It's not the holidays until you're swooning over the best Hallmark Christmas movies! Here's what to put on your must-watch list this year.
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Hallmark Christmas movies you won’t be able to resist
What’s sweeter than a Christmas cookie or a kiss under the mistletoe? A Hallmark Christmas movie, of course! You’re also likely to see both of those things in these romantic Christmas movies, along with loads of gorgeous Christmas tree ideas. And there are plenty of Hallmark Christmas movies to choose from: The network has aired more than 300 of them since 2009, and there are another 31 on the way in 2022, much to the delight of fans everywhere.
After all, what’s not to love? These Christmas movies are filled with romance, hunky strangers and heartwarming lessons about what really matters in life. You can also read some Christmas romance books to feel the butterflies. Yes, they’re a little (er, a lot) predictable. But what’s wrong with some easy-peasy, sugar-coated romance wrapped up in a bow? Absolutely nothing!
We’ve rounded up the best brand-new movies we can’t wait to watch, along with some of our old favorites. They’re all part of Hallmark’s Christmas Movie Countdown, which starts in early November to really get you in the spirit. Watch them live, on the Hallmark TV streaming app or on Amazon Prime Video while you bake, wrap or snuggle up on the couch. Once you’ve had your fill, check out our favorite Lifetime Christmas movies and Christmas movies for kids. Think of it as our gift to you this Christmas!
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via hallmarkchannel.com
All Saints Christmas
Release date: Nov. 6, 2022
Starring: Ledisi and Roger Cross
Grammy-award winning singer Ledisi stars as R&B star Lisette in this Christmas romance about heading home for Christmas. Lisette’s already broken up with her music-exec boyfriend, but after a public relations snafu, it seems like they’re engaged. She could always come clean, but now her family expects her to bring her “fiancé” home for the holidays. Can you see where this is going? Roger Cross plays the ex who travels with Lisette to New Orleans for the jazz-infused, festive family fun. Expect to find some excellent tunes to add to your Christmas playlist.
Starring: Alison Sweeney, Luke Macfarlane and Marlo Thomas
If you love winter wonderlands, snowy small towns and stunning Christmas light shows, Hallmark is going to hook you up. In A Magical Christmas Village, Marlo Thomas stars as Vivian, a woman who moves in with her single-mom daughter and granddaughter, Chloe. Vivian arranges the family’s heirloom miniature-village setup—you know, with the little lights and figurines—and lets Chloe know it has magical powers. Chloe puts the little pieces together in ways that seem to mimic real life … and just may end up sparking a holiday romance for her mom.
Get ready for Hallmark’s long-anticipated and first-ever LGBTQ moviefor Christmas! In The Holiday Sitter, two parents are called away, and who better to enlist for help than a busy uncle with no child-care experience? Jonathan Bennett, who you may know from Mean Girls and 2020’s The Christmas House, plays Sam, who is completely out of his element while babysitting his niece and nephew. Enter the handsome neighbor. Sparks fly when the boy next door, Jason, offers Sam some help wrangling the kiddos and making the holiday magical.
Hallmark Christmas movies are famous for their famous cast members, including superstars like Mariah Carey and Dolly Parton. Hanukkah on Rye features Lisa Loeb, whom you may remember for her ’90s power hit “Stay (I Missed You).” Loeb co-stars with Jeremy Jordan and Yael Grobglas as a matchmaker who hooks up rival deli owners. It sounds like a small-business holiday conflict provides the setup for unexpected romance in this Hanukkah movie.
Want to feel like you’re inside a Hallmark holiday movie? These Hallmark holiday suites will transport you into your very own rom-com.
via hallmarkchannel.com
Holiday Heritage
Release date: Dec. 16, 2022
Starring: Lyndie Greenwood and Brooks Darnell
It’s 2022—and high time Hallmark Christmas movies featured more inclusive holiday traditions. In addition to an LGBTQ theme in The Holiday Sitter, the network is exploring Kwanzaa and its rich traditions in Holiday Heritage. This touching drama centers on a family in need of healing, and they find it by embracing their cultural legacy. Lyndie Greenwood plays Ella, who goes home for the holidays and ends up reconnecting with her ex. Ella just may realize that the man she left behind is the one after all, especially when he steps up to help her family.
