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    Holiday Date

    6.4/10 · 2,020 ratings·2019·1h 24m·Christmas·Weirdness 4/10
    Holiday Date poster

    At a glance

    4/10

    Mostly standard issue

    What bumps it up: Fake relationship, Mistaken identity.

    Holiday
    Christmas, Hanukkah
    Season
    Winter
    Setting
    Small Town
    Time period
    Contemporary
    Leads start as
    Complete Strangers
    Runtime
    1h 24m
    Watch trailer
    IMDbLetterboxdTMDBRotten TomatoesHallmarkJustWatch

    Where to watch

    🇺🇸United States6 ways

    Stream

    • fuboTV
    • YouTube TV
    • Philo
    • Hallmark+ Amazon Channel
    • Hallmark+ Apple TV Channel
    • Hallmark TV Amazon Channel

    Via JustWatch · can change anytime.

    The premise

    After a woman's boyfriend breaks up with her right before the holidays, she agrees to go home with an actor who will pose as her boyfriend.

    Themes:Authenticity vs. PerformanceCultural Exchange and InclusionFollowing Creative PassionsFamily Expectations

    How unusual is it?

    Middle of the road, with a twist — a fake relationship and mistaken identity keep it from being totally by-the-book.

    Who’s in it

    Brittany Bristow headshot

    Our Girl

    Brittany Bristow

    as Brooke Miller

    Matt Cohen headshot

    Our Guy

    Matt Cohen

    as Joel Parker

    Alongside them

    • Teryl Rothery headshot
      Teryl RotheryDonna Miller
    • Bruce Boxleitner headshot
      Bruce BoxleitnerWalter Miller
    • Peter Benson headshot
      Peter BensonGlen
    • Ava Grace Cooper headshot
      Ava Grace CooperTessa
    Show all 10 castShow fewer
    • Anna Van Hooft headshot
      Anna Van HooftAshley
    • Edward Ruttle headshot
      Edward RuttleEthan Reinhart
    • Shannon Chan-Kent headshot
      Shannon Chan-KentMegan
    • Matty Finochio headshot
      Matty FinochioLarry

    Behind the camera

    ShowHide

    Directed by

    • Jeff Beesley headshot
      Jeff Beesley

    Written by

    • Karen Berger headshot
      Karen Berger

    Wait, what?

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

    • The protagonist hires an actor to play her boyfriend specifically because he needs 'character research' for a small-town role.
    • The 'fake' boyfriend is recognized by the father because of a shaving cream commercial.
    • The family's immediate and intense pivot to celebrating Hanukkah despite being Christmas fanatics.
    • The 'real' Ethan happens to be in the same tiny town at the exact same time for a random business meeting.

    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 33 to find more movies that do the same thing.

    Setting2

    🏘️Small Town🎭Theater

    Time & season4

    ❄️Winter🎄Christmas🕎Hanukkah🗓️Contemporary

    Premise4

    🕵️Secret Identity💍Fake relationship🎭Mistaken identity🔒Hidden secret

    Characters4

    👗Lead: Fashion Designer🎭Love interest: Actor/Performer👶Cute kid🏠Returns home

    Conflict4

    🤥Trust Issues👨‍👩‍👧Family stakes💔Love triangle💔An ex returns

    Romance5

    💕Start as complete strangers💕First kiss: late (final third)💓Instant attraction💗Love confession🎁Grand gesture

    Tone & quirks7

    🎬Light/Heartwarming🎵Musical element👨‍🍳Cooking scenes🧶Crafting scenes🎄Tree decorating❄️Snow activities🎞️Montage

