# Yoh! Christmas
**Yoh! Christmas** is a South African romantic comedy television miniseries that premiered on Netflix on 15 December 2023. Its six episodes follow Thando Mokoena, a perpetually single 30-year-old physiotherapist who, tired of comments on her relationship status, tells her family she has a boyfriend and then has 24 days to find one to bring home for Christmas.[1](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/is-it-a-match-netflix-swipes-right-on-yoh-christmas-a-new-romcom-out-this) • [2](https://www.netflix.com/title/81666766) The series was created by Tiffany Barbuzano and Johnny Barbuzano, produced by BBZEE Films, and adapted from the Norwegian Netflix series *Home for Christmas* (*Hjem til Jul*).[1](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/is-it-a-match-netflix-swipes-right-on-yoh-christmas-a-new-romcom-out-this) • [3](https://www.tvsa.co.za/shows/viewshow.aspx?showid=5748)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Premiere | 15 December 2023, all six episodes released on Netflix[1](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/is-it-a-match-netflix-swipes-right-on-yoh-christmas-a-new-romcom-out-this) |
| Premise | Thando, single at 30, lies that she has a boyfriend and has 24 days to find one before the family Christmas dinner[2](https://www.netflix.com/title/81666766) |
| Lead cast | Katlego Lebogang as Thando, Siya Sepotokele as Charles, Didie Makobane as Riri[2](https://www.netflix.com/title/81666766) |
| Creators | Tiffany Barbuzano and Johnny Barbuzano; production company BBZEE Films[1](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/is-it-a-match-netflix-swipes-right-on-yoh-christmas-a-new-romcom-out-this) |
| Origin | Adaptation of the Norwegian series *Home for Christmas* (*Hjem til Jul*), created by Per-Olav Sorensen[3](https://www.tvsa.co.za/shows/viewshow.aspx?showid=5748) |
| Format | Six episodes of roughly 31 to 38 minutes; rated TV-14 on Netflix[2](https://www.netflix.com/title/81666766) |
| Awards | Eight awards at the 2024 SAFTAs, including Best TV Comedy[4](https://tvmzansi.co.za/shows/yoh-christmas/) |
## Spoilers
### Premise and plot
Thando is lucky and successful in everything except love, a detail her family and society never let her forget.[1](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/is-it-a-match-netflix-swipes-right-on-yoh-christmas-a-new-romcom-out-this) After one too many [Christmas Eve](https://www.edgepedia.org/christmas-eve) family dinners spent at the kiddies' table, she announces she is bringing a boyfriend home, though she does not have one.[1](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/is-it-a-match-netflix-swipes-right-on-yoh-christmas-a-new-romcom-out-this) With 24 days until the family's annual [Christmas dinner](https://www.edgepedia.org/christmas-dinner), she enlists her best friends Charles and Riri to help her navigate a string of dates, from a handsome doctor and a fitness instructor to an ex-politician and a younger love interest.[4](https://tvmzansi.co.za/shows/yoh-christmas/)
The episode titles trace the countdown: "The Christmas Lie", "Dating", "Something New, Something Old", "Naughty but Nice", "Cut the Cake", and "Christmas Wishes".[2](https://www.netflix.com/title/81666766) In the first episode Thando dodges her ex, who is married with a child, gets assigned to work on Christmas Eve, and ends up at a singles mingle.[2](https://www.netflix.com/title/81666766) The finale has Thando reeling from family secrets, receiving a bombshell from Ben at work, and revealing her surprise at the family Christmas dinner.[2](https://www.netflix.com/title/81666766)
## Cast and production
Katlego Lebogang stars as Thando, with Siya Sepotokele as Charles and Didie Makobane as Riri.[2](https://www.netflix.com/title/81666766) Rounding out the cast, Sthandiwe Kgoroge plays Nellie Mokoena, Sello Motloung plays Sam Mokoena, Lerato Mvelase plays Minnie Mabizela, Dorothy-Ann Gould plays Lulu, Altovise Lawrence plays Jo, Tiffany Barbuzano plays Melanie, Anthony Oseyemi plays Ben Bakare, Siv Ngesi plays Xolani Qoba, Ntobeko Sishi plays Motheo, Kagiso Modupe plays Bheki, and Hlomla Dandala plays Victor Hlale.[5](https://www.tvsa.co.za/shows/viewshowcast.aspx?season=1&showid=5748) Netflix's announcement described the lineup as an ensemble of established South African actors while also putting a global spotlight on newer talents such as Siya Sepotokele, Siv Ngesi, Altovise Lawrence, Ntobeko Sishi, and Didie Makhubane.[1](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/is-it-a-match-netflix-swipes-right-on-yoh-christmas-a-new-romcom-out-this)
