[Rainbow Christmas 2020] Here, Queer, and Full of Christmas Cheer

Christmas has always been a big part of my life. Whether it was loud extended family Christmas parties on the 24th that lasted until 4 am as a child, or as an adult where I took my future-husband on our first date to see a Christmas horror film, then proposing to him at a Christmas event the following year. I love the month of December, and I love the feeling of people not being as horrible that fills the air every year.

But 2020 isn’t like any other year we’ve experienced before. We’re given the choice this year between staying at home and not seeing our friends and family save for maybe a video call and letting that Seasonal Affective Disorder hit harder than it’s ever hit before, or visiting our loved ones and risk giving them a horrible virus we may be unknowingly carrying. With all of that looming overhead of any decisions we make, it’s been a bit harder to get into the Christmas spirit this year.

So, to help spread some Queer Christmas cheer, I wanted to write an article for those of us who want some Christmas cheer in the form of some good old-fashioned escapism. Whether you love movies, or music I have a recommendation that’ll hopefully brighten up your day.

Movies

Before we begin, I have a fun fact I want to share with y’all: there’s been half a dozen Christmas movies featuring Queer characters released this year alone! Some of them from major networks, and I haven’t seen a lot of people talk about many of these, so maybe you haven’t either.

THE CHRISTMAS HOUSE on Hallmark

Synopsis: Two adult brothers come back home to see their mother and father during the Christmas season, one with his husband and the other after finding out the TV show he starred in was canceled. Everyone in the family is dealing with their own issues: the parents working through marital issues, one of the brothers struggling with his worry over a possible adoption of a child with his husband, and the other reconnecting with his high school sweetheart who is now a single mother. This is all going on while they try to put on one last Christmas house, an over-the-top celebration they would put on every year in their home.

Review: Initially I was really excited for this movie, because I saw an article or two saying “Hallmark is making their first Christmas movie to feature gay characters” and I got all hyped up. Then I watched it, and it was just another typical Hallmark movie. But that’s not a bad thing. There are so many films about Queer tragedy, where we have to see gay men being beaten or harming themselves, that maybe a movie where the biggest worry is “will we get to adopt this child?” for the two gay guys is a good thing. It’s nice to not have to watch a movie and worry that someone’s going to throw a slur at them, or one of the two gay characters will die unexpectedly.

When you watch Hallmark movies you expect cliché sweetness, and the idea of “home being family” and all those sorts of ideas, and I think this year maybe this is what a lot of people need.

THE CHRISTMAS SETUP on Lifetime

Synopsis: Hugo is a high-powered NYC attorney who’s going back home to his small town with his best girlfriend to spend Christmas with his mother and brother. It’s while he’s back home that he meets the handsome Patrick, his high school crush, who is back in town as well. With his mother and best friend’s meddling into his love life, as well as undeniable attraction to one another, Hugo has to decide what’s more important to him, his family, hometown, and a potential partner or a big promotion that would take him halfway across the world.

Review: The Christmas Setup is another movie that is just a typical network Christmas movie, but with gay people. Once again, I’m going to say we need that right now. Moving past that, the main couple had a palpable, clumsy, meet cute kind of chemistry (which is probably due to the fact that the two leads are actually married in real life). When the characters first see each other again after years apart, you can tell that Hugo is trying his hardest to be cool though he’s surprised to see the guy he thought was so handsome and cool for being out in high school on his doorstep.

It’s not changing the game, but I still think that if you want a good typical Christmas movie where there’s no real drama, just a series of misunderstandings and cutesy love stories, check this out.

A NEW YORK CHRISTMAS WEDDING on Netflix

Synopsis: Jennifer Ortiz is a young Afro-Latina woman who is marrying into a rich and prestigious family. After walking out of a dinner with her fiancé’s mother, Jennifer goes for a run and saves a bicyclist from a hit and run. After heading home and going to bed, she wakes up next to her childhood crush and best friend Gabrielle, only to find out that she’s in a different timeline where this time Jennifer and Gabrielle have ended up together as a couple. With a clock ticking down till Jennifer has to make a choice between the life she already knew, or the life she wished for, she will have to make a choice on how she wants to live.

