Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Signs You're In a Hallmark Christmas Movies

This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic hosted from That Artsy Reader Girl  is a freebie.  I was sick for basically the entire month of November and when I'm sick I can't read.  This meant that I ended up watching a whole lot of television.  Since my usual favorite TV shows are pretty murder heavy and not quite appropriate for my 8 year old to be watching I've been relying heavily on Hallmark movies and I'm all about the Christmas movies.  I enjoy them so this is all in good fun but there are some themes I see repeated!  Here are some signs you are in or are about to be in a Hallmark Christmas movie.

1.  Someone Close to You Has Recently Died and Left You Something - Not only are you thrown off by the death of your mother/aunt/sister/uncle/grandparent/boss/friend but you now have to deal with this unexpected inheritance which can be anything from a house to a prepaid trip to a mission that you have to fulfill.  This will of course lead you to an incredibly picturesque very Christmas-y small town and your one true love who probably is a widower with a child.

2.  You Are Very Vocal About Your Desire to Stay Single and You've Just Met a Widower With a Small Child -  This seems to be a theme this year.  A large percentage of the men have lost their spouse - but at least a year ago so it's appropriate for them to consider getting into another relationship..  The woman the widower ends up falling for is single and vows to remain so.

3.  You Have a Family Member Who is OBSESSED With Christmas - Your mother/sister/grandmother/father/grandfather loved Christmas and made an enormous deal of it with special traditions and over the top decorating.  Unfortunately, they're probably deceased at this point (see #1) and you just can't bear to celebrate this year.

4.  You Are Heading Home for the Last Christmas at Your Family Home - For whatever reason this year is the last Christmas you'll be able to spend at the family home and you're coming back for the first time of years to be there.  Mostly likely your family home is very large and very old and about to be sold.

5.  You Own a Small Business - Or end up having to unexpectedly take over management of a small business that is owned by someone close to you.  The business is usually very successful and is always in a small picturesque town that takes decorating for Christmas very seriously.

6.  You Have Recently Lost Your Job - Which of course means you have to either 1. return to the small town you're from and take a job at the family business or 2. take a job as a governess or assistant to someone connected to royalty.  I'm not sure why you can't just stay where you are and find another job in the same field but that's never mentioned as an option.

7.  You Are For Whatever Reason in Some Kind of Christmas-y Competition or Pageant - You're either baking or decorating or you drew the short straw and have to help organize the Christmas pageant (which is always shockingly well attended with sets that are just about professional).

8.  You Don't Intend to Celebrate Christmas and Intend to Spend It Alone or Traveling - Trust me things will happen, there will be hijinks and you will be snowed in or trapped somewhere that is the most Christmas-y place of all time.

9.  You're in Vermont or Location Unspecified Mountains -  These are really the only places to be and I'm pretty sure you're just tripping over adorable cabins and incredibly picturesque small towns crammed full of Christmas trees and town events.

10.  You Look Cute in Winter Hats - Specifically Red Ones - This is a requirement.  Periodically if the heroine is a redhead they will put her in green or white but there are lots of winter hats being worn and they always look adorable.  This is one of the many reasons I will never be in a Hallmark Christmas movie.

Are you a Hallmark Christmas movie fan or do they make you cringe?  If you're a fan what are your favorite trends?