Story: What’s better than a Lifetime holiday movie? How about a dozen of them? That’s exactly what A Very Merry Movie Collection: Volume 5 delivers, a four disc collection packed with twelve Lifetime movies on tap. I have to think most viewers know what to expect from these, as they’re light, brisk, and on the wholesome side, to soak in the holiday spirit with minimal fuss. There is some conflict of course, but these are mostly chill, laid back movies that focus on laughs, romance, or the magic of the season. I would highlight Sweet Navidad, The Holiday Dating Guide, and Cloudy with a Chance of Christmas as my picks for the most fun, but there is a terrific mix here to help you celebrate. Here’s what is included:

Cloudy with a Chance of Christmas: Bridget (Valery M. Ortiz) has turned a small role at her local news station into a sensation, as her weather forecasts have become a smash hit. As the ratings climb, it gets the attention of her bosses and in an effort to elevate Bridget’s profile, she is given a holiday assignment as part of the morning news show, as opposed to her usual evening news role. While she is told that the morning show’s popular anchor Tatum (Sarah Jane Morris) wasn’t going to be involved, once Bridget arrives in the Christmas infused small town, she discovers that Tatum is there and has plans to be very involved. Can Bridget hold on to this important opportunity or will Tatum use her star power to steal the spotlight for herself?

    A Show-Stopping Christmas: Riley (Jamie Perez) couldn’t be more excited for the holidays, as she looks forward to directing a stage version of A Christmas Carol at her local, historic theatre. The pressure can sometimes be a lot, but she loves the theatre and this annual tradition means a lot to her. So when the theatre’s owner lets her know that there won’t be a show this year, she is heartbroken. The theatre hasn’t been profitable in a while and while Riley has limitless passion, that hasn’t translated into ticket sales or sponsorships. But she isn’t going to give up that easily and even after the owner refuses to delay the sale to allow one last show, Riley decides to call upon the spirits of the theatre to assist her. But is there any magic left in this old, well worn theatre and if so, can Riley make it work to save the local landmark?

    Sweet Navidad: Carmen (Camila Banus) has a real passion for desserts and while she can craft some incredible pastries and treats, she dreams of owning her own shop. She might not have her own bakery as of yet, but she has won over some of the locals with her creations, including a couple that happen to own a hotel. And when they taste her latest treats, they instantly invite her to try out for some jobs at their hotel, as her skills could come in handy during their Christmas Gala. Carmen doesn’t have the culinary training or pedigree that the application asked for, but her sister fudges the information and she is able to audition. She is overwhelmed at first by the competition and pressure, but she shines in the try out and is offered a position as an executive chef. But can she deliver with so much on the line and can she figure out how to work with fellow chef Jax (Mark Hapka), since they only have five days to create and execute a menu?

    Merry Textmas: Gabi (Ariana Ron Pedrique) is going to celebrate the holidays with her family in Mexico for the first time in years, so she is excited to catch up and of course, partake in the 12 Challenges of Christmas. Her family loves to play these challenges to bond and have a good time, so everyone is looking forward to a reunion and all of the celebrations ahead. When her dad asks her to add someone to the family group chat, Gabi adds the wrong person to the chat, a stranger named Alex (Rodrigo Massa). What seems like a mistake soon seems like a lucky break, as Gabi’s family begins to talk with Alex and even tell him about their trip to Mexico, while Gabi is quite embarrassed and tries to remove him, only to have her family protest. When they invite Alex to Mexico however, Gabi realizes there might be more to the situation than meets the eye…

    Serving Up the Holidays: Scarlett (Britt Irvin) has an enviable position, as she is both a co-owner and chef at her own restaurant, so she is living her dream. Or so it would seem from the outside, as on the inside, she has been struggling to make the business a success and her main investor is losing hope, so she is running out of time to prove the place can thrive. She has been given a lot of ideas on how to perk up the profits, but she is often not open to change or concepts that aren’t her own. The idea of a special holiday menu seems like a sure fire boost, but she resists, partly because she doesn’t feel the spark to create the menu. In order to save her business and her dream, can Scarlett evolve with the times and change things up?

    A New Orleans Noel: Grace (Keisha Knight Pulliam) has returned to her hometown of New Orleans as part of an incredible professional opportunity, as she has been hired to redecorate the home of local legend Loretta (Patti LaBelle). She is excited about the work ahead, but also to spend time with her old friends at the holidays, though she tries to hide when a certain old friend shows up. That friend was Anthony (Brad James), who was a rival to Grace in college, but also a secret crush. As it turns out however, Anthony has also been contracted by Loretta to work on the remodel, which means Grace will be spending a lot of time with him. Can she focus on the project at hand and work with Anthony, or will the past refuse to stay in the past?

