Make your own Hallmark movie!

Take time this holiday season to remember the Hallmark Movie moments in your life.

The inevitable reaction when we watch those romantic holiday movies is an act of comparison to our own relationship, the same goes when we see any romantic characters on screen. When Captain Poldark passionately kisses his wife Demelza goodbye as he leaps onto his horse and gallops off to the Cornish coastline it’s easy to think, well my husband doesn’t do that and feel disappointment. But we don't have to be left with a feeling of emptiness after a movie, we can enjoy these movies without the dreadful character assassination of our partners afterward.

It’s important to remember that those characters in the holiday movies are in the first throws of love when everything is great and no problems yet exist. If we were to revisit these characters a few months or years down the road, we may see arguments, struggle or even divorce.

Above all, Christmas movies give us else that warm fuzzy feeling and the unmistakable glint of holiday cheer and we shouldn't let any comparisons destroy this. Hallmark Christmas movies are now so popular that, whereas before they may have been a guilty pleasure, they are now a social norm; a Christmas season staple. Research shows that when we are happier, it has a positive overall effect on all areas of our life, our health, and mental wellbeing, and so the happiness coma brought on from marathon Christmas movie watching can only be our better good. Further, some evidence suggests that what we watch can influence our behavior and our actions towards others.

How many times has watching a movie helped cement a decision in your life? We hear that exposing children to violent movies can make them more susceptible to using violence themselves. In the same way watching romantic movies can make us act more loving towards our partners if we take away the happiness from the movie.

Go back in time and watch yourselves in the beginnings of your own relationship and see your own Hallmark Christmas movie playing out before your very eyes, those early carefree days of a relationship are so full of allure. And so, we all have our own cheesy love story that we can choose to re-play at any moment, all we have to do is look back and pull out all those romantic moments, those moments of tension or misunderstanding, the point where you almost didn’t make it, and then the inevitable loving conquering of it all and you can indeed make your own holiday movie montage.

Real love stories are everywhere and not just here at Christmas time. After all, every writer gathers information for screenplays from real-life inspiration, those thoughts and feelings have to derive from somewhere; Christmas movie writers are no exception. So enjoy those movies without a lingering feeling of resentment to your partner and show them that loving feeling that you savored from the movies.

When I interview couples to hear their story for What is Love Tales blog, the one thing I am told again and again is what a happy experience it is to relive those early memories together and discuss the warm fuzziness from their own relationship. Also that having their own story captured for them and their children to read brings them huge joy. If you and your partner want to to share your story, please get in touch and I can help create your own Hallmark Christmas movie; a What is love tale.

Sharing the love,

Emmaleen