I'll Be Home for Christmas Movies: The Deck the Hallmark Podcast’s Guide to Your Holiday TV Obsession

by Brandon Gray, Daniel Thompson, Daniel Pandolph

I'll Be Home for Christmas Movies is the unofficial fan guide to Hallmark holiday movies, from the creators of the wildly popular Deck the Hallmark podcast.
 
Hosts and best friends Brandon Gray, Daniel "Panda" Pandolph, and Dan Thompson share reviews that make you feel like you're watching these holiday favorites with your best buds, discussing warm Christmas feelings and absolutely bonkers plot twists with equal enthusiasm. And thanks to original interviews with the movies' stars and creators, fans will find out insider information on the making of the movies and learn answers to pressing questions: Why do the lead characters keep coming down with amnesia? Why do so many female stock brokers and lawyers find themselves forced to plan parties? And do all of the stories take place within something called the "Kennyverse"?

To complete the perfect Christmas package, the book is also chock-full of ideas for hosting your own holiday movie-watching party, complete with delicious recipes. Featuring dozens of full-color photos throughout, I'll Be Home for Christmas Movies is as cozy and sparkly as the movies themselves.

Genres: Christmas, Nonfiction, Humor, Holiday, Film

261 pages, Paperback

Published October 26, 2021

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 Podcasters:
Brandon who loves Hallmark Holiday flicks
Daniel P. who likes Hallmark Holiday Flicks
Daniel T. who HATES Hallmark Holiday flicks

join together to dissect, critique, love on, ask questions, provide Q&A with writers/editors/producers/stars, and more about 116 of the Holiday Hallmark films.
Their reviews are hilarious and heartfelt, even from Dan T. who doesn't like them.
They each play fair judge of each one, and yes, the list does go up to those that debuted in 2020.
I had at the time of reading this, watched most of the 116 they reference and mostly agree with the guys' reviews. Some I do not.
Their commentaries are not the only fun thing about the book. The back of the book also includes several recipes to incorporate into your own next binge watch and a Bingo Card that features many of the tropes you find in a Hallmark film. Props if you can find one that has ALL of them.

As a Hallmark romantic and someone who doesn't take them too seriously for most of their formulaic styles, this was an enjoyable read.

Lastly, if you've never seen or watched any of the Hallmark Holiday films, this is a great tool to gauge which ones you yourself may want to enjoy. Whether its the romantic lead performers, the plot (doubtful), the "Hallmark moment of the feels" or the sights and activities of the Holiday, these three guys give you an honest review. Some I haven't seen I was very like, HUH...good to know.

Enjoy, binge and party with the romantic and familial connections of Hallmark films with this hilarious and honest commentary.

[R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleasant enough diversion, flashy pop-up box graphics page layout distracts, Hallmark movie bingo card a plus. Perfect size to serve as coaster for bowl of popcorn.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely give a book 5 stars. I rarely watch a Hallmark movie. I have seen 4 out of the 100 or so mentioned (mostly because of some relatives that will remain unnamed that love Hallmark movies & a brief fascination I had with everything made by Rupert Penny-Jones). In fact, I picked this book up because of the huge words “Christmas Movies” on the front during a moment of hoping to find something new to watch this upcoming holiday season. I didn’t realize it was about Hallmark movies until I actually sat down to read it. But I was intrigued in a car accident meets paparazzi kinda way…and related so well with Dan’s views that I kept reading. And laughing. And sharing with my husband. We were both laughing. (I don’t think he has seen a single Hallmark movie ever.) I had never heard of the podcast, either. But now that I’ve been so thoroughly entertained by the book I must seek it out! The “Wait, What?” review section was probably my favorite because I so often think the same during movies. I typically dislike overly predictable plot lines which is why I can’t stomach through most of these movies but my husband said we should try a few and look for these ‘points of discussion.’ A crazy thought coming from the likes of him…almost as crazy as a big city CEO giving up her career to head back home to a small town that only cares about one month of the entire year. I did note 7 movies that looked tolerable should those unnamed relatives insist on watching a Hallmark movie. The recipes at the back look great though I’m not sure I’m invested enough to cook. The book includes nice little tidbits for those that love Hallmark movies (most of which I had no idea about and many I skimmed over because of that). I generally think Hallmark movies are a dysfunctional breeding of ‘Love, Actually’/‘Groundhog Day’/‘The Santa Clause’. But that could be an optimistic viewpoint. 😉 This book was genius, thanks for the laughs!