If Christmas shopping is your jam—or, more accurately, your cup of tea, since this Hallmark Christmas movie is set in London—put Jolly Good Christmas on your list. It follows a successful American architect, David (Will Kemp), who buys a gift card as a present for his girlfriend. A gift card? You can do better than that, David! He finds himself getting close to a professional shopper, Anji (Reshma Shetty), as the two run around London in search of the perfect gift. Try not to wait until the last minute to do your holiday shopping, but if you do, these stores will be open on Christmas!
We love a good party, but can you imagine squeezing in a high school reunion during the usual office parties, Christmas pageants and small-town festivals of the season? This Hallmark Christmas movie dives right into the chaos of that scenario. It follows a self-described “cursed class” 15 years after their graduation, as they reconnect and possibly find a little romance along the way. If you’re thinking of hosting a get-together, check out these fun Christmas party themes for an epic bash.
When you’re a world-famous pop star, you’ve got all the attention you can handle … but maybe not the kind of attention you truly need. In this new Hallmark Christmas movie, Noemi Gonzalez (who starred as real-life singer Selena in the recent Netflix series) plays Jaylen, a celebrity heading home for Christmas with her boyfriend. The only problem? He’s not actually her boyfriend! Stephen Huszar plays her super-protective bodyguard, and the two plan to play a fast one on her family.
If one of your favoriteChristmas Eve traditionsentails heading to a Chinese restaurant, just like the family inA Christmas Story, you’ll appreciate this one.InChristmas at the Golden Dragon,a beloved small-town restaurant is closing for good during the holidays. It follows the family who runs the restaurant and the interconnected stories with the customers in the town, providing a sweet setup for a movie about family, food and community.
Starring: Shannon Chan-Kent, Shannon Kook and Tia Carrere
The madcap plot of A Big Fat Family Christmas sounds like something out of a big-screenromantic comedy. An up-and-coming photographer is hired to shoot the chic Christmas extravaganza hosted by a noteworthy family. It’s an amazing opportunity for her career. The only hitch is that this is actually her family! But she’s keeping that under wraps, especially in front of her co-worker, who’s along for the ride. Once she finds herself falling for him, things get even more complicated.
You might have seen Christopher Russell in a spate of Hallmark romance movies, including Warming Up to You, Where Your Heart Belongs and Chasing Waterfalls. Now, he’s playing the lead in this Hallmark Christmas movie about an elementary school teacher who realizes he’s colorblind. One of his students happens to have a mom who’s an optometrist … and also happens to be single. Do you see where this is heading? The Most Colorful Time of the Year is certain to be a sweet, swoon-inducing Christmas story you won’t want to miss.
This 2021 film reunites Desperate Housewives co-stars Teri Hatcher and James Denton (aka lovebirds Susan and Mike). Denton plays a real-estate executive and father of two who’s dissatisfied with his life. Things take a turn for the magical when he wakes up and finds everything has changed—and he doesn’t love it. He’ll have to win over the woman who’s supposed to be his wife in order to reclaim his life.
A busy young woman played by Olivia Washington (Denzel’s daughter!) plans a quick visit to Grandma’s house, but when her grandmother gets injured, she’s forced to stay on as a caregiver. When she’s put in charge of a Christmas event, she finds herself unexpectedly pulled into the new community and discovers that she loves Christmas more than she knew—especially when she reconnects with an old friend who runs the local hardware shop.This 2021 movie airs again this season (and you can also catch it anytime on Amazon Prime Video), and watching it just may become your new Christmas tradition.
There’s more romance and time-capsule magic in this 2021 fan favorite. Pop singer Jordin Sparks (of American Idol fame) stars as a writer caught up in her career and questioning her choices. Like the heroines in most Hallmark Christmas movies, she’s in for some romance, and this one involves a handsome chef.