    How it ends3

    💋Ends with a kiss🔄Career change🤝Family reconciliation

    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)
    Brooke is a talented tailor in New York City with dreams of becoming a fashion designer. Her boyfriend, an architect named Ethan, breaks up with her just days before they are scheduled to visit her Christmas-obsessed family in Whispering Pines, Pennsylvania. Desperate to avoid the pity of her family—who already know Ethan as 'Mr. Christmas'—Brooke meets Joel, a struggling actor, at a 'Friendsmas' party. Joel's agent suggests that Joel accompany Brooke to Pennsylvania to research a role as a small-town hardware store owner. They agree on a 'fake dating' arrangement where Joel will pose as Ethan the architect. Upon arriving in Whispering Pines, Joel struggles to maintain his cover as an architect, nearly blowing his secret when discussing structural walls and gables. However, he charms Brooke's parents, Walter and Donna, and her niece, Tessa. A major twist occurs when Joel admits to Brooke that he is Jewish and has never actually celebrated Christmas. Rather than ending the charade, Brooke helps Joel navigate the traditions, while Joel introduces the Millers to Hanukkah. The family enthusiastically participates in lighting the menorah, playing dreidel, and eating latkes and sufganiyot. As Brooke and Joel grow closer, Brooke rediscovers her passion for design by creating 1920s-era costumes for the town's Christmas play. The conflict escalates when the real Ethan arrives in town for business and runs into Brooke. A local gossip, Cheryl, takes a photo of Brooke and Joel and tags it with 'Ethan Reinhart' on social media, which the real Ethan sees. Simultaneously, Brooke's mother Donna calls the real Ethan's mother in New Haven and discovers she has no idea about an engagement. The family confronts the pair, and Brooke admits the truth: she was tired of being alone during the holidays. Despite the deception, Walter realizes Joel's feelings for Brooke are genuine. When the lead actor in the town play falls ill, Joel uses his acting skills to save the production, performing alongside Tessa. Brooke realizes her true calling is costume design rather than high fashion. In the end, the family forgives the deception, Joel and Brooke confess their love, and they celebrate a combined 'Chrismukkah' holiday together, with Joel finally finding a 'home' in Brooke's family.

    Beat by beat

    1. 1

      Opening

      Brooke's boyfriend Ethan breaks up with her right before their trip to her hometown, Whispering Pines.

    2. 2

      Inciting Incident

      Brooke recruits Joel, an actor, to pose as Ethan to avoid admitting the breakup to her family.

    3. 3

      Midpoint

      Joel reveals he is Jewish and has never celebrated Christmas, leading to the family celebrating both Hanukkah and Christmas.

    4. 4

      Rising Action

      The real Ethan arrives in town and a social media tag alerts the family that something is wrong with 'Ethan's' identity.

    5. 5

      Climax

      The family confronts Brooke and Joel about the lie; Joel proves his worth by saving the town's Christmas play.

    6. 6

      Resolution

      Brooke and Joel confess their real feelings and the family accepts Joel for who he actually is.

    33 tropes in one movie

    We counted 33 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 6.4 vs every rated Hallmark moviemedian 6.4This movie · 6.445678

    Higher-rated than 46% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.

    Where this one fits

    The corners of the catalog Holiday Date belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.

    • 🎄Best Hallmark Christmas MoviesIt is, of course, a Christmas movie.
    • 🕎Hallmark Hanukkah MoviesA Hanukkah story.
    • 🤝Hallmark Fake Relationship MoviesBuilt on a fake-dating setup.
    • 🧁Hallmark Baking & Cooking MoviesPlenty of time in the kitchen.
    • 🏘️Hallmark Small Town MoviesA classic small-town setting.

    Lines worth quoting

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

    • “I was never in love with Ethan. I was just in love with the idea of him.”
      — BrookeBrooke explaining to Joel why she kept up the charade.
    • “I'm an actor... I'm always auditioning... it's a professional hazard.”
      — JoelJoel explaining his perpetual smile to Brooke.
    • “Acting is for the stage... not in real life.”
      — JoelJoel apologizing to Brooke's niece for lying about his name.

    Meet the characters

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

    • Brooke Miller

      Lead

      Tailor and Aspiring Designer

      CreativeInsecure about statusTraditionalFamily-oriented
    • Joel Parker

      Love interest

      Actor

      Fake boyfriend turned real love interest

      CharismaticJewishAdaptableKind-hearted
    • Ethan Reinhart

      Antagonist

      Architect

      Ex-boyfriend

      Career-focusedEmotionally distantBlunt
    • Walter Miller

      Supporting

      Retired Construction Company Owner

      Father

      GruffObservantProtectiveTraditional
    • Donna Miller

      Supporting

      Homemaker

      Mother

      WelcomingHoliday-obsessedPerceptive

    Questions people ask about Holiday Date

    Where can I watch Holiday Date?

    Holiday Date is available via fuboTV, YouTube TV, and Philo. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

    How long is Holiday Date?

    Holiday Date runs about 1 hour and 24 minutes, and was released in 2019.

    Is Holiday Date a Christmas movie?

    Yes. Holiday Date is a Hallmark Christmas movie, set during the holiday season.

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    Data and sources

    Curated by the Talking Hallmark team.·Last updated June 17, 2026.

    Sources:IMDb·TMDB·JustWatch

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