By President & CEO Bill Abbott
INSIDE THE GREAT AMERICAN CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE
A Few Tips for Predicting America's Most-Watched Christmas Movies
Many of us on the team have spent a lot of years (too many to admit!) creating Christmas programming, and we can tell you that predicting how audiences will respond is a lot harder than it looks. We spend every day at Great American Media creating movies and series that we believe will entertain, inspire, and connect with you. Yet even after all these years, the results still sometimes surprise us. There are, however, a few time-tested truths worth considering when you fill out your entry!
Therefore, with 18 Great American Christmas movies to rank and a chance to win $100,000, I thought I would share a few things we have learned along the way.
Here's the most important detail: The Challenge measures each movie's viewership during its first 24 hours on both Great American Family and Great American Pure Flix. The stars, the story, the premiere day and date, and even the weather influence the results, and here are some things were have learned.
Historically, Thanksgiving weekend, and the ten days surrounding it, have been the peak viewing period of the Christmas season. Families are together, decorations are going up, and people are ready to settle in for some Christmas entertainment. Take a close look at the movies premiering around Thanksgiving.
2. Don't underestimate the early movies!
You might assume that the closer we get to Christmas, the more people will watch. Maybe, or maybe not. Christmas movie fans are ready to begin celebrating much earlier than you might think. Movies premiering early in the season can also benefit from having fewer new Christmas movies competing for attention. October may have a few surprises in store. For example, the third weekend of October in both 2022 and 2023 delivered our fourth most-watched movie of the season: Destined at Christmas and 'Twas the Text Before Christmas, respectively.
3. There is only one Queen of Christmas.
Candace Cameron Bure has had five movies finish in the Top 5 over the past four years and regularly delivered the number one most watched Christmas movie over a 10 year period. I don't know about you, but I believe it's pretty much a sure thing that she will extend her Top 5 streak to five years in a row. By the way, Candace has now starred in and produced more Christmas movies for GAM than she did at the other place, and it is an extraordinary privilege to partner with her on so many great projects. While Candace is far too modest to admit it, it simply would not be Christmas without the Queen.
4. Familiar characters have a following.
Audiences develop a real connection with certain characters and stories. When a beloved movie franchise returns, viewers already know the world, remember the characters, and want to see what happens next. That may not translate into a Top 5 performance as viewers who did not see the original may not tune in for the sequel, but it generally leads to solid results.
5. Star power matters. A lot.
There's a reason we work hard to assemble an extraordinary collection of talent every season. Viewers have their favorites, and those traditions can be powerful. But don't make your entire list based on the cast. A terrific title, an intriguing premise and the right premiere date & time can be just as important. Sometimes the movie that captures everyone's imagination is not the one you expected. Just look at Christmas North of Nashville, last year’s number three movie!
6. Saturday night or Sunday night?
Here is a little scheduling insight that could help you. A Saturday night premiere has a potential advantage because its first 24 hours include Sunday, which has historically been a stronger viewing day than Monday. A Sunday-night premiere, by comparison, carries into Monday. Does that mean Saturday always wins? Absolutely not. But when you are deciding between two movies, it's a factor worth considering.
7. The little things aren't so little.
The title. The setting. The wardrobe. The music. They all matter. A memorable title can make people curious. A beautiful setting can transport viewers into the Christmas season. Music can make an emotional moment unforgettable. And sometimes a movie simply has that special combination of romance, warmth and Christmas atmosphere that audiences cannot resist. As you look over the 18 titles, ask yourself which movies immediately make you want to watch. Chances are, you are not the only one who feels that way.
8. Don't forget your snow boots!While we cannot predict it, weather can influence the results which makes ranking the movies all that much more difficult. A snowstorm, unusually cold temperatures or a rainy weekend can keep more people at home watching television. A beautiful weekend might have the opposite effect. We spend months planning these premieres and the weather has never agreed to follow our schedule.
9. And finally, expect the unexpected.
Every year, at least one Christmas movie surprises us. Sometimes it is an unexpected breakout hit. Sometimes a movie we thought would finish near the top does not get there. We have been doing this long enough to know that there will probably be a surprise this year, too. We just would like to know which one!
Top 5 Movies Each Year from 2021-2025:
Once you've submitted your list, join us every Wednesday night on Great American Pure Flix as we reveal the latest Challenge standings LIVE, visit with our Christmas stars and enjoy advance screenings of upcoming movies. We will be following the results right along with you.
Eighteen great Christmas movies, many of which we hope will become a tradition for you to watch every year! Enjoy the journey, and Merry Christmas!
Enter the Christmas Challenge today and rank all 18 Great American Christmas movie premieres based on the order you think America will watch them! Then, follow along all season on Great American Journal to see how your predictions stack up. Think you can win the Christmas Challenge? Make your picks for a chance to win the $100,000 Grand Prize! Let The Christmas Challenge begin!
Great American Christmas can be part of your Christmas traditions! Sign up for Great American Pure Flix and enjoy new Christmas movie premieres every week, filled with faith, family, romance, and plenty of Christmas cheer. Gather the family for a movie night and celebrate Christmas as it’s meant to be with us!