Tis the season to be merry, jolly, and full of the Christmas spirit — well, that is, once spooky season is over. As is the name of the game in retail, the entertainment realm also has to pre-plan and prepare months ahead of each big season/holiday to stay on top of the game, and Hallmark is no different.
With Christmas and other holiday decor already hitting the shelves, the network known for its heartwarming holiday films is pressing forward with a release schedule for each new romantic holiday watch, and they’re going to be both tooth-rottenly sweet and wistful — just what the doctor ordered.
The holiday movie watch-a-thon begins sooner than you’d think, and look, we know that some people aren’t big on celebrating one holiday before another, especially with two that people adore as much as Halloween and Christmas, but Hallmark is worth making an exception over. All in all, there are 42 movies that you’ll soon be able to laugh, cry, and cuddle into blankets over, and we’ve already marked the must-watches on our calendars to plan around.
It’s Hallmark movie season, baby! While the network boasts new romantic releases throughout the year, the powerhouses come out with twinkling lights and mugs of cocoa, and Hallmark sets the tone for celebrating the season.
So grab your favorite holiday-themed mug and your Hallmark movie-watching blanket because we’re giving you all the sweet details, like icing on the perfect gingerbread man.
Hallmark begins decking the halls this October
You read that right, the first Hallmark holiday movie of the season starring Kim Matula and Kevin McGarry is called Checkin’ It Twice, and it airs on Oct. 20. A hockey player falls for a realtor when they meet under unusual circumstances; it is a love story in the cards for this pair?
Next is Where Are You, Christmas? which stars Lyndsy Fonseca, Michael Rady, Jim O’Heir, and Julie Warner. This movie will indeed speak to anyone with a bit of a Scrooge’s heart, and it debuts on Oct. 21, just in time to set the holiday tone.
Under the Christmas Sky airs on Oct. 22 and stars Hallmark favorites Jessica Parker, Kennedy, and Ryan Paevey. The story is all about finding joy right where you are, even if your circumstances aren’t what you hoped for. The holidays’ magic is that we’re reminded that anything is possible.
On Oct. 26, Ms. Christmas Comes to Town, and the film stars Barbara Niven, Erica Durance, and Brennan Elliott. This one promises to be quite the tearjerker, so we recommend having extra tissues on hand; a terminal diagnosis to a shopping channel favorite will bring everyone together in an extraordinary way.
Christmas By Design follows on Oct. 27 and stars Rebecca Dalton and Jonathan Keltz. A holiday-themed competition will challenge everyone involved to remember the true meaning of the season and redefine what we think of as important.
Cozy up on Oct. 28 with Mystic Christmas, a Mystic Pizza-style film that focuses on a woman named Juniper who travels to Mystic, CT, to work for the holiday season, and her heart soon finds more than she was looking for. Mystic Christmas stars William R. Moses, Jessy Schram, Patti Murin, and Chandler Massey.
Joyeux Noel premieres on Oct. 29 and will take fans on a mysterious ride as a journalist is sent to France to uncover the story behind an artist’s beautiful painting of a Christmas market. However, her partner sent to help her discover the artist’s identity is slightly less romance-inclined. Joyeux Noel stars Jaicy Elliot and Brant Daugherty.
November brings even more holiday delights with the Nov. 2 debut of My Christmas Guide, starring Ben Mehl and Amber Marshall. The premise follows a professor who loses his eyesight and decides to adopt a seeing-eye dog. What he gets through the adoption is more than just a partner to help him navigate a new chapter of his life; he finds a new path to love.
Flipping for Christmas debuts on Nov. 3 and, as the title suggests, is a real estate holiday-themed watch. When a realtor agrees to help her sister flip a house, they soon run into trouble when the co-beneficiary of the home steps in; will he have ideas of his own on how renovations should proceed, or will he be against the idea altogether? Flipping for Christmas stars the lovely Ashley Newbrough and Marcus Rosner.
Never Been Chris’d airs on Nov. 4, and the film is sure to be a favorite among Hallmarkies everywhere for a few reasons, one being that it stars Hallmark’s most beloved leading man — Tyler Hynes. The film promises a romantic journey as a love triangle blossoms between High School friends and their shared crush; the premise states that their growing bonds will lead them on the road to self-reflection and recognizing the importance of the people in our lives.
Is there anything better than a love story with Hynes? Consider our plans solidified for Nov. 4; the day belongs to Tyler!