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think a twisted review for this would be: Is the book always better than the movie?
I don't watch "The Bachelo"r or "The Bachelorette." I don't watch "Survivor" or "Amazing Race." I don't watch "90-day Fiance" or "Big Brother." But I do watch "Naked and Afraid" and Hallmark Christmas movies. Different strokes, right? I also don't listen to podcasts. Go figure. This book was a gift and the only reason it's taken me a few months to read it is that it was big and heavy. Literally. I like the podcast guys and I like their takes on the movies--even though we didn't totally agree on actors or storylines or reality checks. Note: My favorite Hallmark Christmas movie is "Christmas at the Plaza."

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a happy condensed version of the podcast with a bonus back story section. Great read for the holiday season.

[Jack Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Hallmark movie stan (using the term unironically here), it's been fascinating to see how their content has been able to toe the line between being taken seriously and not seriously. This guide did a great job of introducing non Deck the Hallmark listeners to the podcast a la 2021, go over the bits, and provide a crash course in over 100 movies from the company's vast catalog. Most of them are from the late 2010s (which is where they gained traction as a "brand"), but there are some cameos from the 2000s and early 2010s. I was most surprised by the 2020 movies that made the cut considering this book got published in 2021. (also the year when GAC became a thing, so the interviews included from actors who have since left Hallmark have a tragic irony to them). In publishing news, there likely may have been more time in finalize this since fiction books usually have to be ready about a year out.

I also liked how the trio and frequent guest Duralde included other content beyond the movie recaps and behind the scenes tidbits. There are recipes I'm interested in trying out, along with interviews with their wives and an iconic bingo card which will be getting traction in years to come. It'll be fun to go back to this book as I watch/re-watch the movies featured in this book, potentially dipping my toes into the podcast episodes themselves. Who knows what else I'll discover beyond the highlights?

[Charline Roth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must have guide to Hallmark Christmas Movies!

[Mind the Book · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fick syn på den här i ett reahörn inne på TK Maxx chez nous i Kew precis EFTER julen -23. För en gångs skull kom jag ihåg att packa ner den och ta fram den nu i rättan tid, nästan ett år senare, när man är Hallmark-mottaglig. Trevlig bok, men jag finner podden outhärdligt skrikig. Däremot gör det inget att boken åldras, för det är viss fördröjning i Hallmarkfilmutbudet i Europa.

Peak #mindtheflick - under julledigheten 2024 blev det 19 julfilmer i stugan. Alla enligt tropmallen, mer eller mindre. En busy storstadskvinna som INTE ENS HAR EN GRAN kommer att ställas inför ett vägskäl, en lokal hunk i Buffalo plaid-jacka, ofta död förälder eller mildare tragik som skilsmässa, julkaksbak, klä the damn gran, bära varm dryck i takeawaymugg och promenera genom en idyllisk julmarknad, candy canes en masse, hot från en "developer"... en nästan-kyss... vad finns det mer?

Har ett antal andra lästa från 2024 kvar att lista, annars hörs vi numera på The Storygraph.

[Michael Ritchie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm stuck in a bog of disappointing books lately. I'm sort of a fan of Hallmark Christmas movies, semi-(but not entirely) ironically. For several years, I've enjoyed selectively dipping into their offerings, understanding the pleasures of the genre formula but also hoping there will be some occasional subversion of the usual "big-city woman meets salt of the earth small-town guy" plotline. These three authors have a Hallmark Christmas movie podcast and this book is made of up very short plot summaries of over 100 of the movies accompanied by some comments by the three and occasional guests.

