12 dates of christmas movie review

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12 dates of christmas, common sense media reviewers.

So-so romcom has positive messages about redemption.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Self-reflection and a willingness to change are in

Kate starts out as self-centered and unyielding, w

In one scene, Kate puts on a form-fitting dress to

Sporadic use of "damn," "bitch," and "pissed."

Parents need to know that, as romantic comedies go, the holiday-flavored 12 Dates of Christmas is quite tame. There's no sexual content to speak of (a couple of kisses is as strong as it gets) and only a smattering of swearing ("damn," "bitch," "pissed"), so it's a viable option for older tweens. The story's…

Positive Messages

Self-reflection and a willingness to change are integral to Kate's ability to move forward in her life. She tries and fails many times before she gets it right, but the rewards of her doing so extend beyond her own happiness to those whose lives she influences.

Positive Role Models

Kate starts out as self-centered and unyielding, which causes her to look past the harm she does to those around her. As the story unfolds, though, she embraces change and begins to worry less about herself and more about bringing happiness to others.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

In one scene, Kate puts on a form-fitting dress to try to woo her ex-boyfriend. A sweet romance develops between two people, culminating in a couple of kisses.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that, as romantic comedies go, the holiday-flavored 12 Dates of Christmas is quite tame. There's no sexual content to speak of (a couple of kisses is as strong as it gets) and only a smattering of swearing ("damn," "bitch," "pissed"), so it's a viable option for older tweens. The story's messages are similarly likable, as the main character is forced to reassess her priorities when she realizes how her actions have negatively impacted other people. It's not destined to be a classic, but this movie has some merit and, if nothing else, certainly will leave you in the holiday spirit. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (4)
• Kids say (2)

Based on 4 parent reviews

A new favorite!

What's the story.

12 DATES OF CHRISTMAS centers on Kate ( Amy Smart ), a twentysomething with a life plan that hinges on winning back her ex-boyfriend and spending the rest of her life with him, even though that means disregarding the feelings of her blind date, Miles ( Mark-Paul Gosselaar ). But when a twist of fate causes her to relive Christmas Eve over and over again, she realizes that wanting a relationship and making one work are two very different things. Each time the clock strikes midnight and her day resets, Kate must identify where she's gone wrong and get back on track to finding -- and inspiring -- true love.

Is It Any Good?

Borrowing a page from the time-loop comedy Groundhog Day , this movie works in a sappy-sweet, opposites-attract love plot that just happens to take place on Christmas Eve. This holiday tie-in bolsters what's otherwise a lukewarm story marked by a handful of funny moments and the requisite romantic ones. There's little that's remarkable about the story itself, but that doesn't mean the mostly predictable ending won't leave you feeling warm and fuzzy nonetheless.

If your older tweens are champing at the bit for a more grown-up movie and they can handle a smattering of similarly grown-up language, then 12 Dates of Christmas might be a good option for them. The relationship at the heart of the story takes some time to develop (hence the multiple replays of Kate's day), but when it does, it's because of mutual affection and respect and Kate's newfound patience with life's unpredictability. After a few missteps, she learns to be open to change and to be more aware of how she can have a positive effect on those around her, which at the very least is a good reminder of life's learning experiences and the possibility of redemption.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about relationships. What common factors do you notice in successful relationships? How do you know when you love someone? What are some age-appropriate expressions of affection that you see among your peers? What are your family's rules about dating?

How does the media portray love and marriage? Does what you see on TV and in movies coincide with your family's values concerning relationships? Why or why not? How much of the sexual content you see is sensationalistic? Do any shows attempt to reflect reality?

Tweens: Can you think of a time in your life that you'd like to repeat and change? What would you do differently? How would you benefit from the change? Would it help others? How can we learn from the negative choices we make?

Movie Details

• In theaters : December 11, 2011
• On DVD or streaming : December 16, 2016
• Cast : Amy Smart , Mark-Paul Gosselaar , Jayne Eastwood
• Director : James Hayman
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Asian actors
• Studio : ABC Family
• Genre : Romance
• Topics : Holidays
• Run time : 90 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG
• Last updated : June 3, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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ginna hoben

Actor, writer, movement educator.

The Twelve Dates of Christmas

REVIEWS AND PRESS

"The Twelve Dates of Christmas isn't some treacly, over-sentimentalized and formulaic Hallmark Channel holiday movie. Rather, it's a heartfelt and authentic look at one woman's foibles, both professionally and romantically, set against the backdrop of a series of festive celebrations."

