Tag: christmas

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Right after I posted my Christmas Hallmark Hell post, I decided to go on a diet from Hallmark Christmas movies until they are a little more reflective of today’s society.

I have nothing against the Hallmark Channel and I’m not saying that anyone should stop watching it too.

What I’m saying is that I’m not ashamed to say that I was always a bit “cancel culture” and long before the term became popular in the here and now. Actually, it’s less “cancel culture” and more like “if you don’t want me, I will spend my time and energy elsewhere” mentality.

I mean, though “Friends” was an okay tv show back in the day and I found some of the truthful female experiences behind certain “Sex In The City” storylines funny, those shows lost my attention when I realized that people of color were either non-existent, existed as heavy-handed stereotypes or were only integrated into the show after some viewers complained about the lack of diversity.

So my decision to ditch HC Christmas movies isn’t a harsh one, it’s just how I’ve rolled since my early twenties.

It was easy for me to simply walk away and not look back.

But it’s almost 2020 and by now, I shouldn’t feel the need to be walking away that much right?

This Part 2 to my original post is to underline how the universe works – not funny as in “haha” but funny as in this (stereotypical) “Mmmm”…

Since my post, I’ve heard about the Ellen Degeneres’ tweet, I’ve read about what one HC actors has said and a number of you have sent me different articles related to HC’s lame excuses.

So I guess that I’m not alone in my thinking. And I can’t stand excuses.

Thanks to all those who sent me titles of HC-type movies with diverse lead characters. For the fun of it, I will be checking them out. If you are interested in those movie titles too, you can check the comments of the other post.

And to that reader who suggested that I write my own Hallmark Christmas movie… 🙂

 

 

 

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*Note: I said that I wasn’t posting new fiction but this is a revamped version of a story already on this blog. Why? Because I felt like it. 🙂 *

The most wonderful time of the year found me in bed with a man I didn’t even know – for the second time this December.

I forgot this stranger’s name the moment he introduced himself after I let him pick me up during my holiday shopping spree at the mall across town.

His name doesn’t matter because I don’t give a flying fuck who he is.

The only thing I care about right now is how disgustingly satisfied I feel as he lays snoring next to me in this dirty motel room with the cheap siesta rate.

But the complete satisfaction that burns in me has nothing to do with his clumsy and underwhelming skills.

Two down.

I open my eyes and inhale the stale scent that lingers in the air and look at our wrinkled clothes on the floor next to the bed. When I notice the snow falling harder outside, I quietly slip out of the lumpy bed, grab my wrinkled clothes and tiptoe to the crusty-looking bathroom. I don’t care about waking him up. I just want to get dressed in peace and with no small talk. He will never have an opportunity to lay his hands on me again so what’s the use of having a conversation?

After splashing cold water onto my face, I pull on my clothes and think about how quickly I’m achieving my goal.

Two down, three to go.

In no time, I’ll match the number of names that I found crumpled up on different pieces of paper in the glove compartment of my husband’s truck, behind a half-used box of Trojans and a pair of sticky pink handcuffs that I had never seen before.

Ashley, Jennifer, Betsy, Laura and Melissa with cutesy heart shape next to her name.

Yeah, in no time at all. Two down, three to go, let it snow and ho ho ho.

©2017 Marquessa Matthews. All Rights Reserved.

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I’ve fallen into the Hallmark-type Christmas movie hellhole again.

I say “Hallmark-type” because I once had the Hallmark Channel as a freebie for a while.

It’s always the same story over and over again…

Big city girl returns to her small hometown to save the family’s inn/bakery/hotel/perfume company from a hostile take-over by good-looking man. Usually this good-looking man is a widow who or without a child. Big city girl falls in love said good-looking man before she finds out who he really is. Chaos ensues when she finds out his true identity. Good-looking man tries to apologize but she wants nothing to do with him until he decides to leave town. Someone gives her advice that leads her to chase after him. Then happily-ever-after occur.

You get the picture.

Ugh.

The dialogue usually sucks, everything in the storyline is beyond predictable and it always makes me laugh when the main female character explains her entire backstory within the first 5 minutes.

Double ugh when the couple falls in love at first sight within the first 10 minutes and it’s all sooooo cheesy.

And yet here I am again watching this mess. Somebody stop me. Please.

Over the past week on Netflix, I’ve run through How Sara Got Her Wings, Christmas with a View and Once Upon A Holiday. I actually fell asleep through all three but we all know how they end so…

The only two that I actually thought were kind of cute were Let It Snow (a teenage version of Love Actually) and The Knight Before Christmas (a different spin).

But as usual, these movies always get me thinking…

It’s almost 2020.

Are there no people of color as lead characters in any of these movies or am I just not bumping into them?

I challenge you to drop the Christmas Hallmark-type movies that have a female person of color as a lead character. I really would be most interested to know.