Starring: Robert Buckley, Jonathan Bennett, Treat Williams and Sharon Lawrence
Not only is TheChristmas House one of the best Hallmark Christmas movies around, but it was also the first to openly feature an LGBTQ marriage and relationship. Treat Williams and Sharon Lawrence play the parents of two adult sons who return home for Christmas only to find their family home is going up for sale. Watch for a heartwarming adoption story and a holiday-decor transformation that needs to be seen to be believed.
The original cast from the popular Christmas House movie returns for part two of the holiday-decor saga. Robert Buckley and Jonathan Bennett star as brothers whose parents put up amazing Christmas decorations each year. In the sequel, the brothers find themselves in a battle to plan and produce the best Christmas house. This was one of the most popular Hallmark Christmas movie series of the past few years, and fans love its over-the-top Christmas decor and inclusive storylines.
This movie, adapted from a popular novel, features everyone’s favorite romantic plot device: time travel. A woman is working as a tour guide in a historic mansion when the original owner shows up—from 1903. She’s recovering from a breakup, but the man turns out to be the ideal suitor. Too bad he’s not from this century. You’ll love the amusing setups as an old-time gentleman grapples with 21st-century updates. It’s airing again during this year’s Hallmark Countdown to Christmas, but it’s truly timeless onAmazon.
What do you do when the perfect tree for your community festival grows on the property of a single dad who’s lukewarm on the whole idea of Christmas? You ask him to donate it, naturally. Also, you fall in love. Hey, this is Hallmark—what did you expect?
Lacey Chabert stars in one of the most popular Hallmark Christmas movies, Christmas Waltz. If you don’t recognize her from her days on Party of Five or her memorable turn in Mean Girls, you probably know her as a Hallmark star who returns to the network’s holiday lineup year after year. This story follows a woman who took up ballroom dancing to perform at her wedding. After the wedding is called off, she continues with the dance lessons anyway, falling head over heels for the dashing instructor (played by pro ballet dancer Will Kemp).
Starring: Candace Cameron Bure and Warren Christie
“If I only had a brain, a heart, a home …” Sound familiar? Yep, this Hallmark Christmas movie is an homage to the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz. Candace Cameron Bure (of Full House fame) plays Darcy Gale, a Kansas City publicist who travels to Emerald Education Trust to help out with a charity. The characters are plays on the familiar roles from the original film, and there are even some ruby high heels in this sweet romance—a nod to both the film and traditional Christmas colors.
Starring: Antonio Cayonne and Holly Robinson-Peete
A small town famous for how well it does Christmas is going to open a museum. A local scrooge tries to get in the way in this installment of Hallmark’s Evergreen series, all of whose movies are set in the magical town. The familiar characters are back, working to get town members in the spirit, make the museum happen and bring their community together. Bring your own group together with these Christmas games everyone will enjoy.
Broadway veterans Laura Osnes and Aaron Tveit team up in this fairy-tale romance. Osnes plays a nurse who takes in a mother and her grown son after they’re stranded in a blizzard. Soon, she discovers they’re actually royalty—a queen and an eligible bachelor of a prince traveling abroad during the Christmas holiday. You just know this is going to end well. Hallmark Christmas movies often feature plots about royalty during the holidays, because what’s more festive than castles, balls and the majesty of the holiday season?
Love, Lights, Hanukkah! earns a spot on our Hallmark Christmas movie list for its inclusive vision and heartwarming theme of joy. It follows a woman preparing for Christmas who gets some shocking news: A DNA test reveals she was adopted. When she reconnects with her biological mother, played by Marilu Henner, she discovers her Jewish heritage and learns some new traditions.
In this Hallmark Christmas romance, the two main characters have to learn that their big-city jobs are not the only things that matter. Danica McKellar plays Kayleigh, who heads back to her hometown when she loses her newspaper job. She starts writing a novel, reconnects with her true values and gets reacquainted with her ex. But soon the man who axed her job shows up and wants her back. Want to mix some over-the-top humor with your sweet holiday romances? Put these funny Christmas movies on your must-watch list.