My problem here isn't actually with the authors, but with the format. I'm not sure a podcast book can be a fulfilling reading experience for someone who hasn't listened to the podcast. I'd seen several of the movies featured (each movie gets 1-2 pages of commentary) but gained no real insights into them, or into the authors. They very briefly say what they liked and what they didn't like, then move on to the next movie. I hoped there would be some interesting background given of the movies or the moviemaking process, but mostly no, though I did enjoy the occasional quote from Hallmark actors and directors--Kristoffer Polaha is particularly a good sport. The authors are mostly serious in their comments. When they try to be snarky, they seem to think they're as good as the Mystery Science Theater 3000 folks, and they just aren't--though again, maybe their snark comes off better on the air. I guess the best audience for a podcast book is a consumer of the podcast. I'm glad I read a library copy and didn't buy this.

[Nick · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up because Alonso Duralde appeared as a guest host on a podcast I listened to and I found him funny on the topic of weird Christmas movies. Feeling a bit more Christmas spirit than usual this year, when he plugged this book, I decided to check it out. Unfortunately very little of Duralde's voice comes through the book, which is 90% quoted from the 'Deck the Hallmark' podcast. There's not been a lot of additional writing done, so the book consists of reviews of several dozen Hallmark movies. Each review has a paragraph summarizing the film and then a few pages of podcast quotes.

The problem is that while a bunch of friends shooting the breeze about silly movies can be hilarious, stripping out a handful of quick quotes strips the material of most of its charm. The format of the podcast, which includes a segment called 'All the Feels' (about how a film emotionally impacted them), means that we see some variation of the phrase "the feels" about 200 times in the book, which gets tiresome.

Finally, given that the conceit of the book is that of the three podcast hosts one loves Hallmark movies, one likes them, and one hates them, the discussion lines up pretty much exactly like that. There's rarely any deviation from their base positions, and when there is, the book doesn't provide a great deal of clarity as to why. I'm sure it's much more meaningful and entertaining as a podcast, but it doesn't work as a book.

Recommended only if you're already a fan of 'Deck the Hallmark.'

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these guys. I've been with the podcast literally since day one, and I still listen daily during Christmas movies and often in the off-season as well. This is basically just transcripts of episodes, which is fun to go back to after hundreds of episodes, but it can also be a letdown, depending on what you were expecting. For me, a fan of the pod and a lover of all things Christmas, in particular Hallmark Christmas, it was perfect and funny and will remain next to my couch all season as a reference point during reruns.

The book is also beautiful, printed in full color on heavy, semi-glossy paper with lots of pictures and splashes of color. I hope we get a sequel in a couple years after they've covered a few more seasons and some more back catalog. LOVE. GET IT NOW, especially if you're a newbie to the authors!

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unofficial guide to Hallmark Christmas movies from the hosts of "Deck the Hallmark" podcast. There's Bran, who loves Hallmark Christmas movies. Panda, who likes Hallmark Christmas movies, and Dan, who despises Hallmark Christmas movies. Much like their podcast, this reviews several Hallmark Christmas movies using their usual segments of "hot takes," "all the feels," "wait, what?," and "what the Hallmark?" It includes a little bit of history of Hallmark Christmas movies, some background on the podcasts and the hosts and some tips for viewing parties with recipes. This is a pretty fun guide for those who love these cheesy holidays films and the podcast. I wish they had offered a little more in the reviews than what has been shared on the podcast but it is still a fun read.

[Hermione · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just loved this. It's laugh out loud funny, a viewing guide, it has an eggnogg recipe in the back, has pictures and quotes. It hits that balance of making fun of these movies, but in a loving (mostly) way. Really great.

The authors have a podcast, you don't have to have read that to get this book. But after reading this, I've listened to the podcast and that's great too. This would make such a great gift to yourself, it's like comfort food, but it would make a great Christmas gift too.

Thank you to the publisher for the copy of this book for review.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this podcast and was so excited when they announced they were releasing a book! I actually really liked the set up of the book with the history and backstory of the podcast and then several pages listing the Hallmark movie plus a description, their "hot takes" and several other tidbits, including quotes from some of the actors in that particular movie. At the end they have some recipes to enjoy during viewing parties, which just adds to the charm of the book and the podcasters. Such a fun little guide for the Holidays, or all year long (right Bran?!)!!

[Michael crage · Rating 1 out of 5]

was extremely disappointed in the book. I expected to get synopses of each ofthe Hallmark movies and maybe even when they woulod be on TV. The spent maybe one or two sentenses telling about the movies, the rest was three men talmking about things about the movie or whatever they felt like talkming about, often having nothing to do about the movie. And there were no suggestions when one could find the movies broadcasted.

[DaShannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun concept! The Deck the Hallmark Podcast published an unofficial guidebook with the same humor and so much additional insider information for fans of either the podcast and/or the Hallmark movies. In addition to movie summaries, plot twist explanations, and interviews there are great articles on things like the Kennyverse and how to host a party. The Bingo card is really fun! There are so many times I was reading and thought 'I didn't put that together but yes!' Highly recommend.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Hallmark movies, as cheesy as many are. So when I heard about this book, I just had to have it. Although my opinions sometimes differed to Brandon's, Daniel's and Daniel T's about some of the movies, I still enjoyed reading their thoughts. A funny book and guide that's made me want to sit and re-watch some of my favourites and those few I've not yet seen, with my bingo card in hand of course. There's also the added bonus of some great recipes at the end of the book.

[Russel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fully tongue in cheek guide to 116 Hallmark Christmas Movies told with both fun, respect and derision of the source material in equal measure.

The guys who wrote it know the films are not always going to be of the highest quality but leave room to be surprised when a film comes along and knocks it out of the park.

A fun, male-centric guide to what some might call a guilty pleasure but what I call just great movies that deliver on what they promise, though not always in the best way....

[♡° Jade (The Bookaholic) °♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stumbled across I’ll Be Home for Christmas Movies while searching for festive reads and instantly bought just because I love Christmas movies, especially Hallmark ones, and it had a fun and cute cover. This book was so much fun, it helped me choose what to watch this year and introduced me to the Deck the Hallmark podcast, which I’m now happily following for their takes on old favourites and new releases. This is a great pick for anyone who enjoys the cosy Hallmark holiday films.

[Sarah Kourkoulis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth every second!

This book is such a wonderful introduction to Deck the Hallmark, and for every lover, liker, or despiser of Hallmark movies. Best for those with a sense of humor! Love these guys so much! It’s full of their reviews, recipes, and snippets from actors, directors and friends made over the years. Highly recommend!

[Robert LoBiondo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this - and there are reviews/comments of some of the movies that are great - but I don't get how the movies were picked to be published. There are some real Hallmark classics that are overlooked.
Yes I am highly opinionated because I do try to watch all--yes ALL--of the movies.

[Nic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never (yet) listened to this podcast or watched any of these movies, but I really enjoyed this book! It's clever and fun, and I like that it makes fun of Hallmark Christmas movies in a loving way, not a mean way. It was also useful - we've been thinking of watching one or two of these movies this holiday season, and the reviews in this book helped me narrow down our best options.

[Deena Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! Three guys with a podcast about Hallmark Christmas movies. Three different points of view. And a brief summary and reaction to over100 movies. Fabulous concept and very enjoyable read!

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious--definitely will be checking out their podcast. We all know that Hallmark holiday movies are cheesy, which is why we usually love or hate them. These guys break these movies down even further! I created my own watch list from their commentary so as to weed out the real stinkers!

[Melanie Avila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite podcast, I’ve listened to every episode and I loved getting to go back in time and remember some of these moments. There are still movies in this book I haven’t seen and I can’t wait to use the bingo card and try some of the recipes!

[Amy Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I laughed out loud a lot while reading this. I've never listened to a Hallmark movie podcast before but I might now. Recommended for anyone who watches Hallmark Christmas movies and knows their Lacey from their Danica.

[Kristoffer Polaha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this festive book, I love the guys who wrote it, and I can see this book becoming a part of every reader’s holiday tradition! The forward is pretty special too.

Go buy a copy this instant! And I hear they have a books for children out too!!

[Susie (DFWSusie) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll Be Home for Christmas Movies, the unofficial fan guide to Hallmark holiday movies, is guaranteed to kick a flagging Yuletide spirit right in the keister. Pure joy from start to finish!

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a well written book. I did not agree wit a lot of their reviews. Hallmark movies I loved they hated, and vice versa.

[Kristen Barenthaler · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re a Hallmark Channel crazy (like me) then this book is for you. A listing of some of their best (and cringiest) Christmas movies come together to be roasted, praised, and enjoyed.