Pickleball? NFL? They can be Christmas

Movies from Lifetime and Hallmark put a niche spin on holiday comfort viewing.

- BY KAITLYN HUAMANI

Whether you love them or loathe them, television Christmas movies are a holiday season staple.

The romance, the snowy landscapes, the perfectly decorated homes and the familiar stories provide millions of viewers with comfort and joy in December (and even November for some with a looser definition of the holiday season).

Of course, some of that comforting familiarity comes from the conventions that are now expected in a network Christmas movie — for example, the idea of reconnecting with a high school sweetheart, or the presence of an older, bearded gentleman who may or may not be Santa Claus.

So when Hallmark and Lifetime movies start incorporating things like pickleball and NFL players into their slates, it’s enough to turn some heads.

Lifetime’s “A Pickleball Christmas” (premiering Saturday) and Hallmark’s “Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story” (streaming now on Hallmark+) each provide that fresh hook into a Christmas tale, yet romance and the holiday spirit remain at their cores.

Cable television movies are able to capitalize on trendy sports like pickleball or buzzy teams like the Bills because of the breakneck pace at which they’re produced. Tapping into more niche scenarios, hobbies and sports teams allows the networks to invite new audiences in, while keeping their loyal viewers satisfied with a break in formula.

The idea for “A Pickleball Christmas” was born out of a South Pasadena pickleball club. Sami Ponoroff, senior manager of programming for Lifetime, is an avid player and a member of a club called Pickle. She mentioned the idea of a pickleball holiday movie to a pro instructor there, Blake Rutledge. Lucky for them, Rutledge is also a writer who had been working on a pickleball-related script.