Hallmark Christmas movies love pitting joyful townsfolk against holiday skeptics, and this one is no exception. Maggie Lawson stars as Katie, a writer with a taste for a story who arrives in Evergreen while the town searches for a long-lost Christmas time capsule. As she tries to find the secret to the town’s holiday joy, she falls for one of its residents. Hallmark has several movies set in the charming Christmas town of Evergreen, each one following different characters and events.
In this Hallmark classic, a wedding planner travels to a remote town in Alaska to find a flower that a client insists she needs on her big day. A local resident who helps with the search charms her and makes it the most unforgettable Christmas yet. (FYI, the Jingle Bell is the flower in this movie, but usually it’s the poinsettia that’s associated with Christmas.) Fans love the chemistry between the two leads in this heartwarming romance, and the beautiful flowers will put you right in the Christmas (and wedding!) spirit.
Fate, love, singing and holiday magic! What more could you want in a Hallmark Christmas movie? After going their separate ways following a successful music career, Avery (Chaley Rose) and Jesse (Rome Flynn) meet once again at the Yuletide Festival. Will the Christmas spirit reunite this duo, or will they remain on separate paths? A Christmas Duet features lovely musical performances, so-bad-they’re-adorable Christmas sweaters and a sweet romance that’s meant to be.
Even though it was released in 2006, The Christmas Card remains one of the most-popular, most-watched Hallmark Christmas movies ever. This sweeping romance centers on a soldier who receives an anonymous holiday letter, then tracks down the woman who sent it. Sparks fly when they meet, but she’s involved with someone else. Fans love this film for the way it honors the military and shows the power of letters sent to soldiers stationed overseas.Here are some tips to make your own Christmas card messages extra special.
An unlikely pair is the right type of pair in Christmas at Pemberly Manor, amodern retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. When event planner Elizabeth Bennet travels to a small town to work on its holiday festival, she meets William Darcy—the high-profile billionaire trying to sell the venue she planned to use. She convinces him to hold off on the sale, and they start falling for each other as they plan the festival together. But when the event gets shut down, Elizabeth has to hope for a Christmas miracle.
While producing an annual Christmas special, Maggie Baker unwittingly falls for the host’s son and former producer, Danny Wise (Chad Michael Murray). When she tries to reunite the Wise family during a live broadcasting, things don’t go as planned. This 2018 film is filled with charming mishaps that keep making a girl trying to avoid love fall right into it. In the end, Maggie also remembers that Christmas is truly about our love for family and friends. TheseChristmas quotes will also help you do the same.
This tale plays up the magic and delight of a toy store at Christmas … though it will also tug at your heartstrings. Six-year-old Holly hasn’t spoken since a tragic accident left her in the care of her three uncles. When the local toy store becomes her haven, its recently jilted proprietor, Maggie, finds a dose of unexpected romance with Holly’s uncle Mark. The sweetness of the little girl at the center of this inspiring story will warm your heart, and it’s a good one to watch with the whole family, including little ones. That said, if you’re looking for straight-up Christmas movies for kids, we have plenty of those too!
In A Very Merry Mix-Up, Alicia Witt stars as Alice, a woman traveling to meet her future in-laws over Christmas. After a series of mishaps, she finds herself delighted by her fiancé’s brother and his wonderful family. But is this really her fiancé’s family, or do they just share the same last name? Get ready for a heartwarming mix-up that you’ll want to watch again and again.
How do you know when the one is really the one? Often, a romance-movie heroine is faced with a choice, and Christmas at the Plaza has that same setup in a gorgeous holiday setting. During her work on a Christmas exhibition at New York City’s famous Plaza Hotel, archival historian Jessica meets Nick. The two spend hours together, engaging in various festivities and Christmas traditions. So cute, right? Problem is, Jessica is in a relationship and must choose who she’ll spend Christmas with.
