There are certain days on the calendar that deserve a little extra attention, and today is one of them. Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas starts tonight, y’all! 🎄 And if you’ve been around here for a while, you already know I’m not about to act normal about this.
I wait for this all year. I love fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and everything that comes with the holiday season, but there’s just something about settling in to watch a brand-new Hallmark Christmas movie that makes me ridiculously happy. Give me a comfy spot, some Christmas lights, and a little holiday romance, and I’m a happy woman.
And no, I do not care if some people think the movies are predictable. Sometimes predictable is exactly what I want. I know there will probably be a charming little town, a Christmas festival, a career-minded woman who needs to slow down, and a handsome fella who somehow manages to make her rethink her entire life before December 25. I’m here for it!
Hallmark Countdown to Christmas Starts Tonight!
This year’s Countdown to Christmas kicks off Friday, October 16, with a whopping 34 new original Christmas movies. That’s ten more than last year, so Hallmark apparently decided we needed even more reasons to abandon our responsibilities and park ourselves in front of the television. Who am I to argue?
Countdown to Christmas 2026
New movies will premiere on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, which means there’s a whole lot of Christmas waiting for us over the next several weeks.
The first movie, ‘Tis the Season for Setups, premieres tonight at 7 p.m. Central on Hallmark Channel. It stars Amanda Schull, Victor Webster, and Barbara Niven. The story follows a party planner who heads to a ski resort for Christmas and finds herself playing matchmaker for her mother and the lodge owner’s father. Naturally, her own plans for romance get a little complicated along the way.
Hallmark Channel
Honestly, a Christmas ski lodge and a little matchmaking sound like a perfectly good way to kick things off.
A Few New Hallmark Christmas Movies on My Radar
Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story
Football and Christmas? Now we’re talking!
The latest installment in Hallmark’s Holiday Touchdown movies brings the holiday romance to Chicago Bears territory. Lyndsy Fonseca and Robert Buckley star in this year’s story, which premieres Saturday, October 17.
The movie follows a freelance reporter who returns to Chicago hoping to spend time with family but winds up chasing a story involving a devoted Bears fan. She might know her way around a newsroom, but football isn’t exactly her specialty. I can already see where this one is headed, and I’m not complaining one bit.
Countdown to Christmas 2026
Holiday Ever After: A Disney World Wish Come True
Y’all, they had me at Disney World!
Lacey Chabert and Travis Van Winkle star in this Christmas romance set at Walt Disney World Resort. Lindsey Chabert’s character is planning a family Christmas vacation when she discovers that her hotel neighbor is a disastrous first date she’d probably rather forget.
Of course, being stuck next door to somebody over the holidays leaves plenty of room for a change of heart. This one premieres November 28, and I’m especially curious to see all the Christmas decorations at Disney World. That place knows how to do the holidays!
Countdown to Christmas 2026
A Grand Biltmore Christmas
Remember A Biltmore Christmas from 2023? Hallmark is taking us back to that magical setting with A Grand Biltmore Christmas, arriving December 5.
This time, the story involves a woman from 1895 who finds herself transported to the present after an encounter involving a mysterious hourglass at Biltmore House. Holland Roden, Niall Matter, Andie MacDowell, and Jonathan Frakes are among the stars.
Time travel, a gorgeous historic estate, and Christmas? This one sounds right up my alley. I love a Christmas movie with a little something extra to the storyline, and I’m looking forward to seeing how they handle this one.
Countdown to Christmas 2026
My Old Hallmark Favorites Will Always Have a Place
As excited as I am about the new movies, let’s be honest. Sometimes I want to revisit the ones I already know and love. There are a few Hallmark Christmas movies that have earned a permanent spot on my holiday watchlist, and I’m not about to leave them behind just because there’s something new on the schedule.
Haul Out the Holly
Oh, Haul Out the Holly. This one is just plain fun!
Lacey Chabert and Wes Brown lead the cast, with Melissa Peterman, Stephen Tobolowsky, and Ellen Travolta adding to the neighborhood shenanigans. Emily gets pulled into the Christmas festivities on Evergreen Lane, where the neighbors take their holiday traditions VERY seriously.
And when I say seriously, I mean these folks could probably organize a military operation with the way they handle Christmas decorations.
I love the over-the-top neighborhood antics, the decorations, and the fact that this movie doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s one of those movies I can happily watch again, even when I already know what’s coming. And if you haven’t watched Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up, the sequel brings the gang back for another round of Evergreen Lane Christmas chaos.
Hallmark Channel
The Christmas House
The Christmas House is another one that holds a special place on my Christmas movie list.
Starring Robert Buckley, Jonathan Bennett, Treat Williams, and Sharon Lawrence, this movie brings a family back together as they work to recreate their elaborate Christmas house tradition. Along the way, the family faces personal changes and some big moments that remind them what really matters.
What I appreciate about this one is that it gives us more than just a romantic storyline. It’s about family, old traditions, and the way Christmas can bring people together even when life doesn’t go exactly as planned.
And then there’s The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls, which brings back that family Christmas spirit with a little friendly decorating competition thrown into the mix. I love seeing familiar characters return, and this is a pair of movies I can easily revisit during the season.
Hallmark Family
Let the Christmas Movie Marathons Begin
The thing I love most about this time of year is having something to look forward to. The days get a little shorter, the holiday decorations start making their way out of storage, and suddenly it’s perfectly acceptable to watch Christmas movies before Thanksgiving.
Okay, let’s be real. I’ve never needed anybody’s permission to watch a Christmas movie early.
I’m ready for the new stories, the familiar faces, the small-town Christmas settings, and all those wonderfully predictable endings. I’m also ready to discover which new movies will become the ones I look forward to watching again next year.
Will every movie be a winner? Probably not. There are always a few that don’t quite hit the mark for me. But that’s part of the fun, too. I’ll be watching, forming opinions, and deciding which ones deserve a spot on my annual rewatch list.
So, if you’re also a Hallmark Christmas movie fan, consider this your official reminder to get your snacks ready and check the schedule. We’re kicking things off tonight, and Christmas movie season is officially underway!
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a date with my television. Don’t bother me unless it’s important. And if you tell me it’s too early for Christmas movies, well, that’s a you problem. 😂🎄
Happy Countdown to Christmas, y’all!
Lisa Crow contributed to this article. She is a true crime junkie and lifestyle blogger based in Waco, Texas. Lisa is the Head of Content at Gigi’s Ramblings and Southern Bred True Crime Junkie. She spends her free time traveling when she can and making memories with her large family which consists of six children and sixteen grandchildren.