The Santa Summit premieres on Nov. 5 and stars Hunter King, Benjamin Hollingsworth, Amy Groening, and Stephanie Sy as three Santas who are all looking for something special this holiday season; the question is, will they find it?
Mystery on Mistletoe Lane kicks off the next merry weekend on Nov. 9 and stars Victor Webster and Erica Cerra and promises to serve as a “good old fashioned Christmas mystery,” so we recommend getting your thinking caps on before watching this one.
Audiences are invited to watch Everything Christmas on Nov. 10, starring Katherine Barrell, Corey Sevier, Cindy Busby, and Matt Wells; the film sees a Christmas lover travel to a town where the holiday is celebrated all year round, and there’s a magical surprise on the horizon.
Christmas Island debuts on Nov. 11 and stars Andrew Walker and Rachel Skartsen in quite the predicament as a winter storm threatens to stop important travel fans for a family. Will Rachel’s Kate be able to help them all in time?
Heidelberg Holiday sets the stage on Nov. 12 for a holiday feel-good story in none other than a German holiday market. Starring Frédéric Brossier and Ginna Claire Mason, the film highlights a woman on a mission to reconnect with herself and her heritage.
A World Record Christmas invites audiences to tag along as a young boy attempts to break a Guinness World Record just in time for the holidays. The story is heartwarming — and true — and will inspire you to believe in the dreams of those around you and to find magic in the everyday. Premiering Nov. 16, the film stars Nikki DeLoach, Lucas Bryant, and Aias Dalman — and will feature a cameo from the boy who inspired the movie!
Navigating Christmas premieres on Nov. 17 and stars Chelsea Hobbs and Stephen Huszar. As a recently divorced woman takes a trip with her son, they happen upon a lighthouse, embarking on the journey of a lifetime with a handsome man who owns it and just might steal her heart.
A Merry Scottish Christmas comes to the Hallmark Channel on Nov. 18, highlighting two of our favorite celebrities: Lacey Chabert and Scott Wolf. The pair star as estranged siblings brought together during the holiday season, and we can’t wait to see if Christmas magic is enough to reunite them.
Nov. 19 debuts Holiday Hotline, starring Emily Tennant and Niall Matter, and it revolves around, you guessed it, a hotline that brings a single dad and a woman together over the love of food and the holidays.
A Season for Family premieres on Nov. 22 and stars a few Hallmark favorites: Brendan Penny, Bejmain Jacobson, Stacey Farber, and Azriel Dalman. The storyline is about family and how they’re formed, created, and carry us through the best and darkest times.
Catch Me If You Claus debuts on Nov. 23 and stars the lovely Italia Ricci and Luke MacFarlane as a news anchor and a man who claims to be Santa’s son on his first mission; but is his story real or is he an intruder with the worst of intentions?
Letters to Santa follows on Nov. 24 and follows the story of siblings who really only have one wish this Christmas: for their estranged parents to get back together. Starring Katie Leclerc and Rafael de la Fuente, the story will undeniably be a tearjerker.
Holiday Road also airs on Nov. 24 and stars Sara Canning and Warren Christie; the film is the second inspired by true events as it follows a set of strangers stranded at the airport who decide to embark on a road trip that will change their lives.
Christmas in Notting Hill comes to town on Nov. 25 with William Moseley and Sarah Ramos in tow. As a soccer star visits his hometown for Christmas, he discovers that there might be room for love in his life after all.
Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up premieres on Nov. 25, and Lacey Chabert, Wes Brown, Stephen Tobolowsky, Ellen Travolta, Jennifer Aspen, Seth Morris, and Melissa Peterman. The premise is set in a neighborhood with a holiday decorating competition, people who really love the Christmas spirit, and a home for sale that threatens to change everything.
Our Christmas Mural is next on Nov. 26 and stars Dan Jeannotte and Alex Paxton-Beesley. A single mother comes home for Christmas, and her mom partners her with a handsome hometown hunk to create a winning piece of art for an annual competition. We have a feeling they’ll be crafting up some romance, too.
A Biltmore Christmas prepares to wow fans on Nov. 26 and stars one of our all-time favorites, Bethany Joy Lenz. The series is set at the beautiful Biltmore Estate and takes us on a time-traveling love story, one we cannot wait to embark upon.