Review: The best way to describe A New York Christmas Wedding is “What if we took It’s a Wonderful Life, but made it with a Queer lady, and took out all the super depressing bits?”. I think it’s pure Queer wish fulfillment of “what would have happened if I came out earlier in life instead of waiting until I was X years old?” Coming out may not have an age limit, but that does stop us from wondering and what ifs.

There was so much to enjoy about this movie, from having an Afro-Latina lead (‘cause there isn’t a whole lot of BIPOC in these films, gay or otherwise), to being a really touching story of self-acceptance and realizing that while in fiction we may be able to change our past, in reality (if you’re able to) you should make choices that will leave you happy at the end of the day.

I want to end this by saying that there is a twist here that is on par with I Still Know What You Did Last Summer in terms of silliness, and I’m still not sure how I feel about it, but it did surprise me.

HAPPIEST SEASON on Hulu

Synopsis: Kristen Stewart plays Harper, a girl going home to meet her girlfriend, Abby’s, parents for Christmas… only Abby isn’t out and asks her to go back in the closet with her. Family tensions, a series of misunderstandings, and some general tomfoolery lead to what promises to be a very interesting Christmas for everyone.

Review: Happiest Season is the most polarizing gay movie to come out since Call Me By Your Name. People either seem to love or hate this movie, and if you haven’t seen it yet, maybe scared away by some things you’ve seen about it online, just put it on the background while you make cookies and give it a shot. I know that I saw a lot of opinions on this movie that made me dread watching it, but in the end I actually loved it. It’s good representation of what it’s like to grow up in a family where you’ll do anything for your parents’ approval and overall, it’s a very real and messy gay experience movie.

Sometimes when we’re in the closet, we do things that don’t make sense at all. I think everyone wants their parent’s love and support, and when there’s the even most minuscule chance that they’ll stop loving you like they had previously, you freak out and do whatever you can to please them. There are no bad guys in this movie, people are just people who mess up and do stupid stuff, and we have to live with the consequences of our actions. We can try and make it better, and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. What matters most is how you move forward, and how you work towards making sure you’re actively changing.

MAKE THE YULETIDE GAY on Amazon Prime/Dekkoo

Synopsis: Olaf 'Gunn' Gunnunderson is a college student who is the out man on campus but is in the closet back home with his family. He’s terrified to come out, and afraid of being cut off from his mother and father. His boyfriend, Nathan Stanford, decides to surprise him by showing up at his home for Christmas unannounced and realizes his boyfriend isn’t out yet. Now with both of them in the closet and just pretending to be “college bros,” Olaf has to decide what he wants for his future.

Review: This movie doesn’t entirely fit on the list, as it came out over a decade ago. But I think that if you weren’t that happy with Happiest Season, give this one a chance. It’s the same basic premise of “gay person is out in their real life, but not to their family, then their partner meets their family during Christmas but they’re in the closet again.” It’s more of a campy comedy, filled with pot smoking dads (when that was a big taboo) and Midwestern moms who throw shade at each other. It’s a really sweet movie and is one of my favorite Christmas comfort watches right up there with Gremlins and Charlie Brown.

Also, if you’re a fan of mid-2000’s Degrassi, you’ll recognize a very familiar face as a lead in this movie. That’s what got me to watch this movie all those years ago, and I’m still glad 15-year-old me decided to do so.

THE JINKX AND DELA HOLIDAY SPECIAL on Hulu

Synopsis: In a meta-parody of Christmas specials from the early days of television, BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon are fighting for the spotlight in a comedy-musical special that shows just how messed up and funny Christmas with our (found) family can be.