—Jeffrey Ellis, Broadwayworld.com  (Read Full Review)

"The Twelve Dates of Christmas is not just a clever twist on the title of the familiar “Twelve Days….” tune but a fully contemporary and feminist take on dating in urban America in the 21st century. . . It’s a sassy romp, on the surface, but written with considerable insightful depth ."

—Jim Cavener, Citizen Times  (Read Full Review)

"With its rueful comedy and open ending , "The Twelve Dates of

Christmas"  isn't a Hallmark Channel kind of show. But …

could appeal to singles and former singles who know that holidays

can amplify the changes that dating puts a person through."

—Jim Higgins, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel  (Read Full Review)

"Mary (is) more of an earthy dame than a delicate, refined 30-something.

She’s the saucy heroine the audience roots for . . .

She needs a sympathetic sounding board for her dating life antics. We are on her side."

—Patricia Furnish, Mountain Xpress  (Read Full Review)

"Ginna Hoben’s one-woman show The Twelve Dates of Christmas . . . is a delicious mixture of bitterness and cheer, cynicism and hope, cocoa and whiskey. "

—Michael Poandl, Asheville Movies, Asheville Stages  (Read Full Review)

"'The Twelve Dates of Christmas' is cheeky holiday fun that adults can

enjoy during a season filled with sentimental family shows."

—Alexa Chipman, The Sonoma County Gazette  (Read Full Review)

"Mary is a fully-formed character, neither perfect nor a

walking disaster. She owns her choices, recognizes the bad ones

she makes, revels in the good ones, and keeps plowing forward  through

the ups-and-downs of dating with her sense of humor intact."

—Harry Duke, North Bay Stage and Screen  (Read Full Review)

"Next Act has served up a delicious treat that is a fine alternative to traditional holiday fare… The show is an overflowing cornucopia of joy, laughter and heartbreak as seen through the eyes of a single woman."

—Anne Siegel, Shepherd Express  (Read Full Review)

" An introspective snapshot of one woman's life , rather than the sweeping "goodwill toward men" sentimentality… (Twelve Dates) does indeed serve up laughs and the rush of new love - a yummy buffet of the warm feelings one craves at the holidays."

—Kelsey Lawler, BroadwayWorld.com  (Read Full Review)

"Thankfully the script doesn't offer a Hollywood ending for the sake

of closure. Instead, there is a feeling of cautious optimism —

maybe even hope – which is a good fit for holiday fare. "

—Gwen Rice, OnMilwaukee  (Read Full Review)

Renita James, by Chris Bartelski

Susie duecerk, next act, photo by ross zentner, "with its brassy adult language, hoben’s script is delicious... the twelve, dates of christmas would make a great date play. with its rebellious humor, and sense of hope , it also has the power to satisfy the lonely heart yearning, f or a little holiday romance.".

—Kai Elijah Hamilton, Mountain Xpress  (Read Full Review)

"…the kind of inside scoop usually reserved for close friends and confidants over tears of laughter and glasses of wine ."

—Citizen Times, NC  (Read Full Review)

"What sets The Twelve Dates of Christmas apart ... is one obvious element: Hoben's clever way with words and her honest portrayal of Mary's life, stories told with such universal good humor and a frank assessment of what life is really like... "

—Jeffrey Ellis, BroadwayWorld  (Read Full Review)

"(Twelve Dates) has a solo type of Sex and the City premise, but without the pure outrageousness and high fashion of those girls' exploits ... These tales of dating disasters leave us with (a) note of hope. "

—Kerry Clawon, Akron Beacon Journal • Ohio.com  (Read Full Review)

"This is a totally delightful script ."

—Brad Rudy, Atlanta Theatre Buzz • Atlanta, GA  (Read Full Review)

" This is not a present wrapped up neatly with a bow .

There's a sense of hope and of good things to come, but we know

as well as Mary does that there can be calamity around every corner.

Somehow, the play makes that seem like a comfort."

—Will Amott, Stage Talk Magazine  (Read Full Review)

"The 12 Dates of Christmas is worth more than a look – it's worth a place as a Christmas tradition . Like A Christmas Carol and its ilk, this is one I would brave the snowy streets again to see next December." "Equally refreshing is Hoben's decision to eschew the neat little bow that wraps so many a romantic–comedy under the proverbial tree. What remains is a play that is thoughtful and reflective , if sweet enough to jerk a tear or two."

