The holiday season is upon us, and Hallmark Channel will be treating us to so many wonderful Christmas movies this year. Hallmark’s holiday schedule this year is its most diverse yet.
Given how 2020 has been, it’s never too early to get into the holiday spirit. Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ Miracles of Christmas lineup off October 23. A slate of brand-new movies will premiere from October to December.
Hallmark’s 2020 schedule also includes its first film with a storyline about a same-sex couple, starring Jonathan Bennett. “Our holiday table is bigger and more welcoming than ever. This year’s movies reflect our most diverse representation of talent, narratives, and families, including The Christmas House, featuring a storyline about a gay couple looking to adopt their first child, and starring Jonathan Bennett in an ensemble cast,” said Michelle Vicary, EVP, Programming. “Our movies are rooted in warmth and positivity, meaningful connections, family gatherings, and seasonal traditions—a winning formula we hope will bring our millions of viewers much-needed levity and holiday cheer at the end of a tough year.”
Jonathan Bennett is starring in Hallmark’s first movie featuring a same-sex couple. (Sthanlee Mirador/Sipa USA)
Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas
All premieres are at 8 p.m. ET/PT
October 24
Starring: Julie Gonzalo and Ronnie Rowe Jr.
Wedding planner Jessica Perez (Gonzalo) travels to a remote town in Alaska to find a rare flower for a celebrity client and is charmed by the small town during Christmas, as well as the handsome local (Rowe Jr.) helping her.
October 25
Chateau Christmas
Starring: Merritt Patterson and Luke Macfarlane
Margot (Patterson), a world-renowned pianist, returns to Chateau Newhaus to spend the holidays with her family and is reunited with an ex (Macfarlane) who helps her rediscover her passion for music.
October 31
Christmas with the Darlings
Starring: Katrina Law and Carlo Marks
Just before the holidays, Jessica Lew (Law) is ending her tenure as the assistant to her wealthy boss to use her recently earned law degree within his company, but offers to help his charming, younger brother (Marks) as he looks after his orphaned nieces and nephew over Christmas.
November 1
One Royal Holiday
Starring: Laura Osnes, Aaron Tveit, Krystal Joy Brown, Victoria Clark, and Tom McGowan
When Anna (Osnes) offers a stranded mother (Clark) and son (Tveit) shelter in a blizzard, she learns that they are the Royal Family of Galwick. Anna shows the Princehow they do Christmas in her hometown, encouraging him to open his heart and be true to himself.
November 7
Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Sweater
Starring: Ashley Williams and Niall Matter
Single mom Maggie (Williams) is facing Christmas alone until Lucas (Matter) crashes into her life and becomes an unexpected houseguest. Together they overcome Christmas while finding comfort in their growing bond.
November 8
On the 12th Date of Christmas
Starring: Mallory Jansen and Tyler Hynes
Two seemingly incompatible game designers team up to create a romantic, city-wide scavenger hunt themed for the “12 Days of Christmas.”
November 14
Christmas in Vienna
Starring: Sarah Drew and Brennan Elliott
Jess (Drew), a concert violinist whose heart just isn’t in it anymore, goes to Vienna for a performance. While there, she finds the inspiration she has been missing and a new love.
November 15
A Timeless Christmas
Starring: Ryan Paevey and Erin Cahill
Charles Whitley (Paevey) travels from 1903 to 2020 where he meets Megan Turner (Cahill), a tour guide at his historic mansion, and experiences a 21st Century Christmas.
November 21
A Nashville Christmas Carol
Starring: Jessy Schram, Wes Brown, Wynonna Judd, Sara Evans, RaeLynn, KixBrooks, Kimberly Williams-Paisley
Vivienne Wake (Schram), a workaholic television producer in charge of a country music Christmas special showcasing newcomer Alexis (Raelynn), never lets personal feelings get in the way of business. On the verge of accepting a job in LA, and with the return of Gavin Chase (Brown), her childhood sweetheart and manager to the special’s headliner, Belinda (Evans), she receives a visit from the ghost of her recently deceased mentor, Marilyn (Judd). Her mentor warns her current path leads to a dark future and has recruited both the Spirit of Christmas Past (Brooks) and the Spirit of Christmas Present (Williams-Paisley) to help her get back on track. The Spirits’ time-jumping adventures force Vivienne to take hold of her life.
November 22
The Christmas House
Starring: Robert Buckley, Jonathan Bennett, Ana Ayora, Treat Williams, Sharon Lawrence, and Brad Harder
Working through some difficult decisions, Mitchell family matriarch Phylis (Lawrence) and patriarch Bill (Williams), have summoned their two grown sons –TV star, Mike Mitchell (Buckley) and Brandon Mitchell (Bennett) — home for the holidays. It is their hope that bringing the family together to recreate the Christmas house, will help them find resolution and make a memorable holiday for the entire family and community. As Brandon and his husband Jake (Harder) make the trip home, they are anxiously awaiting a call about the adoption of their first child. Meanwhile, Mike reconnects with Andi (Ayora), his high school sweetheart.