Review: I’m a big fan of both of Jinkx Monsoon and BenDeLaCreme and have always wanted to see one of their live shows, and this was the next best thing. It’s exactly what you’d expect from these two well-known comedian drag queens, in that it’s hilarious with just a touch of sincerity and biting commentary on the holiday season. With Jinkx and Ben being the only two speaking character for 95% of the show, the natural chemistry and ability to work off one another really makes this show shine through.

The success of this show is due in part to the completely nonsensical musical numbers. With songs like The Nativity Twist, A Gay in a Stranger, and Everyone is Traumatized by Christmas, these moments really highlight the comedic and vocal skills of both performers in a fun and unique way.

This is definitely something I’d recommend watching when you need something that’ll make you cackle laugh so hard that your pets will look at you like you’ve been possessed.

DASHING THROUGH DECEMBER on Paramount

Synopsis: Wyatt is a financier in New York City, and after not going home for Christmas to the family ranch for the past five years, he decides to do so to convince his mother to sell the property and retire. What he doesn’t count on is Heath, the hired-on ranch hand who really thinks that everything can be turned around and saved. After an initial meeting that leaves both with unpleasant first impressions of the other, they slowly begin to bond and realize maybe they have a lot more in common then they previously thought possible. With his boss breathing down his neck, as well as Wyatt’s own anxieties regarding relationships, will these two cowboys be able to pull through and have a merry Christmas together?

Review: I saved the best for last here. This is my honest to god favorite film of the year… I’m not joking. All of 2020 in my free time I’ve been reading. It’s been a constant loop of YA fiction, horror fiction, and romance novels. This movie is like a romance novel come to life, filled with tropey fun, brief but “serious” dramatic moments, and a really good soundtrack.

This is also one of those rare gay movies, Christmas or otherwise, where we don’t have to sit through any gay people coming out to their family nonsense. The only time coming out is mentioned, it’s a funny little miscommunication between the two gay leads where Heath thinks Wyatt’s a straight playboy, and Wyatt has a laugh before confirming that he’s gay. I always love a good “I’m gay, oh wow, you’re gay too” type of scenario.

In all seriousness, I loved this movie for a variety of reasons. The acting was good, the cinematography was gorgeous, one of the leads is Latinx, the gay characters are played by gay actors, and it’s heartfelt in its appeal. When you learn the behind-the-scenes actions of certain characters that may make them seem cold and uncaring, but in reality, they’re just trying to do their best, moments like that really help set this movie apart.

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Music

No good Christmas celebration is set without some a good playlist. Below is a listing of albums or standalone songs that are written and/or performed by Queer artists with a Christmas highlight to them.

At the bottom of this section, you’ll find a link to a Spotify playlist with all the music mentioned here that flows a little bit more naturally. I wanted to take y’all on a musical journey, from upbeat, fast paced fun stuff, to more winding down and relaxing music as you settle for the evening.

HAPPIEST SEASON SOUNDTRACK

The soundtrack for this movie has no excuse being so dang good. They boast being a soundtrack filled with nothing but LGBT identified artists, and there are some instant standouts within the soundtrack that I want to highlight real quick.

Tegan and Sara were one of my favorite musical artists growing up, and they have shown how they’re still absolutely amazing with Make You Mine This Season. Mrs. Claus and Blame It on Christmas from Shea Diamond are both absolutely wonderful.

My favorite song on the album though has to be Chosen Family from Carlie Hanson. As cliched as it is, as queer people we get to choose our family. Like I said above, it’s easier to say that if your blood family doesn’t love and appreciate you, cut them off and live your life without them. But this song really highlights how sometimes we get so lucky to meet people we love more than our blood family. People who truly understand us and know our deepest selves, and it’s like… that explosion of emotions when you’re able to let your guard down and finally let love and acceptance through when that’s not something you received with your biological people. This song captures all of those emotions perfectly for anyone who may not have a biological family anymore, but still has a family in those they’ve chosen.