— Jon Boughtin, DCTheatreScene.com • Washington, DC  (Read Full Review)

"Make no mistake, TWELVE DATES is not a stage version of the "chick flick" ;

audiences of all ages and genders will enjoy getting to know this character."

—Ellen Wilson Dilks, Stagemagazine.org  (Read Full Review)

"That's what makes this play so endearing .   Male or female,

most of us see bits and pieces of our own lives in Hoben's wonderful,

self–indulgent reverie."

—David Lyman, news.cincinnati.com • Cinncinnati, OH  (Read Full Review)

" Relatable and funny and vulnerable . Mary cries. So does the audience.

Mary laughs. So does the audience."

—Deona Landes Houff, Staunton Newsleader.com • Staunton, VA  (Read Full Review)

Deena Marie Manzanares

Pygmalion productions;, photo by robert holman, maggie lakis, act ii playhouse, photo by mark garvin, ellie clark, photo by joseph rey au.

" A hugely enjoyable evening . Not a saccharin night out by any means, but nevertheless a feel-good play that certainly set me up for the festive season."

— Selwyn Knight, thepublicreviews.com • Birmingham, England  (Read Full Review)

" The perfect pre-Christmas treat … Hoben brings the audience right in, confiding the awkward, adorable, and embarrassing stories to her friends, the audience… Just when we expect Mary to act a certain way, she asks the audience for retrospective advice, a sensible bonus that contributes to the girl-talk-over-the-kitchen-table vibe of the play."

— Lisa Mulch, Columbus Underground • Columbus, OH  (Read Full Review)

"If you’re looking for a good laugh, don’t miss The Twelve Dates of Christmas,

… “Twelve Dates” is merry, amusing, touching and inspiring ."

— Lauren Housman, High Plains Reader • Fargo, ND  (Read Full Review)

"As the story, with all its rich and glorious twists and turns

moves forward, so we warm to (Mary) more and more. The downs become

more shared, and the laughs, bigger. Indeed we warm so much to this character

that we demand a happy ending; but Hoben's script is more skillful,

enabling (lead actress) Gain to toy with our comfortable sentimentality;

hooks us, reels us in, and we’re hers. This is FUN ."

— Alexander Ray Edser, Reviewsgate.com • Birmingham, England  (Read Full Review)

"NET has paired Santaland with a new piece, and Ginna Hoben’s The Twelve Dates of Christmas is refreshing in the hands of charming Annie Kalahurka as Mary. The piece ends with a modest promise of better things to come … but it’s not all tied up neatly. Kalahurka handles the monologue with a lot of variety and spark, making this piece very entertaining."

— Rick Pender, City Beat • Cincinnati, OH  (Read Full Review)

"In short, (The Twelve Dates of Christmas) gives hope. And isn’t hope what Christmas is really all about? So if you prefer to have your Christmas message wrapped in a show with a punch more like a vodka tonic than a sugary sweet candy cane , "12 Dates" is for you - whether you are dating or not."

— Mary Burruss, Culture Nuts • Charlottesville, VA  (Read Full Review)

"(The Twelve Dates of Christmas) is a fun, flirty romp through the highs and lows

of one New York actress's quest for happy couplehood."

— Candace Chaney, Lexington Herald-Leader  (Read Full Review)

" The performance is perfection and ends all too soon

without a contrived conclusion ."

— Tony Kiss, Asheville Citizen-Times • Asheville, NC  (Read Full Review)

"Ginna Hoben, actress, got up on the Blackfriars Playhouse stage,

put her talent and creative vision on the line and earned for herself

yet a fourth title — Ginna Hoben, success ."

— Charles Culbertson, Staunton Newsleader (2011) • Staunton, VA  (Read Full Review)  

"(The Twelve Dates of Christmas) doesn't fall prey to the typical clichés of heartbreak sagas or holiday theater, and touches on the reality of disappointment without crossing over into doom and gloom."

— Kim Ruehl,  www.mountaintix.com  • Asheville, NC  (Read Full Review)

" In one regard, Ginna Hoben outdoes Dickens : sure, things ended badly for Scrooge and Belle, but Ginna's got a dozen tales of relationships gone awry. Yet she hangs in there,

and in The 12 Dates of Christmas, the broken-hearted yet ever-hopeful

Ginna teaches us that the best gift during the holidays is a friend

... of any age."

