December 15th 2024.
As I sat in my pajamas, sipping my morning tea and scrolling through my phone, I never could have predicted that my day would take such a dramatic turn. Out of nowhere, the guy I had been seeing decided to end things with me, leaving me feeling confused and disappointed. It was only 8:45am on a Friday morning and I hadn't even had a chance to finish my tea yet.
Feeling completely defeated, I did what I always do in these situations - I called my mom. She listened patiently as I ranted about how unfair life can be, and in her usual optimistic way, she reminded me that things would work out for the best. But as the day went on, I couldn't shake off the feeling of disappointment and sadness.
By the time 5pm rolled around, I had gone through my usual routine of picking myself back up after a breakup. I ordered a large pizza, grabbed the remote, and put on a romantic movie to remind myself that love does exist. And with the holiday season in full swing, there was only one type of movie that would do - a Hallmark Christmas movie. In these movies, everything always works out in the end, and that's exactly what I needed to see.
I've always been a huge fan of these movies, from the way Christmas is the most important thing in everyone's lives to the way even the grumpiest characters have a change of heart. In fact, when I visited New York in December of 2023, I made sure to be back at my hotel by 8pm each night for the Hallmark Christmas countdown.
As a single woman navigating the dating scene in London, I often found myself feeling discouraged and unlucky in love. That's why, in a moment of inspiration, I thought - why couldn't I be the star of my own Hallmark movie? And thus, my journey to live out my own Christmas love story began.
First, I needed to get into character. In these movies, the leading ladies are always kind and selfless, almost to a fault. I knew that I, too, could work on being a little kinder and more compassionate. So I started by baking a cheesecake for my entire office. Now, I'm not exactly a master chef - I even keep hair extensions in my kitchen cabinets - but I wanted to give it a try. I followed my mom's special recipe and proudly brought it to work. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out as planned and ended up being more of a white chocolate slop than a cheesecake. But I didn't let that stop me.
I continued with random acts of kindness throughout the week - leaving chocolates in my building's foyer for delivery people, smiling at strangers, and even decorating my neighbor's door for Christmas. And while I wasn't sure if it was bringing me closer to finding love, I found so much joy in these simple acts of kindness.
With my newfound kindness and positivity, I was ready to tackle the dating world. I updated my Hinge profile with a Christmas theme and made it clear that I was looking for love, Hallmark movie style. I even threw in some cheesy Hallmark movie quotes to really drive the point home. And when I chatted with men, I made sure to bring up the holiday season as quickly as possible, even asking them about made-up Christmas events.
Usually, dating apps felt like a chore, constantly asking people about their day and trying to make small talk. But with my new approach, I found myself excited to talk to strangers and hopeful that I could find my own Christmas love story. And who knows, maybe one day I'll be the star of my own Hallmark movie.
As I sat there, nursing my broken heart and my half-finished cup of tea, I couldn't help but feel like I was living in a cliché Hallmark movie. I had just been dumped by a guy that I wasn't even sure I liked, and it was only 8:45am on a Friday morning. It was the classic start to a disastrous day, and I knew exactly what I needed to do to cope - call my mom. She always knew just what to say to make me feel better, and this time was no different. As she comforted me and assured me that love would find me, I couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope.
By 5pm, I had successfully gone through my tried and true routine of picking myself up after a bad day. I treated myself to a family-sized pizza, grabbed the remote, and settled in for a romantic movie. And since it was November, there was only one type of movie that would do - a Hallmark Christmas movie. As I watched the characters fall in love amidst the holiday cheer, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. I longed to experience that kind of magic and find love during the most wonderful time of the year.
My love for Hallmark movies ran deep, so deep that when I visited New York City in December of 2023, I made sure to be back at my hotel by 8pm every night for the Hallmark Christmas countdown. Yes, I could have been out exploring the city that never sleeps, but nothing could compare to the feel-good, cheesy romance of a Hallmark movie.
Living in London, dating was always a challenge. So, after my recent heartbreak, I decided to take matters into my own hands and try to change my luck. I wanted to be the star of my own Hallmark movie, and here's what happened when I gave it a shot.
Step one - getting into character. In Hallmark movies, the leading ladies are always kind and selfless. They're practically perfect in every way, and I wanted to be just like them. Now, I'll be the first to admit that I'm not always the nicest person, but I knew there was room for improvement. So, I started small by baking a cheesecake for my coworkers. I'm not exactly skilled in the kitchen, but I wanted to give it a try. Let's just say, it didn't go as planned. My cheesecake ended up being more of a white chocolate slop, and I couldn't help but feel like the mean character in my own Hallmark movie.
But, I didn't let that deter me. I continued to spread kindness wherever I could. I left chocolates for the delivery people in my building, smiled at strangers, and even decorated my neighbor's door for Christmas. And you know what? It felt amazing. Sure, I wasn't finding love like the Hallmark characters, but I was finding joy in being kind. And that was all that mattered.
Stage two - reading the script. With my personality transformation complete, I was ready to meet men. And what better way to do that than through a dating app? I redownloaded Hinge and gave my profile a complete Christmas-themed makeover. My photos had nods to the holiday, and all of my prompts had a festive twist. I even made my intentions clear in my bio - I was looking for a love like they have in the Hallmark movies.
As I chatted with men on the app, I tried to bring up the holiday season as quickly as possible. I would even throw in lines from Hallmark movies and ask about made-up Christmas events. Sure, it might have seemed a bit over the top, but it made the whole dating experience more enjoyable. I even found myself looking forward to talking to strangers, something I hadn't felt in a long time.
In the end, I may not have found the love of my life during the holiday season, but I did find something even better - a newfound love for kindness and spreading joy. And who knows, maybe my own Hallmark movie love story is just around the corner.
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