Why are there so many dead parents in made-for-TV Christmas movies?

Vulture

From Netflix to Hallmark Channel to Lifetime, there are way too many dead parents in Christmas TV movies, says Brian Moylan. "There are a ton of tropes in these movies — small businesses that need saving, high-school sweethearts reconnecting, women inheriting property, single parents finding love again — and yet they all rely on a parent, spouse, or other beloved family member kicking the bucket," he says. "They say that magic always has a price, but when it comes to Christmas magic, it seems like the price is your dad (or mom!) has to die."