Whenever I have a good chunk of extra free time, one of my biggest guilty pleasures is watching Hallmark original movies for hours on end. During Christmas breaks, my mom and I will even bring whatever work we have into the room and watch at the same time. I’ve spent the last several days in bed, because I’ve been battling the flu. However, the one upside has been that it gave me some time to watch Hallmark movies. Here are a few of my favorites…

1. The Nine Lives of Christmas

This is one of, if not my most favorite Hallmark movie I’ve ever watched. A fireman named Zachary finds a stray cat named Ambrose. When Zachary goes to a pet store to get supplies to take care of Ambrose, he meets Marilee (Merrily - get it?), a vet school student who is an employee at the store. The four-legged feline ends up bringing the pair together, and they end up falling in love.

2. Crown for Christmas

After being fired from her job as a maid in a New York City hotel, Allie accepts what she thinks will be a temporary job as a governess for a powerful European family who lives in a castle. When she arrives, she learns that the girl for who she is a governess is actually Princess Theodora, the daughter of King Maximilian of Winshire. Of course, the King and the nanny fall in love and live happily ever after. A King on a white horse in a movie is always a bonus!

This super-cute movie follows three newlywed friends, Erin, Casey, and Stella. When the women discover that a paperwork error has annulled each of their marriages, all three couples must decide whether to get remarried or to end the relationships.

4. I Do, I Do, I Do

A “Groundhog Day”-esque movie starring Autumn Reeser, this movie is about an architect, Jaclyn, who is unsure of her marriage and future. She relives her disastrous wedding day, over and over until, with the help of her fiancé’s brother, she starts to face her biggest fears and discover what she really wants in herself and in her life. Autumn Reeser makes any Hallmark movie better.

5. A Christmas Detour

I have watched Candace Cameron Bure on television all of my life. She is one of those actresses that when I see she’s in a Hallmark movie, I immediately want to watch. I loved this movie so much, I bought it on DVD! When a snowstorm in New York City reroutes two strangers to a Buffalo, NY airport, Paige, an optimistic bride-to-be, and Dylan, whose outlook on relationships and romance is soured after a recent breakup, are forced to share a hotel room a few days before Christmas. As their madcap journey ensues, the pair will find plenty of surprises (and love) in store.

Hallmark movies don’t require a lot of thought and may never be Oscar-worthy material. What they may lack in depth, though, they more than make up for in fun and enjoyment. The one bright spot in having the flu has been relaxing and enjoying the movies. However, if I admit it - I probably would have sat around and enjoyed a couple of them this weekend anyway!