Time for Her to Come Home for Christmas airs on Nov. 30 and will be a tearjerker of a project that stars the handsome Chris Carmack, Shenae Grimes-Beech, and Grace Leer. As the loss of the family matriarch leaves our leading lady feeling heartbroken during the holiday season, she tries to escape it by going to a small town to embrace a different kind of tradition. What awaits her is something she never expected.
My Norweigan Holiday debuts on Dec. 1 and stars David Elsendoorn and Rhiannon Fish. Another tearjerker, after the loss of her beloved grandmother, JJ (Fish) finds an unexpected romance and ties to her grandma that she never would have known if their paths didn’t cross.
A Not So Royal Christmas is next on Dec. 2, as Will Kemp and Brooke D’Orsay lead the charge through a bit of a mysterious Christmas journey. Will a journalist get the interview of a lifetime with a “reclusive” Count, and if so, what will she discover?
Christmas With a Kiss airs on Dec. 3 and stars Jaime M. Callica, Mishael Morgan, and Ronnie Rowe Jr. The premise centers around a Christmas carnival and a reunion that will bring with it a lot of holiday magic and romance.
Rescuing Christmas brings Rachael Leigh Cook, Patrick Thomas O’Brien, Bailey Stender, and Sam Page to our screens on Dec. 7 and promises to bring Christmas magic to a woman who has lost her holiday spirit; oh, and of course, Santa himself plays a big part in this one.
To All a Good Night premieres on Dec. 7 and stars Kimberley Sustad and Mark Ghanimé. When a photographer saves the life of a man she’s never met, they soon discover that the odds may be stacked against them, ever becoming anything other than enemies.
Magic in Mistletoe stars Paul Campbell and Lyndie Greenwood and debuts on Dec. 8. The film sees an author who has found success, but at a cost, so when he goes home for Christmas, he is also trying to find some peace and quiet to heal his hardened heart. Someone sent to tag alongside him might be just what he’s needed.
Christmas on Cherry Lane premieres on Dec. 9 and stars Jonathan Bennett (his hair still looks great pushed back), John Brotherton (Fuller House fans still say he should have won DJ’s heart), Erin Cahill, and Catherine Bell. This story blends the lives of three couples in different stages of life and love, and we feel it’ll be a stand out of 2023.
Round and Round airs on Dec. 10 and stars everyone’s favorite One Tree Hill alumnus, Bryan Greenberg, alongside Vic Michaelis and Rick Hoffman. The film centers around a character stuck in a time loop who needs a bit of help and holiday magic to make it to tomorrow.
Next up is An Ice Palace Romance on Dec. 14, starring Celeste Desjardins and Marcus Rosner. When a journalist goes back home to write about an ice rink, she meets someone prepared to change how she sees everything from her present to her future.
Heaven Down Here also airs on Dec. 14 and stars Richard Harmon, Phylicia Rashad, Krystal Joy Brown, and Tina Lifford, and the tune is based upon a song of the same name by the talented Mickey Guyton. The premise sees four strangers trapped together on Christmas as they discover that life, love, and magic all hold more weight during the holidays. Their impact on one another might be exactly what each of them needed. This one will undeniably be another stand-out of this year’s lineup.
The Secret Gift of Christmas debuts on Dec. 15 and stars Christopher Russell and Meghan Ory as a personal shopper and a widow who come together under the magic of Christmas and the joy they will soon embrace together.
Sealed With a List airs on Dec. 16 and stars Evan Roderick and Katie Findlay as a woman attempts to conquer resolutions she’s set from the last year and, in that attempt, she ends up finding something she never anticipated: love!
Friends & Family Christmas airs on Dec. 17 and stars Ali Liebert and Humberly Gonzalez as two people who come together for one of our favorite holiday tropes: the fake dating scheme. To keep their families off their backs, they fake a romance, but we have a feeling it’ll soon become the kind of love that shakes them to the core — in a good way.
Finally, Miracle in Bethlehem, PA, debuts on Dec. 21 to round out the movie marathon and will be another standout of the lineup as Laura Vandervoort and Benjamin Ayres star as a single other and a bachelor with no desire to change his ways. Are you seeing where this one might go? The two soon fall for one another, and it’s evident quickly that all they ever needed to find was one another. In fact, their romance could change things for the better for more people than they ever could have imagined.
Here’s to Christmas, Hallmark, and a lot of love on the horizon. Happy watching!
Published: Sep 22, 2023 05:01 pm