Why Fake Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Might Be the Realest Holiday Movie Yet

This holiday season, OWN is giving us a gift we didn’t even know we needed; a Christmas movie that feels like a hug, a healing session, and a little wink from the universe. Fake Yourself a Merry Little Christmas stars Etienne Maurice as "Daniel," our co-founder friend at WalkGood, and the luminous Kiki Layne as "Maya," the woman whose pretend little plan turns into something way too real, way too fast.

The movie opens with Maya crafting a harmless “fake” scenario, the kind you tell yourself to get through the holidays without feeling the weight of loneliness or the pressure of perfection. And from that tiny spark of pretending, we get a whole journey of unexpected joy, messy feelings, soft realizations, and two people trying to figure out what love looks like when life hasn’t exactly made it easy.

But let me tell you the moment that took me out in the best way. There’s a scene where the grandmother of the “fake” family looks Daniel right in the soul and says, “Go after what you want… or who you love. Life is short.”

Whew. If that’s not the sermon so many of us need during the holidays, I don’t know what is.

Because yes, the movie is funny and charming and full of holiday warmth, but underneath all that glitter is something deeply human. That quiet ache of wanting connection. That hope we carry even when we don’t say it out loud.

That reminder that love, in all forms, is still possible, still worth fighting for, still worth choosing.

By the end, the “fake” turns real, the tension melts, forgiveness moves the story forward, and Daniel and Maya give us a love story that feels grounded, grown, and full of laughter; the kind that reminds you you’re never as alone as you think.

So, curl up with some cocoa, turn on the Christmas lights, and let your heart be soft.

Tune into OWN on November 29 and watch Fake Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. Trust me, you’re going to feel this one.