— Michael Bigelow Dixon, Dramaturg • Lexington, KY

" witty, funny...light-hearted and touching "

— Charles Culbertson, Staunton Newsleader (2010)  (Read Full Review)

" The play is hilarious . I don't believe I've ever laughed as much

(or as audibly)..."

— Mid-Atlantic Traveler • Charlottesville, VA  (Read Full Review)

" Hoben has created a woman’s show to join the annual, male-dominated Christmas lineup , but like Santaland Diaries, it is a tale of real life and holiday hope touching us all."

— Eric Minton, Shakespeareances.com • Clifton, VA  (Read Full Review)

Jess Headington 6th Street Playhouse Photo By Eric Chazankin

Tamiko robinson steele twtp, photo by maryanna clarke, ginna hoben, photo curtesy of catco  columbus, oh.

12 Dates of Christmas

Where to Watch

Laura Miyata (Miyoko) Vijay Mehta (Ad Man) Amy Smart (Kate Stanton) Audrey Dwyer (Milk Maid Salesgirl) Richard Fitzpatrick (Jim) Jayne Eastwood (Margine Frumkin) Joe MacLeod (Toby) Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Miles Dufine) Benjamin Ayres (Jack Evans) Jennifer Kydd (Nancy)

James Hayman

A story that follows Kate, a young woman who after a horrible blind date on Christmas Eve, wakes up to find she is re-living that same day and date all over again.

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Review by Eric Langberg Pro

12 dates of christmas 2011 ★★.

Watched Dec 08 , 2014

Eric Langberg’s review published on Letterboxd:

[This December, I’m going to watch 25 Made-for-TV Christmas Movies in 25 Days, and write about my experience here!]

After the pleasant, unoriginal yet inoffensive A ROYAL CHRISTMAS yesterday, I found myself wondering if there maybe were Christmas movies out there after all that didn't have vaguely horrifying psychological undertones running just below the surface of the plot.

Alas, today I watched 12 DATES OF CHRISTMAS, a GROUNDHOG DAY homage that finds a woman named Kate (Amy Smart) trapped in a time loop, reliving Christmas Eve over and over again, with 12 chances to redo the same blind date with the handsome Miles (Mark Paul Gosselaar). The event that starts the time loop is Kate, obsessed with her ex boyfriend, running through the mall trying desperately to find him a Christmas gift that she hopes will win back his heart. She's spritzed in the face by a woman at a perfume counter, and she passes out and whacks her head on the ground. Each redo of Christmas Eve begins with Amy lying on the ground, the perfume saleswoman staring at her, concerned.

The first time around, Amy is pretty much a bitch to everyone she encounters, as is so often the case in these made-for-TV movies. She's rude to her coworkers, dismissive to her friends, downright mean to her elderly neighbor, and when she finally ends up at her date for the first time, she insults Miles' choice of beverage and leaves after just a few minutes to meet up with her ex boyfriend. (Seriously though, who has a blind date on Christmas Eve? Who plans from the beginning for that date to end up at Christmas Dinner with her father and stepmother?)

As she starts to relive her Christmas Eves, Kate realizes that maybe she wasn't a great person before, and as she gets to know Miles more and more (with him thinking each successive date is the first time they're meeting), she realizes that she really ought to give him a chance and stop pining over her ex boyfriend, who is getting ready to propose to his new girlfriend anyway.

The film starts off enjoyably enough. Thankfully, it doesn't take long for Kate to learn her lesson and start actively trying to be a better person, and when she opens herself up to Miles, Amy Smart and Mark Paul Gosselaar have fantastic chemistry. Each day is different enough that they don't all blend together incomprehensibly, and the little variations in Kate's actions each day cause interesting butterfly-effect-style ramifications for the other characters.

Somewhere around day 4 or 5, as Kate realizes she may be stuck like this for a while, she visits a doctor, complaining that she's worried she may have a brain tumor. The doctor laughs off her insistence that she believes herself to be reliving the same day over and over again, and he chalks her delusions up to "holiday-induced anxiety." We think we know that she doesn't have a brain tumor -- the knowledge she learns on one day does indeed hold true for the following version of the day, so she clearly IS experiencing everything over and over, as far as we can tell. But it's very concerning that the doctor isn't even interested in running tests. The idea that this could all be the result of a complete mental break hangs over the rest of the film. During the iterations when Kate is awake at midnight, she looks around wildly and laughs maniacally as the clock begins to rewind, clearly in the grip of some kind of mania. The knowledge she gains one day does hold true for the following days, but that doesn't preclude the whole thing from being an internally-consistent hallucination.

