In a post-Thanksgiving haze, I have consumed more Christmas movies than I care to share. But, who can blame me? I mean, Hallmark played non-stop Christmas movies the entire weekend. And Netflix keeps releasing/uploading more options. What’s a girl to do but succumb to the terrible genre that is Christmas rom-coms.

 (Yes, I watched three DJ Tanner Christmas movies back to back…)

Now, don’t get me wrong, I love a good rom-com every day of the year, but I’m a sucker for Christmas-time, Hallmark-level-bad, only-you’ll-love-will-save-me-and-Christmas, romantic comedies.

In my recent Hallmark daze, one thing that struck me was how many of these movies were based on Harlequin romance novels.   In a talk I attended, Kate Broad acknowledged romance novels history with strong female characters, suggesting that romance novels allowed women to read stories about independent women who worked, and had lives, and made their own choices, but were also able to fall in love.

The reason I love Christmas movies and rom-coms are similar to the reasons I love YA. Girls are allowed to be vulnerable and emotional, but they are still shown as strong and capable. They’re the active heroines who make choices that affect their fate.

Now back to Hallmark’s 24/7 Christmas movie marathon.