This fan favorite stars Candace Cameron Bure as a Grinch-like executive who doesn’t do Christmas. She has a change of heart, however, while transforming an old-fashioned ski lodge into a hip winter hot spot. Her property guide, played by noted Hallmark Christmas movies hunk Jesse Hutch, gets her to rethink her views on Christmas and romance. Hallmark Christmas movies can convert even the most stalwart scrooge into a Christmas obsessive—which happens in the movie and for anyone watching. This one will also make you want to book a Christmas getaway.
Starring: Henry Winkler, Brooke Burns and Warren Christie
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year doesn’t disappoint. Jennifer is a single mom (and a Christmas Scrooge) whose son doesn’t believe in Santa. When her uncle arrives for a holiday visit, he brings along Morgan, a handsome stranger from his flight who needs a place to stay for the holidays. Morgan’s adventurous spirit creates Christmas magic for the little boy, and he just might be stealing Jennifer’s heart as well. Uncle Ralph is played by Henry Winkler, formerly known as The Fonz, in a heartwarming role that showcases the actor’s signature pizazz and twinkle.
Fans love the Hallmark Christmas movies formula: Boy meets girl, but girl is inevitably dating the wrong guy. In the case of One Starry Christmas, Holly’s boyfriend abandons her over the holidays. Good thing a handsome and very romantic cowboy comes along. While the two bond over their love for the constellations, you’ll have stars in your eyes and a twinkle in your heart.
Starring: Mariah Carey, Lacey Chabert and Kathy Najimy
Mariah Carey lends her star power and directing chops to this beloved movie about a school’s snowflake pageant. Lacey Chabert stars as a single mom who returns to her Ohio hometown to start over. She finds herself smack-dab in the middle of an old high school rivalry with Carey’s character, who’s now PTA president. With dollops of Christmas spirit, the two work out their differences and put on a great show with Christmas music and classics like “12 Days of Christmas.” And the hot music teacher is on hand to add some romance for Chabert.
Starring: Danica McKellar, Ellie Botterill and Pavel Douglas
Get ready for some royal Christmas revelry! Danica McKellar stars as a maid turned governess tasked with taking care of Princess Theodora in Crown for Christmas. The young princess is a royal pain, but only because she’s just lost her mother. Her father, King Max, takes a liking to the American governess. Too bad he’s already engaged to a countess. Or is he? Get ready to ogle a gorgeous castle decked out in the perfect Christmas decor—and for your inner princess to totally swoon.
Here’s another Candace Cameron Bure Christmas classic that features a big-city gal learning a major life lesson from a small town. When Lauren is forced to take a medical job in an Alaskan village, she takes comfort in knowing the move is only temporary. Soon, though, she finds herself falling for the heartwarming residents and the handsome local who shows her how to slow down.With its small-town setting, you may get some stellar outdoor Christmas decoration ideas for your own home.
Candace Cameron Bure is back again, this time as Hanna, a World War II nurse who time-travels to the present after she’s knocked unconscious during a storm. A handsome policeman finds her and offers her a place to stay, and, well, you might think you know what happens next, but this is a Hallmark Christmas movie with a twist. Watch to find out what happens, and enjoy some miracles and heartfelt lessons as Hanna realizes the bonds of family and the true meaning of Christmas are timeless.
In this Christmas flick, the Northpole is as magical as ever. The rest of the world? Not so much. The hustle and bustle of people’s everyday lives has left them without time to spend time together and embrace holiday traditions—and it’s draining the magic right out of Santa’s hometown. A 10-year-old boy who believes in elves just might be able to save Christmas. First, though, he has to convince his stressed-out single mom (Tiffani Thiessen) that the magic is real and that even the smallest of changes can lead to some really big ones.
Lacey Chabert stars as a fish-out-of-water princess-to-be in this romantic fairy tale about fitting in with royalty. Emily is a working-class seamstress swept into courtly life when she finds out her boyfriend is a monarch. The queen, played by Jane Seymour, invites his ex-girlfriend, a countess, to Christmas. Sparks fly in this sweet story about staying true to yourself and finding love.