November 24
A Christmas Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Starring: Rochelle Aytes and Mark Taylor
Erin (Aytes) is planning the town’s Christmas celebration and must win over firefighter Kevin (Taylor) in order to obtain the beautiful spruce tree from his property for the celebration.
Alison Sweeney returns for another Hallmark Christmas movie. (Hallmark)
November 25
A Bright and Merry Christmas
Starring: Alison Sweeney and Marc Blucas
Two competing TV hosts (Sweeney and Blucas) are sent to a festive small town over Christmas. While pretending to get along for the sake of appearances, they discover that there’s more to each other than they thought.
November 26
Five Star Christmas
Starring: Bethany Joy Lenz and Victor Webster
After moving back to her hometown, Lisa (Lenz) plots with her siblings and grandparents to help her father’s new bed and breakfast get a five-star review from an incognito travel critic (Webster) but ends up falling for him, not knowing he is the real critic.
November 27
Christmas by Starlight
Starring: Kimberley Sustad and Paul Campbell
Annie (Sustad), a lawyer, must help her loved ones this holiday season. Her family’s restaurant, The Starlight Café, is slated for demolition. The heir to the development firm responsible, William (Campbell), makes her an unlikely proposition: he’ll spare the café if Annie spends the week “appearing” as the legal counsel his father is demanding he hire in the wake of some costly mistakes.
November 28
Christmas Waltz
Starring: Lacey Chabert, Will Kemp, and JT Church
After Avery’s (Chabert) storybook Christmas wedding is canceled unexpectedly, dance instructor Roman (Kemp) helps her rebuild her dreams.
Candace Cameron Bure stars in a brand-new holiday film. (Hallmark)
November 29
If I Only Had Christmas
Starring: Candace Cameron Bure and Warren Christie
At Christmas, a cheerful publicist (Bure) teams up with a cynical business owner (Christie) and his team to help a charity in need.
December 5
Christmas in Evergreen: Bells Are Ringing
Starring: Holly Robinson Peete, Colin Lawrence, Rukiya Bernard, Antonio Cayonne, and Barbara Niven.
As Michelle’s (Peete) wedding approaches, Hannah (Bernard) steps up to help finish the launch of the new Evergreen museum while questioning her relationship and future with Elliot (Cayonne).
December 6
Christmas She Wrote
Starring: Danica McKellar and Dylan Neal
When Kayleigh (McKellar), a romance writer, has her column canceled right before Christmas, she heads home to reconnect with her family. Kayleigh gets an unexpected visit from the man (Neal) who canceled her column who fights not only to bring her back to the publisher but also for her heart.
December 12
Cross Country Christmas
Starring: Rachael Leigh Cook and Greyston Holt
Former classmates Lina (Cook) and Max (Holt) are traveling home for the holidays, until a storm hits and they have to work together to make it home in time, no matter the mode of transportation.
December 13
Christmas Comes Twice
Starring: Tamera Mowry-Housley and Michael Xavier
Emily (Mowry-Housley) is a top newscaster who has achieved her career dreams but still has regrets about the guy (Xavier) who got away five years earlier. When the Christmas carnival comes to town, a ride around the carousel takes her magically back in time to the carnival five years before…giving her a second chance at love before she must return to Christmas present.
December 19
Christmas Carousel
Starring: Rachel Boston and Neal Bledsoe
When Lila (Boston) is hired by the Royal Family of Marcadia to repair a carousel, she must work with the Prince (Bledsoe) to complete it by Christmas.
December 20
Love, Lights, Hanukkah!
Starring: Mia Kirshner, Ben Savage, and Marilu Henner
As Christina (Kirshner) prepares her restaurant for its busiest time of year, she gets back a DNA test revealing that she’s Jewish. The discovery leads her to a new family and an unlikely romance over eight nights.
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ Miracles of Christmas
All premieres are at 9 p.m. ET/PT
October 24
Christmas Tree Lane
Starring: Alicia Witt, Andrew Walker, Drake Hogestyn, and Briana Price
Music store owner Meg (Witt) spearheads the community effort to save the Christmas Tree Lane shopping district from demolition. As she finds herself falling for Nate (Walker), a recent acquaintance, she’s thrown when she learns his surprising tie to the developer.
October 25
Deliver by Christmas
Starring: Alvina August and Eion Bailey
Bakery owner Molly (August) meets Josh (Bailey), a widower who recently moved to town with his young son, but she is also charmed by a mysterious client whom she’s never met in person and she doesn’t realize that they’re the same man.
