Boyfriends of Christmas Past

5.8/10 · 1,546 ratings20211h 23mChristmasWeirdness 6/10Bingo card

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The premise

Leading up to Christmas, Lauren is visited by the ghosts of three ex-boyfriends. She must learn to open her heart or risk losing her best friend, Nate.

How unusual is it?

More than most. Time travel pushes it well past the usual Hallmark template — the strangest 18% of everything we've logged.

Who’s in it

Behind the camera

Show

Wait, what?

The quirks and curveballs that make this one a little weirder than your average Hallmark. No spoilers, promise.

  • The protagonist is haunted by the literal ghosts of her ex-boyfriends.
  • One ghost is a 15-year-old boy with a skateboard appearing in a 30-something woman's bedroom.
  • A time-traveling 'sleigh bell app' used by an ex-boyfriend ghost.
  • A marriage proposal that takes place while zip-lining over a forest.
  • The protagonist abandons a major corporate account pitch mid-sentence to run to a party.

Every trope, all in one place

Here’s everything this one has going on, from the setting to the way it wraps up. Tap any of the 30 to find more movies that do the same thing.

How it all plays out

Already seen it, or just can’t wait? Open this up for the whole story, ending included.

Full story (spoilers)
The film opens with Lauren Kim and her best friend Nate Sagar winning their third consecutive Christmas Game Night. Lauren is a successful marketing professional who avoids serious dating, recently rejecting a chef because he didn't appreciate her 'escar-no' pun. Her firm is tasked with a high-stakes pitch for Granger Bakeware due on Christmas Eve, adding professional pressure to her holiday. Soon, Lauren is visited by Tyler, her high-school boyfriend, who appears as his teenage self. He warns her that three more exes will visit to show her a 'pattern of behavior' before it is too late. The second visitor, Jake, takes her back to college, showing how she broke up with him immediately after he said 'I love you' and invited her home for Christmas. The third visitor, Henry, revisits the moment he asked her to move in; Lauren panicked and ended the relationship, claiming it was 'too soon' despite years of dating. Through these visits, Lauren's best friend Nate confesses his own feelings, but Lauren pushes him away, even suggesting he date a volunteer named Lily. The final visitor, Logan, shows her his failed marriage proposal during a zip-lining trip. The exes collectively reveal that Lauren's behavior stems from her mother abandoning her and her father right before Christmas during her childhood. A vision of the future shows Nate proposing to Lily at a romantic restaurant called Mariano's because Lauren was too afraid to speak up. Realizing her mistake, Lauren incorporates 'baking from the heart' into her marketing pitch but abandons the presentation mid-way to find Nate at his community center Christmas party. She confesses that he is the love of her life. The film concludes with Nate proposing to Lauren, and her finally accepting a future without fear.

Beat by beat

  1. Opening

    Lauren and Nate win game night, establishing their deep bond and Lauren's habit of rejecting potential suitors for minor reasons.

  2. Inciting Incident

    Lauren is visited by her first ex-boyfriend, Tyler, who informs her she will be visited by three more 'ghosts' of her romantic past.

  3. Midpoint

    The visits from Jake and Henry reveal a consistent pattern: Lauren terminates relationships every December as soon as they become serious.

  4. Climax

    Lauren sees a future vision where Nate marries Lily; she realizes her trauma regarding her mother's departure has caused her to sabotage her own happiness.

  5. Resolution

    Lauren abandons her career-defining pitch to confess her love to Nate, leading to a Christmas engagement.

30 tropes in one movie

We counted 30 distinct Hallmark tropes packed into this one — a genuine greatest-hits reel.

How it stacks up

Where this one’s rating lands against every other rated Hallmark movie.

Rating 5.8 vs every rated Hallmark moviemedian 6.4This movie · 5.8567

Among the lower-rated Hallmark movies — the median is 6.4.

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog Boyfriends of Christmas Past belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.

Lines worth quoting

The lines that stuck with us — the ones you’ll be repeating after the credits roll.

  • “Escar-no.”
    — LaurenExplaining why she broke up with a chef.
  • “You'll be visited by three more ex-boyfriends... who will help you see a pattern of behavior in your past relationships.”
    — TylerSetting up the supernatural premise of the movie.
  • “Baking should be about more than just making the perfect pie crust... it's a way of saying I love you.”
    — LaurenHer final pitch which doubles as a realization about her feelings for Nate.

Meet the characters

Who’s who before you press play. Nothing here gives the ending away.

  • Lauren Kim

    Lead

    Marketing Executive

    Commitment-phobicPunningAmbitiousTraumatized
  • Nate Sagar

    Love interest

    Social Worker/Community Center Director

    Best friend and secret admirer

    PatientCompetitiveSelflessLoyal
  • Leo Kim

    Supporting

    Retired

    Father

    SupportiveWisePhotogenic
  • Tyler Mirsky

    Supporting

    Ghost/Student

    First boyfriend (High School)

    SkateboarderCryptic

Questions people ask about Boyfriends of Christmas Past

Where can I watch Boyfriends of Christmas Past?

Boyfriends of Christmas Past is available via fuboTV, Philo, and Hallmark+ Amazon Channel. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

How long is Boyfriends of Christmas Past?

Boyfriends of Christmas Past runs about 1 hour and 23 minutes, and was released in 2021.

Is Boyfriends of Christmas Past a Christmas movie?

Yes. Boyfriends of Christmas Past is a Hallmark Christmas movie, set during the holiday season.

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