FRIENDS & FAMILY CHRISTMAS on Hallmark is a new lesbian holiday rom-com with a fake-dating plot. Yes, a Lesbian Hallmark Christmas movie. And yes, you should absolutely watch it. Read our full Friends & Family Christmas movie review here!
FRIENDS & FAMILY CHRISTMAS is a new Hallmark Christmas movie with a lesbian love story. It’s a classic holiday rom-com but with LGBTQ characters. In fact, these characters are even portrayed by queer actors. Oh yes, Christmas really does come early this year!
This is nothing less than the very first Lesbian Hallmark Christmas movie. Complete with a fake dating plot which sounds like something straight out of fan fiction. Overall, this has all the makings of a classic Christmas movie. Just with LGBTQ leads… and I really enjoyed it!
Continue reading our Friends & Family Christmas movie review below.
Premiered on Hallmark on December 17, 2023. You can find it on Peacock and other streaming platforms that offer Hallmark movies from December 18, 2023.
Watch Humberly Gonzalez and Ali Liebert fall in love
Okay, I admit that headline is a bit much. Obviously, Friends & Family Christmas is about their characters falling in love. However, the two actors are queer in real-life and I feel that knowing this makes for an even stronger viewing experience. They know we’ve been craving this movie.
In this lesbian Christmas movie, we meet Daniella (Humberley González) who recently moved to New York. Daniella – or just Dani – was accepted to an Artist Lab, where she can pursue an art career in photography.
MORE LESBIAN CHRISTMAS MOVIES
Check out our list of Christmas Movies with LGBTQ storylines here >
As Christmas comes around, she is extremely busy and decides to stay in town instead of going home. She can spend the holidays with her circle of equally busy artist friends, so she’s not sad or alone in any way.
However, her sweet, and somewhat overbearing parents, are sad that they won’t see her during the Holidays.
Amelia (Ali Liebert) is a talented lawyer focusing on her work. Truth be told, she’s doing everything she can to forget the heartbreak of a broken engagement. Both Dani and Amelia are out and proud, so their fathers – who were roommates in college – want to set them up.
To get their parents off their backs, Dani and Amelia agree to pretend that they are dating. Ahh yes, the fake dating profile of so many fanfictions! Of course, it also goes the way of fan fiction as they build a connection that goes deeper than either of them ever expected.
The cast of Friends & Family Christmas is wonderful, and we’ve included all the main cast members – with their character names in parentheses – at the bottom here.
Forget about religion and focus on love
I sometimes shy away from Christmas movies when they get too religious. I know Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ himself. I won’t even get into whether this date is accurate or just “made sense” to fit older pagan celebrations around that same time.
All I want to say is that Friends & Family Christmas is very much about love and happiness. Santa Claus isn’t even much of a focus in this, as it’s about getting together with friends and family.
Even the title refers to how friends can effectively become family.
And no, there is no problem with acceptance from family in this Hallmark Christmas movie. It truly is all about love and togetherness. If anything, it encourages everyone to look within and discover what makes you happy.
Something you can do much easier when you’re surrounded by love and acceptance. If you’ve watched any Christmas movie (or any LGBTQ storyline in any movie or series), you’ll be waiting for the drama and heartbreak.
In this one, it’s only minor and doesn’t last long. Why? Because once again, this lesbian Hallmark movie is all about love and happiness. So, does this make it boring? Not at all. It’s a Christmas movie and we all know those end on a happy note.
Watch Friends & Family Christmas via Hallmark now!
Anne Wheeler is the director of Friends & Family Christmas and she has directed a lot of TV movies with “Wedding” in the title. Also, she directed episodes of Firefly Lane and Anne with an E. With this movie, Anne Wheeler nails that Hallmark Christmas movie spirit perfectly!
The screenplay comes from writers Tracy Andreen and Gary Goldstein. Both have written quite a few romance TV movies in the past. Including – of course – Christmas movies. And hey, why not, we need this first Lesbian Hallmark Christmas Movie to be a classic Christmas movie.
Tracy Andreen was also one of the screenwriters on the Gay Hallmark Christmas movie The Holiday Sitter from 2022. That movie was the first Hallmark holiday movie with an LGBTQ couple as the lead.
Also, it was directed by Ali Liebert, who now stars in this Lesbian Hallmark Christmas movie, which she also executive produces. It’s the circle of Christmas movie life with a wonderful LGBTQ twist.
Maybe next year, she’ll direct and star in a queer Christmas horror movie?! Time will tell, but I am definitely here for it!
Womentainment recommendation: Watch this cute and charming Christmas movie!
For me, Friends & Family Christmas is a must-watch during the holiday season for anyone who has ever wished for a lesbian Christmas movie. It’s finally here, and Hallmark has gone all the way in having their sexuality be a non-issue and including several other LGBTQ characters.
No one is stereotypical. Well, they are in the classic “Hallmark Christmas movie”-narrative, but not in terms of their queerness. Also, the two leads are portrayed by queer actors, which isn’t a must, but a definite plus.
Friends & Family Christmas premiered on Hallmark Channel on December 17, 2023. Find it on Peacock and other streaming platforms that offer Hallmark movies from December 18, 2023.
Director: Anne Wheeler
Writers: Gary Goldstein, Tracy Andreen
Cast: Humberly González (Daniella McCallan), Ali Liebert (Amelia Kasmerec), Gabriela Reynoso (Raquel McCallan), Christopher Shyer (Luke McCallan), Samantha Cole (Kylie Cooke), Barclay Hope (John Kasmerec), Jeremy Hoffman (Tanner Amini), Kyle Toy (Javier Bastano),
Belinda Metz (Liza Cole), Sunita Prasad (Quinn), Patti Allan (Mrs. Visser)
Official plot:
Overwhelmed by Christmas events and a surprise visit from her parents, photographer Dani asks lawyer Amelia for help. Pretending to date is the perfect solution until real feelings develop.
