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The holiday season is in full swing! With the cozy vibes of winter, what could be better than watching a cheesy holiday movie while curled up in a blanket and sipping hot chocolate? As someone whose guilty pleasure is finding Netflix original holiday rom-coms, I've rounded up my unofficial ranking of six memorable movies—so sit back, relax and prepare to add some feel-good films to your Netflix watch list!

6. A Christmas Prince (2017), PG

@imrosemciver

A journalist from New York. A prince from Aldovia. Sounds like an unlikely pair, right? They make it work, however, in A Christmas Prince. Though I loved the romance between the two leads—Amber and Prince Richard—and the royal setting, I felt that the overall film lacked a little something *extra* to make it stand out among other Christmas rom-coms. Also, the additions of token gay and Black BFFs who appear for a few minutes solely to support the main lead and present a facade of "diversity" prevented me from fully enjoying the rom-com. On a more positive note, though, Prince Richard's younger sister, Princess Emily, was a standout character!

5. The Princess Switch 2: Switched Again (2020), G

@nickdsagar

The Princess Switch 2 picks up where the original left off, but it's easy to follow along because of the relatively simple premise and the brief recap of the first movie at the very beginning. Unfortunately, I don't think this sequel lived up to the original. The Princess Switch 2 introduces a third—yes, a third—doppelganger played by Vanessa Hudgens: the evil, scamming Fiona. Fiona and her minions keep the movie interesting with many funny moments, but the plot got a little *too* ridiculous for me when literal kidnapping got involved.

4. The Knight Before Christmas (2019), TV-14

@joshuawhitehouse

Vanessa Hudgens...again?! This time, however, she isn't playing a doppelganger—she plays a science teacher in Ohio who meets Sir Cole, a literal medieval knight from 1334. If you're not already hooked by the punny title, the sheer comedy of a 13th century knight navigating the 21st century should be enough to have you engrossed in The Knight Before Christmas. I think this movie strikes a great balance between the romance and comedy of a rom-com; you'll *definitely* be entertained by this holiday special with a medieval twist.

3. The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star (2021), G

@remyhii

I was pleasantly surprised by the third installment of The Princess Switch! The Princess Switch 3 gives us more of the seemingly evil Fiona—her backstory, vulnerability and romance with Peter (played by the dreamy Remy Hii). I ended up being the most invested in Fiona out of the Vanessa Hudgens doppelganger trio! Pair that with a stolen relic (I *love* a good heist) and Hudgens' skillful performances, and you've got an entertaining holiday movie.

2. The Princess Switch (2018), G

@nickdsagar

You can't beat the original. The Princess Switch is simply superior—from the adorable father-daughter relationship between Kevin and Olivia, to Stacy's feminist challenges of Prince Edward, this popular Netflix film serves the love, humor and holiday cheer necessary for a good Christmas rom-com. Vanessa Hudgens is truly the ~queen~ of Netflix holiday movies.

1. Let It Snow (2019), PG-13

@mitchellhope

Even if you're a total Grinch, you'll like this one. Let It Snow follows multiple high school seniors through their friendships and love lives on a fateful snowy day—and their separate stories all intertwine at the end. I *love* how this movie has themes of family loyalty, insecurity, female friendships and more, without losing the positive spirit of a classic holiday movie. Can we also appreciate the racial diversity and queer representation in Let It Snow (and the phenomenal soundtrack)? Definitely give Let It Snow a try if you're looking for a lighthearted film to warm up your day.

What's your fave holiday movie? Let us know @girlslifemag on Twitter!

All GIFs via GIPHY

by Jinny Kim | 12/5/2021