Hallmark Producer: Weather Is The Real Star Of Your Favorite Christmas Movies

What Makes A Christmas Movie? It's The Weather

If you’ve ever settled into your couch, wrapped yourself in a blanket and turned on a Christmas movie only to find yourself feeling the chill of the snow and bite of the wind on screen, you're not crazy.

According to Hallmark Media Producer Andrew Gernhard, who has more than 22 years in the industry and more than 100 films under his belt, the weather isn’t just a backdrop in your holiday favorites. It’s a full-fledged character.

He noted that some of the most iconic Christmas movie moments hinge entirely on the forecast: snowstorms to strand characters, force meet-cutes or nudge them (sometimes literally) into someone else’s path. “We've done that plenty of times where somebody goes off the road a little bit and the mechanic comes and that's gonna be your love interest,” he said.

When asked why viewers flock to these movies each winter, Gernhard got to the heart of it. “Christmas and winter go hand in hand," he explained. "New England winter is like what Hallmark cards are.”

There’s nostalgia baked into falling snow, glowing windows and Colonial or Victorian homes blanketed in white. And audiences don’t just watch these films, they live them. Gernhard points to the Connecticut Christmas Trail, a new real-world experience inspired by Hallmark locations, where fans visit filming stops, take TikToks and reenact scenes.

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Some fans even watch their favorites “48 times,” Gernhard noted with a laugh.

Living In Christmas Year-Round

Because filming happens in every season, including the middle of summer, Gernhard admits he basically lives in a perpetual Christmas bubble.

“I feel like I live in Christmas. So I am constantly decorating Christmas year-round,” he said.

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One perk? Endless décor inspiration from the various sets he runs throughout the year. “Sometimes they're very nostalgic. Sometimes they're very high-end. Sometimes they're a little tchotchke,” he said.

He also joked that being immersed in holiday cheer has fringe benefits: “I'm always nice, always get presents from Santa … because I'm always being watched.”

So, What Is A Christmas Movie?

The debate rages: Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? What about Gremlins? Annie?

Gernhard has thought this through. “There’s two types of Christmas movies, There are Christmas movies, which are, the focus is Christmas and the movie is secondary, and there are movies that take place at Christmas.”

His criteria:

• Christmas as a central element
• Snow or wintry weather
• Santa, presents or a clear Christmas theme
• A sense of family, love and nostalgia

Hallmark’s reputation for cozy, earnest storytelling is no accident, but Gernhard insists there isn’t a rigid blueprint. “At the core, it's all about telling good stories … nostalgia, family, finding love, finding new hope," he explained.

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And that extends to the crews working behind the scenes. Making a Christmas movie, Gernhard says, becomes its own kind of family. “We have dinners together, breakfast together. It's the bonding. It's like you're going off on a little mission together.”

Today, Gernhard says, the joy these films bring is what keeps him coming back: fans who visit sets, families who binge-watch together and people who build traditions entirely around these movies.

“It’s instantly recognizable… all Christmas movies are called Hallmark movies," he points out.

When your brand becomes synonymous with the season itself, you might just be the expert on what makes a Christmas movie.

And according to Andrew Gernhard? It starts with the weather. Snowstorms, especially.

Weather.com lead editor Jenn Jordan explores how weather and climate weave through our daily lives, shape our routines and leave lasting impacts on our communities.