It used to be that once the Christmas aisles were up in your local store, you knew it was time to celebrate the season. But for the past 15 years, nothing has quite said “Oh, it’s Christmas time” like The Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas programming. And this year, you can get into the holly, jolly spirit super early because Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas 2024 is kicking off on Friday, Oct. 18, at 8:00 p.m. EST. And while some of your favorites will be included, Hallmark is also launching a whopping 47 brand new Christmas movies across Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Mysteries, and Hallmark+. Now, that’s how you celebrate 15 years of festive goodness.
Once the Countdown to Christmas begins, you can catch brand new holiday movies every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 8:00 p.m. on Hallmark Channel, and all-new movies every Thursday at 8 p.m. on Hallmark Mysteries. (Thanksgiving week, you can find that new movie on Wednesday night instead.)
And if that’s not enough Christmas action, the brand new streaming platform Hallmark+ will be premiering seven of those new 47 movies, along with four seasonal series so you always have something festive to watch. Plans start at $7.99/month if you haven’t joined yet, and you can also enjoy a free one-month trial.
In addition to the series and movies, Hallmark+ will have tons of your favorite Hallmark Christmas movies to stream, including the entire lineup from 2023, but I’m also personally excited for a fun reality show starring Jonathan Bennett and Melissa Peterman called Finding Mr. Christmas. In this The-Bachelor-meets-Santa spin, 10 handsome, Hallmark-worthy men will compete to win a role opposite Jessica Lowndes in the Hallmark movie Happy Howlidays. And if you still need more Christmas reality show content, you can also check out Ready, Set, Glow! with Hallmark superstar Wes Brown as he travels the country to spotlight some pretty incredible light displays and hear the stories behind them.
All of this and more is included in the Hallmark Countdown to Christmas programming, and I am just beside myself. With stars like Tamera Mowry-Housley, Angela Kinsey, Caroline Rhea, Ashley Greene, and, of course, Lacey Chabert, there is plenty to get excited about — and you can even find the entire lineup online.
I’ve always got Hallmark on in the background during the holiday season so I can catch some sweet romance and festive family cheer whenever it’s on, but here are a few titles I’m especially looking forward to sitting down with a cup of cocoa and enjoying:
- Confessions of a Christmas Letter, premiering at 8 p.m. EST, Sunday, Nov. 17 — Starring Angela Kinsey (squee!), as a “quirky family matriarch,” this funny movie is full of mishaps, romance, and a Christmas letter-writing contest.
- A ‘90s Christmas, premiering at 6 p.m. EST, Friday, Nov. 29 — This one stars Eva Bourne as a workaholic lawyer who finds herself transported to Christmas 1999 to figure out where so many things went wrong. It’s bound to be full of pure nostalgia, and for those of us who fondly remember our ‘90s Christmases, it’s sure to get us in our feels.
- Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story, premiering at 8 p.m. EST, Saturday, Nov. 30 — While this one doesn’t have Taylor Swift or Travis Kelce starring, the adorable football-themed movie includes a lucky Chiefs hat, a whole lot of family love, and some cameos by Coach Andy Reid. It just looks so fun and spirited, and who could argue with that?
- Sugarplummed, premiering at 8 p.m. EST, Saturday, Dec. 7 — This movie stars Maggie Lawson as a woman who wants to create the perfect, flawless family Christmas like the one she sees in all of her favorite Christmas movies. (Relatable.) But when a character from the movie she’s watching pops out to help, things go not-so-flawlessly.
- The Santa Class, premiering at 8 p.m. EST, Saturday, Dec. 14 — Starring Kimberley Sustad as a woman who has to take over her father’s struggling Santa school, there is a whole lot of sweet, festive magic in this one featuring everyone’s favorite jolly guy. (And yes, you can totally watch this with your Santa-believing kids.)
Whether you’re a Hallmark Mystery fan, into the series, or just want a new Christmas movie to attach to this year, the Hallmark Countdown to Christmas 2024 lineup has you covered. Now, go ahead and find that sugar cookie recipe. You’ll need it soon.
