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Christmas movies, with their cliched, familiar, and yet heartwarming plots, have become an important part of the festival itself. The holiday season almost feels incomplete without the release of some Christmas-themed films that encompass some of the most beautiful and touching scenes and are suitable for viewing by all age groups. By turning the viewing experience into a family-oriented one, these films have further won hearts across the globe.
HBO Max announced an interesting line-up of Christmas movies this year, way before the season even started, leading to the build-up of some obvious anticipation for the films among cinephiles and families alike. A Christmas Story Christmas, a sequel to the very popular film A Christmas Story, is one of the most popular films on the list, while most of the other films are fresh originals that aren't part of any franchise yet.
Here are the four most anticipated Christmas movies releasing on HBO Max this holiday season.
Christmas movies coming to HBO Max this festive season
1) A Christmas Story Christmas
A Christmas Story Christmas is among the most anticipated Christmas movies this year, thanks to the popularity of the original, A Christmas Story. The 1983 comedy film was set in 1940 and delves into the life of a young boy named Ralphie, who goes on and on trying to convince the adults in his life of what the most perfect Christmas gift would be.
Despite the movie's moderate success following its release, A Christmas Story went on to become one of the most critically acclaimed Christmas films in the years and decades that followed. So it doesn't come as a surprise that a sequel is being made after all these years to cater to the fan base.
The newer film seems to remain faithful to the original and continues with an adult Ralphie as the protagonist as he comes home to reconnect with his childhood and recreate the magic of Christmas that he got to experience as a child.
A Christmas Story Christmas will premiere on HBO Max on November 17, 2022.
2) Santa Camp
Santa Camp is an HBO Max original and explores the much-explored but fun concept of Santa Claus. The character of Santa has been employed to bring merriment and cheer in most holiday films and never fails to bring the Christmas spirit with it. While the debate about diversity when thinking about Santa has been on for a while, Santa Camp addresses just that.
An unlikely Christmas film, Santa Camp is actually a documentary that follows a summer camp that all professional Santas visit, where they rethink diversity in terms of identity, race, gender, and so on and forth. The movie also explores other myths behind the concept of Santa and how carefully the legend is curated. It also delves into the kind of responsibility that professional Santas bear when representing an age-old character that stands for so many good things.
Santa Camp will premiere on HBO Max on November 17, 2022.
3) A Christmas Mystery
Christmas movies with a mix of comedy, action, and thrill have become a genre of their own since the release of the acclaimed favorite, Jingle All the Way, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. These films, which feature fast-paced chases and amusing sequences, are inspired by Christmas myths and are quite popular.
A Christmas Mystery further explores how a thrilling film can make for a cheery Christmas movie. The film follows the theft of jingle bells in a town. When an unlikely man is accused of stealing them, his daughter's friends come together to prove him innocent by finding the real thief. The film stars Violet McGraw and Oscar Nunez in principal parts.
A Christmas Mystery will be released on HBO Max on November 24, 2022.
4) Holiday Harmony
Rather than a holiday family drama, Holiday Harmony is a romance that follows Gail, a singer with big dreams. On her way to perform at an important life-changing event, she gets stuck in a town where she falls in love with Jeremy, who tries to help her make it to her destination. She also bonds with the townsfolk and has to choose between staying back and making it big with her dreams.
While it follows the same trope as a hundred other Christmas movies, Holiday Harmony seems to have a charm of its own. The dilemma that the synopsis suggests is also one that can never lose its relevance. The personal themes and familiar characters make Holiday Harmony a good television watch for this holiday season.
Holiday Harmony will premiere on HBO Max on November 24, 2022.
While these are the Christmas movies that the streaming platform has announced so far, there is a lot of anticipation for the rest of the announcements. The upcoming month of December is expected to feature many more Christmas movies on HBO Max. The channel has also started pushing older Christmas movies that it is home to.