Questions of psychological breakdowns and brain tumors aside, boy oh boy, does the movie fall apart toward the end. Just as the film starts to feel boring and repetitive, the script abandons the rhythm and pattern set up by the first few iterations of Christmas Eve. Sometimes we completely skip the beginning of the date and join Kate and Miles toward the end of the night. Sometimes Kate and Miles don't even interact throughout the day. Once Kate has decided to let go of her ex and focus her attention on Miles, what happened that she still ends the night watching his dog? How can she possibly explain to people why she knows as much about them as she does? And seriously... what's the point of the infomercial with the evil partridge in a pear tree pendant, if Kate isn't watching that commercial when it hits midnight every time? Is the evil partridge sending her back in time, or is it the perfume? Or has she just completely lost her mind?

There's a running gag throughout the film, where we see manifestations of the "12 Days of Christmas" lyrics each time Kate repeats the day. Sometimes they're clever -- the first time we see Christmas Eve, the camera rests on a decorative partridge in a pear tree just as the 12 Days of Christmas-inspired background musical theme finishes playing. On day nine, during the repeating date scene that takes place in a bar, nine ladies dance by in a conga line. But sometimes these visual gags are completely shoehorned in -- like when Kate walks past a taxi that's displaying the taxi number (10) next to an ad for PIED PIPER PIZZERIA. Sometimes I couldn't even find the reference at all. Much as I enjoyed watching Amy Smart and Mark Paul Gosselaar interact, I can't say I'm really too interested in going back and rewatching the movie to spot all the lyric references. As many characters in the film say about The 12 Days of Christmas, I hate that song.

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Stream It or Skip It: ‘On the 12th Date of Christmas’ on Hallmark Finally Acknowledges the Importance of Scavenger Hunts

Where to stream:.

• On the 12th Date of Christmas
• Stream It Or Skip It

Stream It Or Skip It: ‘The Outreau Case: A French Nightmare’ on Netflix, a Journalistically Sound Examination of a Grueling and Complex Sex-Abuse Case

Stream it or skip it: ‘24 hours with gaspar’ on netflix, an indonesian crime-drama about a detective who's gonna be dead by dawn, stream it or skip it: ‘aníkúlápó: rise of the spectre’ on netflix, a six-episode series sequel to the hit nollywood fantasy film, stream it or skip it: ‘wish’ on disney+, an exercise in corporate self-congratulations.

Hallmark hits Chicago in On the 12th Date of Christmas , a holiday romcom starring Mallory Jansen and Tyler Hynes as co-workers with something to prove to their bosses and each other. But is this scavenger hunt romance worth seeking out? Or should you just leave it lost, never to be found?

ON THE 12TH DATE OF CHRISTMAS : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist:  Mallory Jansen ( Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ) and Tyler Hynes (Hallmark’s The Mistletoe Secret ) star as a Jennifer and Aidan, a pair of Chicago-based game developers— not video games, but scavenger hunts—who are tasked with a major assignment. They have to come up with the most epic (and romantic!) hunt to drive locals to the grand opening of a newly renovated historic hotel.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?:  You can’t have a workplace romcom and not get at least mild The Proposal vibes. But also, as I’ll get into in a sec, I kept getting flashes of Mary Tyler Moore while watching this (even if the movie tries to give Jennifer and Aidan some Sam and Diane vibes).

Performance Worth Watching: As Jennifer, Mallory Jansen delivers a performance that feels like classic Mary Tyler Moore. She’s shy but she’s got spunk—and she really wants to make it in the big city! And just like Mary in the iconic ’70s series , you really root for her when Jennifer asserts herself. It’s hard to believe this is Jansen’s Hallmark debut, because she fits right into this world.

Memorable Dialogue:  “Wait. I also love this job. I love everything about the way we inspire people to connect with others and have fun.” You gotta give it up to Mallory Jansen for really selling her big speech about the importance of scavenger hunts to Christmas!

A Holiday Tradition:  It’s not a holiday tradition, but apparently this version of Chicago is just filled with nonstop scavenger hunts.

Does the Title Make Any Sense?:  It does, since the scavenger hunt Jennifer and Aidan come up with is built around a dozen romantic date ideas that hop from small business to small business. But considering how specific this premise is (how many other scavenger hunt Christmas movies can you think of?), On the 12th Date of Christmas feels way too vague. Holiday Hotel Hunt , Gaming Christmas , The Christmas Game , Hunting for Christmas … okay, maybe the title they used is the best one.

