It might still be October, but I’m ready for Christmas!
I’m not the only one. Hallmark Channel begins their Countdown to Christmas holiday movie extravaganza this Saturday, October 29 with a slate of new holiday movies to take you through Christmas Day and beyond. With 19 new movies going into rotation with their past holiday fare, even their sister network, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, is getting in on the festivities with seven original holiday movies of their own!
Perhaps you think it’s too early for Christmas or you’re too macho to fall for some sappy seasonal Santa silver screen show, but sit down for one and you’ll likely get sucked in like the rest of us. In fact, I got my brother and his family into it when I visited them one holiday a few years back. I was watching The Nine Lives of Christmas with DC’s Legends of Tomorrow‘s Brandon Routh. My brother kept walking into the room with some excuse (but really he was watching the movie whenever he was in the room). Eventually, he just sat down and watched it through. Now, they have it on Hallmark Channel around the clock during the holiday season. It’s fun, festive fare and you don’t have to worry if it’s kid-appropriate or not because it all is!
The countdown begins on Saturday, October 29 at 8 p.m. ET with A Wish for Christmas starring Lacey Chabert as Sara Shaw, a woman who prefers to sit on the sidelines at work but after her big Christmas idea is stolen she makes a wish to Santa to have the courage to stand up for herself and prove her worth to her boss (Paul Greene). Festive holiday romance ensues.
In A December Bride, interior designer Layla O’Reilly (Jessica Lowndes) is dreading the Christmastime wedding of her cousin, who is marrying Layla’s ex-fiance. Seth (Daniel Lissing) is responsible for introducing her cousin to her ex and Layla begrudgingly accepts his offer to be her wedding date when she runs out of options. Seth gets carried away at the reception and announces they’re engaged to all her family and friends, forcing her to keep up the pretense. Festive holiday romance ensues.
Erin Krakow, Lissing’s co-star on When Calls the Heart has her own holiday movie over on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries with Finding Father Christmas. In it she plays Miranda, a woman who dreads Christmas because it’s a painful reminder of the family she never had. As she unravels the mysteries of her past with the help of Ian (Niall Matter). Festive holiday romance ensues.
Back over on Hallmark Channel, Lori Loughlin, a staple to both networks stars in Every Christmas Has a Story. Loughlin plays a TV personality who admits she hates Christmas—on the air. In an attempt to repair her image, she is forced to work with her ex-boyfriend, Jack (Eureka‘s Colin Ferguson) in the Most Christmas-y town in America. Festive holiday romance ensues.
When Calls the Heart fans never fear! Not only are the three leads in movies of their own, there will also be a standalone When Calls the Heart Christmas movie which premieres on Christmas Day at 8 p.m. ET (check local listings), leading into a new season of the show to premiere early 2017.
In an exclusive to Parade, Hallmark Channel gives us a sneak peek clip from A December Bride starring Jessica Lowndes and When Calls the Heart‘s Daniel Lissing.
To see the entire slate of holiday movies on Hallmark Channel, go here.
For all the holiday movies on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, go here.
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