October 31
Cranberry Christmas
Starring: Nikki DeLoach and Benjamin Ayres
A separated couple (DeLoach and Ayres) feign marital bliss on national television to help their town’s Christmas festival –and their business. But what will the future hold for them when rekindled love is complicated by new opportunities?
November 1
Holly & Ivy
Starring: Janel Parrish, Jeremy Jordan, and Marisol Nichols
When Melody’s (Parrish) neighbor, Nina (Nichols), learns that her illness has returned, Melody promises to keep Nina’s kids, Holly & Ivy, together. To adopt the children, she must renovate her new fixer-upper, which she does with the help of contractor Adam (Jordan).
Lacey Chabert, queen of Hallmark, is back on the 2020 lineup. (Hallmark)
November 7
The Christmas Ring
Starring: Nazneen Contractor and David Alpay
A reporter (Contractor) searches for the love story behind an antique engagement ring. With the help of the ring’s owner’s grandson (Alpay), they learn the legacy his grandparent’s left behind.
November 8
The Christmas Bow
Starring: Lucia Micarelli and Michael Rady
When an accident puts her music dreams on hold, a gifted violinist (Micarelli) reconnects with an old family friend (Rady), who helps her heal and find love during the holidays.
November 14
Meet Me at Christmas
Starring: Catherine Bell and Mark Deklin
When Joan’s (Bell) son’s wedding planner unexpectedly quits, she must coordinate his Christmas Eve wedding with the help of Beau(Deklin), the bride’s uncle. As they work alongside each other they discover their fates and pasts are intertwined.
November 15
The Christmas Doctor
Starring: Holly Robinson Peete and Adrian Holmes
A week before Christmas, Dr. Alicia Wright (Peete) is offered an assignment away from home. A mysterious man (Holmes) from her past journeys to find her before Christmas and brings with him a revelation that could change Alicia’s life forever.
November 21
A Little Christmas Charm
Starring: Ashley Greene and Brendan Penny
Holly (Greene), a jewelry designer finds a lost charm bracelet and teams up with investigative reporter Greg (Penny) in hopes of finding the owner and returning it by Christmas Eve.
November 22
The Angel Tree
Starring: Jill Wagner and Lucas Bryant
A writer (Wagner) seeks the identity of the person who helps grant wishes that are placed upon the angel tree, and in the process, reconnects with her childhood friend (Bryant).
November 28
USS Christmas
Starring: Jen Lilley, Trevor Donovan, and Barbara Niven
Maddie (Lilley), a reporter for a Norfolk newspaper, embarks on a Tiger Cruise during Christmastime where she meets a handsome naval officer (Donovan) and stumbles upon a mystery in the ship’s archive room.
December 5
Time for Us to Come Home for Christmas (From executive producer Blake Shelton)
Starring: Lacey Chabert and Stephen Huszar
Five guests are mysteriously invited to an inn to celebrate Christmas. With the help of the owner Ben(Huszar), Sarah (Chabert) discovers that an event from the past may connect them and change their lives forever.
December 6
A Godwink Christmas: First Loves, Second Chances
Starring: Brooke D’Orsay and Sam Page
After 15 years, Pat (Page) moves home from Hawaii with his two sons and through a series of coincidences, or Godwinks, ends up stuck in traffic next to his high school sweetheart, Margie (D’Orsay), at Christmas.
December 12
A Glenbrooke Christmas
Starring: Autumn Reeser and Antonio Cupo
As Christmas nears, heiress Jessica Morgan (Reeser) seizes what seems like her last chance to experience a relaxed Christmas and heads off to the small town of Glenbrooke, where she meets a handsome fireman (Cupo).
December 13
Christmas Homecoming
Starring: Taylor Cole and Steve Lund
When a mysterious key and a holiday riddle arrive on their doorsteps, Kate (Cole)and Kevin (Lund) embark on a Christmas romance adventure they’ll never forget.
December 19
Swept Up by Christmas
Starring: An antique seller and a cleaner clash over how to downsize a magnificent estate right before Christmas. As the two uncover the house’s treasures, they find a way to reconnect the reclusive owner with his own Christmases past.
December 20
Project Christmas Wish
For years Lucy has played Santa to her small town’s community by making their holiday wishes come true. But when Lucy grants a little girl’s wish for a Christmas like she used to have with her Mom, she unexpectedly finds her own wishes coming true in life and love.
The Daytime Emmy-nominated series Home & Family will also have holiday-centric episodes. You can also keep the Christmas cheer going by tuning in to Hallmark Channel Radio and Hallmark Channels’ Bubbly Sesh Podcast.
Sourse: hollywoodlife.com
