screen.8/15

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 →
Your next film night

Where to watch

United KingdomChecked

ITVX

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Streaming changes constantly and we cannot promise it is still right - check the service before you settle in. Availability data by JustWatch.

The story

About The Holiday Sitter

A career-first bachelor with no plans for a family of his own heads home to look after his young niece and nephew in the run-up to Christmas, and quickly finds he is out of his depth. The handsome neighbour who helps him with the Christmas play, the baking and the rest of it turns out to want exactly the kind of life he has been avoiding. Jonathan Bennett and George Krissa lead.

The CineClaus verdict

Hallmark's first Christmas film built around a gay couple, and the quiet achievement is that it is otherwise a completely ordinary Hallmark Christmas film. A workaholic uncle is left with his niece and nephew, the handsome neighbour knows how to bake and help with a Christmas play, and the rest follows as it should.

Jonathan Bennett, who also came up with the story, leans into every trope on purpose. And in the UK it is free to watch on ITVX.

The family desk

Can the kids watch?

Not BBFC rated

Our take: not rated by the BBFC. A sweet romance with two children in it and nothing frightening, just some kissing and plenty of flirting. Fine for families who would watch any Hallmark romance together.

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.
Subtitles
Check your chosen service and edition for supported tracks.
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
Smiling man with short brown hair and stubble in a grey padded winter jacket, holding a furry microphone outdoors.Jonathan Bennettas Sam Dalton
George Krissaas Jason DeVito
Chelsea Hobbsas Kathleen Walker
Matthew James Dowden
Woman with short curled grey and brown hair in an off-the-shoulder red gown, photographed on a stage.Gabrielle Rose

Behind the camera

Directed by
Ali Liebert
Original score
Russ Howard III
Writing & production credits
Writers
Greg Baldwin
Tracy Andreen
Photo credits

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

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

Gabrielle Rose · Jason Hargrove · Source image (opens in a new tab) · CC BY 2.0 (opens in a new tab).

Step into the story

Filming locations

The real places behind The Holiday Sitter. Choose one to explore.

Find it on the mapMetro Vancouver, British Columbia

© OpenStreetMap contributors (opens in a new tab)

Open larger map ↗ (OpenStreetMap, opens in a new tab)

Map shows the selected place. Drag to explore; use + and − to zoom.

Location sources

Metro Vancouver, British Columbia · Vancouver Magazine (opens in a new tab)

Map pins mark the place, not a camera position or a route. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), including any pin positions read from OpenStreetMap.

A little more The Holiday Sitter

Film facts &
behind the scenes

For the fans who stay after the credits.

On set

Jonathan Bennett pitched the story himself

Bennett came up with the idea while working on another Hallmark Christmas film, and took it to the network. He wanted an 1980s-style comedy about an out-of-his-depth uncle minding his niece and nephew, with the uncle gay.

Read the story

Source: MediaVillage ↗ (opens in a new tab) · NBC News ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Movie magic

George Krissa won the part of Jason from a self-tape

Bennett helped cast the film and picked Toronto stage actor George Krissa for Jason after watching his self-tape, citing his humour, charm and physical comedy.

Read the story

Source: NBC News ↗ (opens in a new tab)

And at a glance

Releases and certificates
: First on TV (US). First shown on Hallmark Channel.
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.

Good to know

Questions about The Holiday Sitter

Who directed The Holiday Sitter?

Ali Liebert directed it, from a screenplay by Greg Baldwin and Tracy Andreen. Jonathan Bennett stars and shares the story credit.

Where was The Holiday Sitter filmed?

It was shot in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia. The sources we can open do not name a more specific location.

When did The Holiday Sitter first air?

It first aired on Hallmark Channel in the US on 11 December 2022.

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