As the holiday season comes upon us, people may start to feel nostalgic and maybe even a little romantic. They long for a movie full of both winter and romance vibes. Winter romcoms are perfect for this, though some are better than others. Here is a list of the top 3 winter romcoms to watch over break.
The Princess Switch (2018) Available on Netflix
This Hallmark style romcom is the perfect blend of cheesy and sincere, guaranteed to put you in the festive mood for winter. “The Princess Switch” follows Stacy, a rigid American baker who doesn’t like spontaneity. She is having trouble getting over her ex when she is invited to a holiday baking challenge, hosted in the kingdom of Belgravia. Hoping for a fresh start, she heads there with her best friend Kevin, who is also a baker and doing the competition with her, and his daughter Olivia. Once there, she has a chance encounter with Margaret, a Duchess, and soon to be princess, who looks exactly like her. Margaret is overwhelmed by her pending engagement to Prince Edward, who she has only met twice, and wants a chance at a normal life, even if only for a few days. She asks Stacy for a wild favor, to switch places for just a few days. This plan starts as seemingly harmless but quickly spirals with the King and his servant suspecting Stacy (in Margaret’s place) and Olivia catching Margaret (in Stacy’s place). Stacy finds herself having a hard time navigating royal etiquette and the Prince’s charms, while Margaret finds herself slowly but inevitably falling for Kevin. With things spiraling out of control, will they be able to pull off this supposedly simple switch? With a cozy Christmas and delightful royal balls, this movie is the perfect holiday romance, sure to warm your heart this cold winter.
While You Were Sleeping (1995) Available on Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, and Philo
With a rating of 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, “While You Were Sleeping” is critically acclaimed worldwide. This romcom follows the story of Lucy Moderatz, and two brothers, Peter and Jack Callaghan. Lucy is a subway worker who has long watched her crush Peter from afar as he gets on his train. One day, Peter is pushed into the path of a train and Lucy sees her chance. She drags him off the rails, saving his life. Unfortunately Peter is stuck in a coma, but this doesn’t stop Lucy from visiting him. While at the hospital the nurses assume she is Peter’s fiance, and she goes along with it despite never having held an actual conversation with Peter. While she is there, she meets Peter’s family, who are delighted to meet Peter’s supposed fiance. Lucy feels she is too far in to back out, so she doesn’t say anything to dispel their assumption. Then, she meets Peter’s brother and things get messy as she catches feelings for Jack and Peter wakes up. Full of romantic moments on the ice and comic relief in the snow drifts of Chicago, this romcom is perfect for winter break.
Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001) Available on Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, Paramount Plus, and Philo
Bridget Jones’s Diary, a modern holiday classic, follows Bridget, a woman in her 30s stuck in life with not much going on. She enters the new year determined to turn her life around and stop drinking, smoking, and falling for emotionally unavailable men. Unfortunately for her, she immediately fails all three. In this modern and humorous take on Pride and Prejudice, Bridget finds herself bouncing between her boss Daniel, charming but slightly questionable, and Mark, a stiff and initially rude family friend whose first meeting at a Christmas party goes disastrously. Bridget faces challenges caused both by herself and the two men, but she doesn’t let that get her down, confronting them with often misguided confidence. With her brutally funny inner monologue, slapstick humor, and honest vulnerability, she is an easy character to find yourself rooting for. Set against winter parties, London snow, and holiday disasters, this movie has the perfect mix of romance and comedy as Bridget tries to figure out who, and what, she actually wants. It is a chaotic and painfully relatable movie, perfect to watch with friends and hot chocolate.
Winter break is the perfect time for funny movies and holiday feels. Whether you prefer a slow burn love story in Chicago, a cheesy royal romcom full of Christmas Chaos, or even a messy journey of self discovery in London, these three films are winter watch must haves. Grab friends, make some hot chocolate and let these movies set the mood.