    Merry Swissmas: Alex (Jodi Sweetin) is going to spend the holidays in Switzerland with her family and in style, as her mom purchased a beautiful bed & breakfast inn. So not only will she be with her loved ones at Christmas, but they’ll be able to enjoy their own inn. Once she is at the bed & breakfast, Alex thinks she can help improve the place and she offers help to manager Liam (Tim Rozon), who gladly accepts. Before she can get started however, she learns her ex best friend happens to be around and since she stole Alex’s ex boyfriend, there remains a lot of tension between the two. Can Alex keep her emotions in check and focus on Liam and the inn, or will she be so stirred up by memories that she torches the holidays?

    Scentsational Christmas: Ellie (Nazneen Contractor) could be on the brink of a professional breakthrough, but while she waits to learn about a potential business deal, she returns home for the holidays. Her mother was part of a long tradition in the town, crafting unique candles that people loved, but when she died, Ellie’s father wasn’t able to keep the workshop up to snuff. He has tried his best, but Ellie can see the candles need work so she decides to help out. She also learns her father has rented a room to Logan (Mykee Selkin), a writer who is in town to pen an article on the candles and the history behind them. She tells him about the local legend of the candles being a beacon that guided a lost husband home and that she believes her family is involved, which is one reason she wants to see the workshop run smoothly. With Logan’s help, she starts to dig deeper into the story of the candles, but will she find what wants or will she be disappointed by the truth?

    Well Suited for Christmas: Rachel (Mercedes de la Zerda) has had some success as a fashion designer, but she could be on the brink of a true breakthrough. The New York Christmas Gala has invited her to be part of a bachelor auction to raise money for charity, but there is also a prize for Rachel, of course. If she can reel in the highest bid for her bachelor, she will earn a magazine cover and in the process, likely skyrocket her career and perhaps even allow her to launch her own fashion line. She was even paired with the reclusive, wealthy Brett Stone (Franco Lo Presti), though the excitement related to that stroke of luck soon fades, as Stone refuses to wear anything other than a simple black tuxedo. Can Rachel convince Brett to open his mind to bolder fashion or will she miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity?

    A Country Christmas Harmony: Chrissy (Brooke Elliott) has enjoyed success in her country music career, but her latest single flopped and her label has started to have some doubts. The special ingredient that made her so real and authentic to her listeners has faded at least somewhat, so a trip back to her small hometown to rekindle her roots seems like a solid idea. She can reconnect with her past and where she came from, which she hopes will inspire some music to delight her fans. Her label wants to hire an outside writer for the new single, but Chrissy insists on getting the first chance herself, so there’s a lot riding on this trip. When she runs into her ex Luke (Brandon Quinn) however, will she too distracted to pen her new hit?

    The Holiday Dating Guide: Abigale (Maria Menounos) has just a book on the rules of dating, but her publisher is on the old fashioned side and isn’t convinced her techniques will work. After all, he met his wife doing basically the opposite of Abigale’s advice, but since times can change, he agrees to give her a chance. He agrees to publish her book if she can use her own rules for dating and snag a new man, all before the Christmas party which is only a couple of weeks off. When she bumps into Michael (Brent Bailey), Abigale sees her chance to test her rules, but is her book filled with wisdom or will she strike out following her own advice?

    Merry Liddle Christmas: Jacquie (Kelly Rowland) runs her own digital media firm and she has just inked a new deal with a furniture seller, to showcase their products and help expand their brand. Before all that however, the brand wants to take some pictures and videos of Jacquie’s high tech home, outfitted with their furniture, in order to have an authentic take on the holidays for their promotional materials. While she has the best intentions, Jacquie’s family has other plans and soon enough, chaos begins as her family pours in and takes over, pushing her wishes to the side. Can Jacquie pull her family together and convince them to be on their best behavior, or will both the campaign and the holiday turn out to be a flop?

    The Disc: This release houses a dozen Lifetime movies spread over four discs, which means each platter hosts a trio of holiday adventures. The video quality is quite good, with most looking very sharp and clear, though a couple don’t look quite as detailed. This is standard definition of course, but even so, these look good and show off bright colors, smooth contrast, and rock solid detail. Not much else fans could ask for here, as these twelve films have been given good visual presentations.