Our Take: In many, many ways, On the 12th Date of Christmas is a thoroughly Hallmark holiday affair. It packs in so many of the Christmas contrivances we love. Seriously, in one scene alone, the film introduces a deployed husband, a struggling school music program, an ailing father, and a soon-to-be condemned house! The film also stars two leads with the impossibly specific job of writing scavenger hunts. And not only do they write scavenger hunts, they do so at a firm that’s run like an advertising agency, complete with high-stakes presentations and kooky job titles (Creative Overlord, Wizard of Operations, etc.). It makes no sense, and that’s why it’s perfect.

On the other hand, On the 12th Date of Christmas features the inverse of the urban/rural dynamic that we’re so used to seeing in these films. Jennifer is an Iowa girl who ran away to Chicago to pursue her dreams of being head game creator at Big City Quests. It’s rare that a Hallmark leading lady runs towards the city! There’s even an incredibly progressive conversation between the female owner of the luxurious Devonshire Hotel and Jennifer, where she tells our heroine to not let men speak over her and to start feeling confident about her great ideas. It’s fantastic.

Don’t let the movie’s big city setting trick you, though, because there’s still a focus on the one thing that Hallmark movies love almost as much as Christmas itself: small businesses . Amidst the urban sprawl of downtown Chicago, Jennifer and Aiden find the self-made self-starters to highlight on their scavenger hunt, like a pair of sisters who brew their own cider and organize painting classes in their cozy cider brewery.

But as I got into in my review of Hallmark’s Christmas Tree Lane , the main thing you want from a Hallmark holiday movie is chemistry. You want those mistletoe moments, y’know? And in that area, I think On the 12th Date of Christmas falls a little flat. That’s not to say that Jansen and Hynes are bad. Far from it! Hynes is a Hallmark mainstay for a reason and I want to see Jansen in a new movie every Christmas.

The problem is a combination of the characters’ dynamic and the performances. Hynes’ Aidan is not bad at his job so much as bland at his job. Dude thinks coming up with 36 date ideas in a couple of days is tough? I had to come up with 5 headline options for this review in a matter of minutes . Suck it up, Aidan! And the way he throws shade at Jennifer’s ideas while sitting in her decked-out office, fully aware that he just has a couple of half-hearted ones scribbed on some crumpled up paper in his pocket? Unforgivable! The movie wants me to be Team Jennifer & Aidan, but I’m firmly Team Jennifer & Her Promotion. There’s charm to be found in this movie (I love this over-the-top serious depiction of the scavenger hunt business), but the central romance felt flat.

Our Call:  SKIP IT. It’s not worth seeking out on-demand, but—like with every Hallmark movie—it’s absolutely fine to have on if it just so happens to be playing when you flip over to Hallmark.

Should you stream or skip #OnThe12thDateOfChristmas on @hallmarkchannel ? #SIOSI — Decider (@decider) November 2, 2020

Watch On the 12th Date of Christmas on Hallmark

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12 Dates of Christmas (2011)

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In an attempt to win back her ex-boyfriend Jack on Christmas Eve, Kate ends up ruining her blind date with Miles, a handsome guy she's been set up with. In a strange twist of fate, Kate is magically given the chance to re-live Christmas Eve twelve times!

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The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Nobody is ready for the mayhem and surprises that ensue when six of the worst youngsters disrupt the town's yearly Christmas performance. Nobody is ready for the mayhem and surprises that ensue when six of the worst youngsters disrupt the town's yearly Christmas performance. Nobody is ready for the mayhem and surprises that ensue when six of the worst youngsters disrupt the town's yearly Christmas performance.

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12 Dates of Christmas: Season 1 Reviews

...by having all participants live under one mixed-gendered roof, pairings immediately start happening in rather unconventional ways...

Full Review | Sep 26, 2022

Though it tweaks the dating show formula, this series delivers exactly what you'd expect: manufactured relationships, manipulation, insincere conflict, and plenty of drinking and sexual content.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jan 6, 2022

On "12 Dates," the men and women who fare best are the people who say what they want and feel without compromising their essential dignity.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Dec 9, 2020

At least 12 Dates adds a bit of a coda toward the end of its eight episodes, wherein the couples have to actually talk about what their lives could look like together.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Dec 9, 2020

The deceptively simple premise manages to be revelatory in a genre that's largely run out of ideas.

Full Review | Dec 2, 2020