Based on a Christmas book by beloved novelist Debbie Macomber, this Hallmark Christmas movie stars James Van Der Beek as Seth Webster, a recent widower who’s parenting two boys all on his own. Enter the much-cherished Doris Roberts as a miraculous nanny whose winning performance makes this film a big fan favorite. Mrs. Miracle gets everything in order, including Seth’s love life, just in time for Christmas. This is one of the films from Hallmark’s first year creating Countdown to Christmas movies.
Layla dreads Christmastime. She doesn’t have a date to her cousin’s holiday wedding, and even worse, the groom is Layla’s ex. Enter Seth, who impulsively announces their engagement. The two get stuck keeping up the pretense, and they just might fall in love for real. Yes, it’s a familiar romantic comedy plot, but this Hallmark Christmas movie keeps things fresh and lively with a wholesome heartbeat at the center. If you’re a fan of wedding movies and Christmas movies, A December Bride will steal your heart.
Fans who love Christmas movies that revel in the nostalgia and charm of holiday window displays will fall for this film. Two department store window dressers enter a competition to see who can create the best Christmas displays during the holiday season. They’re competing for the same job—instant enemies, right? Well, what starts as a rivalry blossoms into something sweeter. This is the perfect love-hate rom-com to get grinches into the Christmas spirit and put a little fire into anyone’s heart. Expect to get some great DIY Christmas decoration ideas from their gorgeous displays.
Starring: Danny Glover, Dermot Mulroney and Kimberly Williams-Paisley
This movie woos fans with its all-star cast, heartwarming love story and enticing setting: a train bound for Christmas holiday destinations. Dermot Mulroney stars as a journalist who gets a second chance with an old flame (Kimberly Williams-Paisley). Is this Christmas the right time to renew an old affair? Danny Glover and Joan Cusack add to the star power.
Tia Mowry-Hardrict (you know her from Sister, Sister) stars as architect Taylor Scott, who’s hesitant to put down roots but is willing to put up walls during a life-size gingerbread-house-building competition. To best her rivals, she solicits the help of a local baker, played by Duane Henry. The single dad invites Taylor into his home, introduces her to his daughter and shows her what home really means. Spoiler alert: They fall in love. And you’ll love the sugary chemistry between the leads in this feel-good favorite.
Starring: Dolly Parton, Danica McKellar and Niall Matter
Who doesn’t love a little Dolly Parton? Unfortunately, she appears in the movie for only a couple of minutes. But don’t worry—you’ll still fall for this hate-to-love romance with a country twang. Rachel (Danica McKellar), a New York City event planner working on the famous theme park’s 30th Smoky Mountain Christmas celebration, joins forces with the park’s director of operations to pull off the event. He might be resistant to help, but it’s not long before they form a bond. As far as Christmas themes go, nothing says fun quite like Dollywood.
When an aging movie star works to repair the bond between himself and his estranged family, he is suddenly asked to care for his granddaughter. The two connect as he helps her prepare for the school Christmas pageant. While Hallmark Christmas movies are typically known for romance, you’ll appreciate the focus on the love between a grandfather and his grandchild in this one. This was actually one of actor Ernest Borgnine’s final roles: He was 90 when he was nominated for a Golden Globe for his moving performance in this heartwarming drama.
In ‘Tis the Season to Be Merry, Rachel Leigh Cook stars as Merry, an author writing a book about relationships. Christmas season gets complicated when the love expert doesn’t have as much expertise on the subject as she claimed! She travels to a snowy Vermont town, where she meets Chris, played by Travis Van Winkle, who just may give her a new perspective on life and love. Next, check out these funny Christmas jokes to spread even more joy.
Molly is a writer and collage artist with a PhD in film and cultural studies from the University of Pittsburgh. Her professional astrology services and artwork are available at Baroque Moon Astrology. She covers the zodiac, books, movies, TV and culture for Reader’s Digest, and loves to talk about all the ways we make meaning.
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