An annual household debate: What makes something a Christmas movie? If airing on Hallmark post-Thanksgiving or starring a singing/dancing Bing Crosby, the genre designation is obvious. But if it merely takes place during the season, does it count? Will it have the same joyous spirit or feel-goodness of “real” Christmas movies?

We decided to tackle the on-the-bubble movies and bring the debate to you.

Christmas clichés:

Christmas-Named Town
They Play Piano!
Christmas Pageant
Sage Grandpa Figure
Rekindled Romance

Our take

NOT a Christmas Movie.

This John-Hughes-wannabe meets teen-Love-Actually quietly launched on Netflix alongside other 2019 holiday content. Loosely based on a book of short stories, one written by YA king John Green, “Let It Snow” promised unrequited love, meet-cutes, and a lot of snow. Christmas movie gold, right?

Wrong. The Candace Cameron Bure and Alan Thicke 2013 movie of the same name outshone it in almost every way.

Don’t get us wrong—this movie is ADORABLE. We were drawn into the Julie and Stuart storyline, where the lonely singer finds familial warmth with Julie’s sick mother and Sage Grandpa Figure, especially when they debated the merits of the Rolling Stones. And the inclusive Christmas Pageant was both hilarious and sweet.

Where the “Christmas Movie” designation falters is in the quantity of screen time given to inane teen drama that has nothing to do with the season. We might be old, but if your boyfriend isn’t texting you back, he’s just not that into you. Don’t chase him to the Waffle House! (And don’t get us started on why an entire town of high schoolers don’t have obligations on Christmas Eve. Where are the parents?)

Plus, there’s so much squandered Xmas potential. Tinfoil-covered Joan Cusack could have been an amazing …Santa? figure. The solid 80’s soundtrack was catchy and nostalgic, but there weren’t any Silver Bells or Tannenbaums to be heard. And the adorable animal to make a surprise appearance was a spotted pig instead of a Reindeer.

There are glimmers of what makes the genre great. But without more devoted time to the holiday itself, this flick is stuck in the Teen Romance category of our Netflix app.