TWO QUEENS IN A KING SIZED BED – girl in red

girl in red is one of those indie artists who makes me think of being on tumblr in like 2012-2013 and on tumblr and it was nothing but the neigbhrhood, and ~*aesthetic*~ posts of skinny white people in black and white stripe shirts, big hoodies, and smoking cigarettes. This isn’t a read though. It’s nostalgic in a nice comforting way. Besides, sometimes you need a soft, sweet yet melancholic sounding love song that’s so gay and sweet with just a twinge of Christmas magic to brighten up your day.

JINKX AND DELA HOLIDAY SPECIAL SOUNDTRACK

Every song on this soundtrack is a masterclass in how to write a great on theme comedy song, that’s also just good music. A Gay in a Stranger better be playing in all the gay bars in December next year, otherwise what’s the point? Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if a drag queen did a performance to Santa Fa-La-La at a Holiday themed digital drag show before the year is out. There is more Christmas themed innuendo in that one song alone than in any of the gay Christmas romance novels I’ve read since December began.

COME UPSTATE FOR CHRISTMAS - Anthony Patrick Hello

Come Upstate for Christmas is an original acoustic ballad that is as simple as the title itself. The narrator of the song is asking for their special someone to join them upstate for Christmas, and as he sings on about how he knows that they’re going to be alone for the holiday, maybe if they joined him, they could be less lonely during the holiday together.

Anthony Patrick Hello has one of those classically great voices to listen to, and this definitely went onto my personal “Mellow Christmas Music” playlist I listen to every day in December.

BELLS, BOWS, GIFTS, TREES - Todrick Hall

It’s Todrick Hall’s second parody/remix of his own original song “Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels” which then turned into “Masks, Gloves, Soap, Scrubs” at the beginning of the pandemic, and now as we wind down for the year, we have another remix, this time with a Christmas twist in “Bells, Bows, Gifts, Trees.”

There isn’t much to say about this song. It’s a cute little Christmas party song that would be perfect to play in the clubs and dance with friends to. Or this year, since that’s not an option, just live your life and dance horribly like I do anytime it comes on. It’s festive, fun, and one of those songs that can get you to dance whether you’re sitting down or standing up. Even as I lay here in bed and write this with the song on, I’m moving my arms and legs in bed while typing.

TOGETHER ALONE - Jujubee

Together Alone is a song that’s a great match for Christmas 2020 in that it perfectly encapsulates everyone who wants to be with their partner for the holiday, but due to current circumstances they’re unable to be together. This song reinforces the idea of home not really being a place, but a person. You can be in the house you were raised in, with the family you grew up with, but for some people if you’re not with that special someone, then you’re not really home. It’s sweeter than sugar, and I love how this song has a nice beat, some fun instrumentals, and Jujubee killing it with the sultry vocals.

HAPPY HOLIGAYS - Mary Lambert

Many people came to know Mary Lambert as the beautiful voice singing the chorus from the song Same Love, but she’s an amazing artist in her own right. Her catalogue of work includes hits like Secrets and She Keeps Me Warm, and this year she decided to release a perfect little gay Christmas EP aptly titled Happy Holigays.

The EP begins with the sad but hopeful Seasonal Depression, the perfect song for anyone going through that extra rough depression this year. With gentle reminders to practice self-care, and the last lines of “Maybe you're sad 'cause this year's been harder than hell, This life's for you” you can’t help but feel a little bit hopeful that maybe things will turn around if you can just get past this horrible point. The album also has beautiful covers of seasonal standards Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and Ave Maria, another standout was the original song Christmas Cookies. In the song Mary and her co-singer/partner Wyatt Hermansen sing a cute little country-tinged duet about… you guessed it, Christmas Cookies. It’s pure silly, sweet, couple-y fun.

ENJOY THE GAYLYDREADFUL RAINBOW CHRISTMAS 2020 SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

So that’s it, if you’ve made it this far, I hope you’re able to have the merriest of Christmas possible, and if you don’t celebrate that particular holiday, I just hope you have a good rest of December.