If you grew up watching made-for-TV holiday movies while simultaneously questioning why your Tamagotchi was dying, She’s Making a List will feel like a nostalgic hug wrapped in tinsel. The premise is simple enough to follow even if you’ve got one eye on your phone: a professional “naughty-or-nice evaluator” gets tasked with judging children for Santa, which sounds like a black-and-white moral system, but of course the movie insists there’s nuance. It’s predictable in the best way — like your favorite Starbucks order: you know it’s coming, but it hits the spot every single time. Think Elf meets HR compliance training, and you’ve got the tone nailed.
The lead, Lacey Chabert, carries the film like it’s 2003 all over again and she’s still in Mean Girls but with more cocoa and fewer burn books. Her charm and energy keep things afloat, especially when the script starts to wobble under its own weight. There are moments where the plot feels like it was scribbled on a post-it during a coffee break, but Chabert’s performance is the cinematic equivalent of putting a cozy blanket over a lumpy couch — suddenly it’s acceptable. Let’s be honest: she’s earned the title of Queen of Christmas, effortlessly balancing sweetness, sass, and that little twinkle that says, “Yes, I know this is ridiculous, but isn’t it fun?” Watching her on screen is like catching up with an old friend who also bakes cookies better than you do.
Minor characters get their moments too, adding enough texture to make the world feel lived-in without ever stealing the spotlight. Andrew Walker delivers his usual charm as the love interest, the quirky office crew provides comic relief reminiscent of a high school reunion you actually want to attend, and the kids? Surprisingly adorable without tipping into unbearable cutesiness. Director Jeff Beesley keeps the pacing brisk and the holiday vibes constant, proving he knows how to balance sweetness, slapstick, and the occasional heartfelt moment — even if the script occasionally forgets it has more than one scene.
Speaking of lumps, the story itself is as subtle as a Fruit Roll-Up in a formal dining setting. Predictable twists and thin character arcs abound, and the villainy is cartoonishly obvious — you could spot it coming from across the living room, even while simultaneously scrolling TikTok. Yet somehow, the movie leans into these flaws with a wink, acknowledging that no one is here for Shakespeare; we’re here for sugar cookies, snow, and the occasional heart-tugging lesson about empathy. The fourth-wall breaks are a little jarring, sure, but they add meta-fun, as if the filmmakers are winking at the audience and saying, “Yes, we know it’s cheesy. Enjoy it anyway.”
The holiday aesthetics are exactly what you’d hope for: small-town charm, twinkling lights, and a soundtrack cheerfully loud enough to make you hum along even if your soul is secretly wondering where the complexity went. It’s comfort cinema for the kind of adult who remembers the AOL dial-up tone fondly and doesn’t mind a bit of corn syrup in their cocoa. At the end of the day, She’s Making a List isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. If you can roll with a little cheese, forgive a thin script, and enjoy seeing familiar faces sparkle, this is your holiday ticket. And honestly, sometimes that’s exactly what you need — a few hours of good-natured fun that reminds you the world isn’t always a corporate spreadsheet of naughty and nice.
The movie premiered on Hallmark Channel on December 6, 2025; starting the next day, it became available on Hallmark+ for on‑demand watching.
MPAA Rating: TV-G.
Runtime: 84 mins
Director: Stacey N. Harding
Writer: Joey DePaolo
Cast: Lacey Chabert; Andrew W. Walker; Cadence Compton
Genre: Holiday Romance
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Distributor: Hallmark Channel
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Release Date: December 6, 2025
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Synopsis: A Naughty-or-Nice inspector evaluating a girl's Christmas status falls for her widowed father, making her question the strict rules of her consulting firm and forcing her to choose between protocol and love.