Behind the camera, the writing team comprised Zoleka Monare, Gillian Breslin, Tiffany Barbuzano, and Johnny Barbuzano, with directing shared among Chris Beasley, Lauren Chengan, Zolani Phakade, Sanele Zulu, and Johnny Barbuzano.[1](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/is-it-a-match-netflix-swipes-right-on-yoh-christmas-a-new-romcom-out-this) The series was produced for BBZEE Films by Johnny Barbuzano, Tiffany Barbuzano, and Morishe Matlejoane.[3](https://www.tvsa.co.za/shows/viewshow.aspx?showid=5748) A trailer was released on 28 November 2023, about two weeks before the premiere.[6](https://briefly.co.za/entertainment/tv-shows/174992-netflixs-yoh-christmas-series-cast-plot-summary-full-story-trailer/)
## Adaptation and South African context
The series is a remake of *Home for Christmas* (*Hjem til Jul*), the Norwegian Netflix series created by Per-Olav Sorensen, and follows the same basic story of a woman who invents a boyfriend for the holidays.[3](https://www.tvsa.co.za/shows/viewshow.aspx?showid=5748) A News24 analysis counted it among several South African adaptations of foreign titles released in 2023, alongside the thriller *Unseen* and *Fatal Seduction*, noting viewer discussion about how such shows are reworked to feel South African.[7](https://www.news24.com/truelove/celebrity/analysis-from-yoh-christmas-to-unseen-the-rise-of-tv-adaptations-in-sas-productions-20231219) The *Sunday Times* described the show as replacing Netflix's previous local Christmas offering, *How to Ruin Christmas*, and capturing a summer Christmas in South Africa, with its opening episode set around community festivities.[8](https://www.sundaytimes.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/lifestyle/2023-12-10-yoh-christmas--netflixs-festive-delight/)
## Reception
At the 2024 South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs), *Yoh! Christmas* won eight awards, including Best TV Comedy, Best Supporting Actor in a TV Comedy for Kagiso Modupe, and Best Supporting Actress in a TV Comedy for Dorothy-Ann Gould, along with honors for directing, cinematography, scriptwriting, editing, and sound.[4](https://tvmzansi.co.za/shows/yoh-christmas/) On Rotten Tomatoes, the season carried only a single listed critic review at the time of the retrieved data; Maddy Casale of Decider wrote that although it is technically a remake, the series stands on its own thanks to its cast, comedic moments, and unique takes on the original storyline.[9](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/yoh_christmas/s01/reviews) On IMDb the series held a rating of 5.3 based on roughly 260 user votes.[10](https://www.justwatch.com/za/tv-series/yoh-christmas) A 2024 review on the blog pohp! rated it 2.9 out of 5, praising it as fun while criticizing its reliance on familiar romcom tropes and an unresolved ending.[11](https://pohp.home.blog/2024/10/18/a-review-of-yoh-christmas/)
The series also performed commercially: a Netflix Africa performance report listed *Yoh! Christmas* among the most viewed African titles on the platform in 2023.[12](https://shockng.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/NETFLIX-AFRICA-TITLES-PERFOMANCE-REPORT.pdf)
## References
1. [Is It A Match? Netflix Swipes Right On 'Yoh! Christmas', A New Romcom Out This December, About Netflix (30 October 2023)](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/is-it-a-match-netflix-swipes-right-on-yoh-christmas-a-new-romcom-out-this)
2. [Yoh! Christmas, Netflix Official Site](https://www.netflix.com/title/81666766)
3. [Yoh! Christmas, TVSA](https://www.tvsa.co.za/shows/viewshow.aspx?showid=5748)
4. [Yoh! Christmas, TV Mzansi](https://tvmzansi.co.za/shows/yoh-christmas/)
5. [Yoh! Christmas Season 1 Full Cast, TVSA](https://www.tvsa.co.za/shows/viewshowcast.aspx?season=1&showid=5748)
6. [Netflix's Yoh! Christmas series: cast, plot summary, full story, trailer, Briefly.co.za (10 December 2023)](https://briefly.co.za/entertainment/tv-shows/174992-netflixs-yoh-christmas-series-cast-plot-summary-full-story-trailer/)
7. [From Yoh! Christmas to Unseen – The rise of TV adaptations in SA's productions, News24 TRUELOVE (19 December 2023)](https://www.news24.com/truelove/celebrity/analysis-from-yoh-christmas-to-unseen-the-rise-of-tv-adaptations-in-sas-productions-20231219)
8. [Yoh! Christmas — Netflix's festive delight, Sunday Times (10 December 2023)](https://www.sundaytimes.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/lifestyle/2023-12-10-yoh-christmas--netflixs-festive-delight/)
9. [Yoh! Christmas: Season 1 Reviews, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/yoh_christmas/s01/reviews)
10. [Yoh! Christmas, JustWatch South Africa](https://www.justwatch.com/za/tv-series/yoh-christmas)
11. [A Review of Yoh! Christmas, pohp! (18 October 2024)](https://pohp.home.blog/2024/10/18/a-review-of-yoh-christmas/)
12. [Most viewed African titles on Netflix 2023, Netflix Africa Titles Performance Report](https://shockng.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/NETFLIX-AFRICA-TITLES-PERFOMANCE-REPORT.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › International serial drama and telenovelas › Turkish, Middle Eastern, and African serials › African serial dramas*
*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license