Hallmark Christmas movies get a lot of flack for their formulaic approach to the holiday love story and tropes so leaned on that there have been bingo cards and drinking games made out of them. But they’re undeniably escapist and cozy and offer a lot of ideas for holiday cheer you can find right here in Cincinnati.

Whether you’re coming home from the holidays from an unsatisfying job to help save your family’s historic inn, or maybe you’re a cynical writer struggling to finish your story and need a spark of Christmas magic, there are plenty of ways to romanticize Cincinnati in only ways Hallmark could dream up.

Grab some hot chocolate or a hot drink from Roebling Point Books, Blind Lemon and other local establishments Start your Hallmark holiday movie day with a hot drink to warm up. For some delicious hot cocoa, head to bookstore and fair-trade coffee shop Roebling Point Books in Covington. Or you can try a specialty latte like the spicy mocha, Redlegs (white chocolate and raspberry) or Muddy River (dark chocolate and caramel). And Maverick’s Chocolate Co. at Findlay Market and Rookwood offers drinking chocolate, which is made with their in-house, 65% dark chocolate mix and whole milk before being topped with fresh whipped cream and chocolate shavings. And if you’re hoping for a more adult hot beverage, Blind Lemon in Mt. Adams has the “Milkyway,” made with amaretto, creme de cacao, hot chocolate and whipped cream, on their hot drinks menu alongside hot toddies and buttered rum. And Covington Yard offers a flight of “Shots Chocolate,” which is Ghirardelli hot chocolate with a choice of flavorings like peppermint, rumchata, butterscotch and more. They also have spiked hot cider and a gingerbread old fashioned. Photo: facebook.com/Maverick Chocolate Co.
Go ice skating at Fountain Square, Summit Park or Fifty West Brewing Nothing screams wholesome Winter Wonderland more than people lacing up their skates for a glide on the ice. At Fountain Square, you can twirl underneath the glow of the Christmas tree after doing some holiday shopping in the many small businesses in Downtown and Over-the-Rhine and visiting the Shillito’s Elves in their new home on Main Street. Summit Park in Blue Ash has their Medpace and Warm 98.5 rink set up underneath a color glass canopy, and the on-site restaurants have plenty of food, hot chocolate and DORA drinks for sale. And Fifty West Brewing has brought back their ice rink, along with fire pits, heated tents and hot drinks to keep you warm after a spin on the ice with that cute baker you just met. Photo: Provided by 3CDC
Pick out a Christmas tree at a local market or farm The visual centerpiece of any good Hallmark holiday movie is the meticulously decorated Christmas tree decked out in lots of colorful lights, ornaments and garland. And if your childhood crush who grew up next door to you and is back for the holidays can come over and help you decorate it — even better. Find a list of places where you can grab a tree, some hot chocolate and maybe even pet a reindeer here. Photo: facebook.com/Findlay Market/
Visit a small town, like Lebanon or Metamora, and revel in the Christmas aesthetic There are lots of charming small towns close to Cincinnati that go all out for the holidays. Lebanon is known for its distinct Hallmark-movie vibe this time of year. Metamora, Indiana, breaks out tons of lights and decorations for its annual Old Fashion Christmas Walk, and Historic Clifton Mill in Clifton, Ohio, lights up with millions of bulbs each year. Photo: facebook.com/Clifton Mill
Support a small business while shopping at local holiday markets With some hard work and just a dash of Christmas magic, you can be the protagonist who saves the day and a struggling small business – or you can just do your part to support small businesses by shopping local for your holiday gifts. We have a handy gift guide you can use, or you can visit one of the holiday markets happening around the city. The Servatii Cincinnati Christkindlmarkt pops up at Smale Riverfront Park every week with local vendors, and City Flea is hosting a weekend-long holiday market Dec.14 at Washington Park. Photo: thecityflea.com
Go sledding, glow snow tubing or tobogganing This one requires some participation from Mother Nature, but you can always dream of a white Christmas. If it does happen to snow, some popular sledding hills include Embshoff Woods in Delhi, Stanberry Park in Mt. Washington, Devou Park in Covington, Harbin Park in Fairfield and Mt. Storm Park in Clifton. If you’d rather hit the slopes or careen downhill on an inner tube, you can take a trip out to Perfect North in Lawrenceburg for skiing, snow tubing and warming up with a treat in the lodge. You can also plan a holiday road trip to Mansfield for after-dark glow snow tubing. Just make sure to load your road trip playlist with lots of holiday carols and songs. Photo: facebook.com/clevelandmetroparks
Take a wintry hike at the Bender Mountain Nature Preserve and other scenic trails Hiking is a great way to help you reflect and think things over. Do you want to quit your job in the big city to open a coffee shop in a small town? Do you want to leave your aloof, corporate-y significant other for the humble, kind and attractive veterinarian? Probably! But you can decide on the trail. Hamilton County’s Great Parks has 78 miles of trails throughout its 17 parks, including nature trails ranging from just the 0.15-mile Woodlot Trail at Winton Woods to the 2.1-mile Timberlakes Trail at Miami Whitewater Forest. Cincinnati Parks also boasts some amazing nature trails at French Park, California Woods and Ault Park. And in Delhi is the Bender Mountain Nature Preserve that offers stunning views of the Ohio River and Northern Kentucky. Find more stunning hike suggestions here. Photo: Kara Driscoll
