Confession: I love Hallmark Christmas movies.

Another confession: I didn’t always love them.

There was a time when I mocked Hallmark Christmas movies. I couldn’t understand how people could watch them. It baffled me.

Formulaic. Silly. Completely unrealistic. 

I love Christmas, but I was smug in my distain for this particular portion of holiday entertainment. 

Tonight I’m writing this as I watch “A Dream of Christmas” for at least the third time in two weeks.

So, what changed?

I can’t quite say there was one moment that caused me to change my mind. It was a slow process.

It began several years ago when I was bored and channel surfing on a Sunday. For some reason I stopped on Hallmark. They were showing “A Very Merry Mix-Up.” I was half watching as I scrolled through Twitter on my phone. At some point in the movie between a cup of spilled coffee — the meet-cute! — and the detached fiancé — dump him! — I found myself invested. I found myself enjoying the movie.

A few days later I happened upon “A Princess for Christmas.” I absolutely started watching that because of Sam Heughan. 

Before I knew it, I was stopping on Hallmark more and more often. 

The movies areformulaic, silly and often completely unrealistic. They are also fun and full of holiday spirit. I realized that with all of the really upsetting and serious stuff in the world, I needed a month – or two – to escape from it all. I need to believe, even for just a few hours, that girl from Buffalo can become a princess.

Now, I’m all in. Lacey Chabert as a seamstress-turned-princess. Candace Cameron Bure as a big city doctor stuck in a small village. Lacey Chabert as a reporter who wakes up with a family. Candace Cameron Bure as twins who switch lives. Lacy Chabert as … well, you get the idea.

I am an unapologetic Hallmark Christmas movie fan. I love switching over to the channel any time of the day and knowing I’ll find something light-hearted and happy. (Though I do miss “The Golden Girls.”)

Now, I’m going to stop writing and happily devote my full attention to this movie I’ve watched 15 times in the last three years.