Rescue a furry friend from Cincinnati Animal CARE and other local shelters If you’re prepared for the responsibility of a pet and want to welcome a new fur baby into your home during the holiday season, you can adopt or even foster a dog or cat. Cincinnati Animal CARE is always looking for fosters, or you can see their adoptable dogs and cats on their website. Other shelters and rescues in the area, like SPCA Cincinnati, Ohio Alleycat Resource and the Save the Animals Foundation, just to name a few, are also looking for fosters and adopters so their animals can head home for the holidays. You can see a comprehensive list of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky shelters and rescues here. Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Animal CARE
PNC Festival of Lights at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Visit a local candy store like Doscher’s Candy Co. to buy decorations for your gingerbread house If you’re building a sweet house for your gingerbread family, make a stop at some of the Cincinnati area’s locally owned candy stores to add some flair. Doscher’s Candy Co. has been making candy canes since 1871. Founder Claus Doscher used real peppermint oil and cooked the candy in small batches in copper kettles before hand-rolling them. The company uses the same recipe and techniques to this day. Their gift shop in Newtown offers a variety of candy canes, as well as candy buttons and their famous French Chew. And Schneider’s Sweet Shop has been serving candies from the same location in Bellevue since 1939 and still uses the same equipment, methods and recipes. Try their famous Opera Creams or an assortment of their other chocolates and cream candies, all made on-site. Photo: facebook.com/Doscher's Candies
Hunt for Ghosts at Loveland Castle World War I army medic and Boy Scout troop leader Harry Delos Andrews built Chateau Laroche aka the Loveland Castle over the course of 50 years with handmade bricks (formed with quart-sized paper milk cartons) and stones from the nearby Little Miami River. Modeled after European castles, it features towers, a dry moat, hand-tiled ceilings, murder holes and a collection of period weaponry. The castle grounds are available for picnics, overnights and parties and are rumored to be haunted by a variety of ghosts. Loveland Castle, 12025 Shore Road, Loveland, lovelandcastle.com. Photo: Brittany Thornton Photo: Brittany Thornton
West Side Brewery 3044 Harrison Ave., Westwood Overseen by four passionate homebrewers, the taproom offers 20 West Side beer taps, including West Side’s amber ale, common ale, pale ale and more, plus a handful of other local brews, cider, wine and soda. The bar also offers a ton of TVs and games. Photo: Megan Waddel Photo: Megan Waddel
…Or visit one of these bars with immaculate holiday vibes If going back to your old neighborhood’s bar is too daunting, there are plenty of bars and breweries across the Tri-State welcoming revelers with their flawless holiday vibes. You can enjoy a cozy cocktail or hot drink in a heated igloo at Braxton Brewing, admire the naughty decorations at Northside Yacht Club or immerse yourself in a Christmas wonderland at the Miracle at the Overlook Lodge pop-up. Photo: Provided by Northside Yacht Club
Participate in a holiday-themed event or activity like the OTR RailDog Parade or Cincy Shakes’ holiday production Cincinnati is playing host to a number of holiday-themed events leading up to Christmas. You can dress your dog up in their holiday finery and parade through Over-the-Rhine at the annual RailDog Parade Saturday, Dec. 7. For a holiday-themed show, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company has its annual Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!), and A Christmas Carol has returned to Playhouse in the Park this year with a newer adaptation. Photo: facebook.com/OTRRailDogParade
Take a trip to the Cincinnati Public Library to uncover old family secrets, or just find your next fireside read Some holiday movie protagonists find out their family isn’t who they thought they were. Be it a surprise royal family member, an absentee parent or a mystery relative who shows up to Christmas, sometimes skeletons come out of the closet ahead of the holidays. If you want to uncover some family secrets, or just learn more about who your ancestors were, a trip to the library can help. The Cincinnati Public Library offers plenty of research-level genealogy resources and services, especially when it comes to local history and culture, to get you started on your family tree. You can try out the library edition of Ancestry.com, browse old newspapers for mentions of relatives or search through Census records. While you’re in the stacks, you can find the next book you want to read while curled up next to the fireplace. Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Katherine Barrier is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s journalism program and has nearly 10 years of experience reporting local and national news as a digital journalist. At CityBeat, she...