Continuing its Christmas tradition, Hallmark Channel is gearing up for the season with a bounty of holiday fare, highlighted by a baker’s dozen of world-premiere telefilms.
The family-friendly service’s “Countdown to Christmas” will encompass over 1,200 hours, starting in November. Its original movie lineup will feature such notables as Naomi Judd, Nicollette Sheridan, Candace Cameron Bure, Bailee Madison, Shannon Elizabeth, Patricia Richardson, Bruce Dern, Colin Mochrie, Kellie Martin and Cameron Mathison.
The following are the network’s descriptions of its upcoming original world premiere movies, two more of which will be announced at a later date:
Pete's Christmas
“Walmart and P&G Present Walden Family Theater"
Friday, November 8 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)
Starring: Zachary Gordon, Molly Parker, Bruce Dern, Bailee Madison, Rick Roberts, Wesley Morgan, Peter DaCunha
An overlooked middle child finds himself in the unexpected spotlight when he realizes his family’s terrible Christmas day keeps repeating. As the only one experiencing the day over and over and over, he decides to use his unique gift to give the holiday a makeover and his family a Christmas they will never forget.
Snow Bride
Saturday, November 9 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)
Starring: Katrina Law, Jordan Belfi, Susie Abromeit, Patricia Richardson, Robert Curtis Brown, Bobby Campo
With the promise of a promotion hanging in the balance, a tabloid reporter races to find juicy gossip about an influential political family. Her cynical opinion of them changes, however, when she inadvertently ends up spending the week leading up to Christmas with the entire family and begins falling for one of their prominent sons.
A Very Merry Mix-Up
Sunday, November 10 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)
Starring: Alicia Witt, Mark Wiebe, Scott Gibson, Susan Hogan, Richard Fitzpatrick, Lawrence Dane
A newly engaged shop owner is nervous to meet her future in-laws at Christmas, especially because she’ll be arriving ahead of her workaholic fiancé. Through a serendipitous series of events, she ends up ringing in the holidays with the wrong family—a warm and loving clan whose son has undeniable chemistry with her. When the mix-up is revealed, she must go spend Christmas with her real future family, who couldn’t be more different, and she is torn between following through with her engagement plans, or following her heart.
The Christmas Ornament
Saturday, November 16 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)
Starring: Kellie Martin, Cameron Mathison, Jewel Staite, Brendan Meyer, Matthew Kevin Anderson
Newly widowed Kathy plans to avoid holiday traditions that will bring back memories of her late husband - especially trimming the tree. When Kathy receives an ornament symbolizing hope from handsome Christmas tree shop owner Tim, she begins to open up to the joys of the season. Not only does she start developing feelings for Tim, but she also explores turning her passion for baking into a career. In order to move on from her loss, Kathy must find the balance between preserving her past memories and finding her future happiness.
Catch a Christmas Star
Sunday, November 17 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)
Starring: Shannon Elizabeth, Steve Byers, Julia Lalonde, Kyle Breitkopf
With the help of his two precocious kids, a widower reconnects with his high school sweetheart, who just happens to be one of the biggest pop stars on the planet. Can their relationship hold up under the glare of the spotlight or will fame get in the way of having a happy holiday reunion?
Window Wonderland
Saturday, November 23 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)
Starring: Chyler Leigh, Paul Campbell, Naomi Judd, Cameron Mathison, Terence Kelly, Matty Finochio
Two very different New York City department store employees, each with secrets of their own, vie for the same high-profile window dressing job during the height of the Christmas shopping season. As the two compete for the coveted job, they just might find they may have more in common than they think.
Fir Crazy
Sunday, November 24 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)
Starring: Sarah Lancaster, Eric Johnson, Colin Mochrie
Busy career woman Elise MacReynolds has no time or desire to participate in Christmas festivities. After losing her job, however, she finds herself in the middle of her worst holiday nightmare: selling trees on her family’s Christmas tree lot! As sparks develop with handsome repeat customer, Darren, the spirit of Christmas and the chance of romance begin to replace Elise’s disgruntled attitude. However, with the lot’s grouchy landlord trying to shut down Elise’s family business, Elise
Let It Snow
Saturday, November 30 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)
Starring: Candace Cameron Bure, Jesse Hutch, Alan Thicke, Gabrielle Rose, Dan Willmott
An executive is sent to tour her company’s newly acquired property and prepare a presentation on how to transform the traditional lodge into a new winter hot spot to impress her boss—who also happens to be her icy father. Although she tries not to let the lodge’s festive traditions interfere with her work, an unexpected romance with the owner’s son and the contagious holiday spirit at the lodge gives her a change of heart. As her deadline approaches, she must convince her dad to embrace tradition and rethink his holiday overhaul, or risk ruining her newfound romance.
The Christmas Spirit
Hallmark Channel Original Movie World Premiere
Sunday, December 1 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)
Starring:Nicollette Sheridan, Olympia Dukakis, Bart Johnson
Charlotte Hart, a distinguished journalist, is spending time with her family over the holidays when a real estate developer approaches their small town with quite an offer. Skeptical and looking for the real scoop, Charlotte drives to see the real estate head honcho to question him. While she’s en route, she gets into a terrible car accident and wakes up in the hospital only to realize that her body is in a coma, but her spirit is very much awake. She meets another spirit, who just happens to be the greedy developer. It turns out that he was on the other end of the accident, and he too is in a coma. With only a few days left before the town votes on the development, Charlotte must try to change the minds of the developer and the town, but that is no easy task when no one can see or hear her.
Hats Off To Christmas!
Saturday, December 14 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)
Starring: Haylie Duff, Antonio Cupo, Sean Michael Kyer
Mia, the loyal and hard-working manager of her small town’s Christmas hat shop, is blindsided when her boss asks her to train his son, Nick, for a vacant upper-management position that Mia had been coveting. Although Nick is a handsome, successful New York City business consultant, Mia finds training him frustrating until Nick takes an interest in helping Mia’s 9-year-old disabled son Scotty. However, Mia’s faith in Nick quickly diminishes when Nick proves to be unreliable, and tries to keep Nick out of her and Scotty’s fragile life. As Mia struggles to find a way to convince Scotty to return to physical therapy so he can walk again, she soon realizes that Nick may just be the Christmas miracle she has been waiting for.
Finding Christmas
Sunday, December 15 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C)
Starring: Tricia Helfer, JT Hodges, Mark Lutz, Cristina Rosato
Sean, a New York adman, swaps his swanky loft for an aspiring musician’s North Carolina cottage after a proposal gone wrong leads him to find a holiday escape. Sparks fly when he meets single mother Ryan. On the other end of the swap, singer Owen is charmed by Sean’s sassy assistant, Mia. As these singles open up their homes, they also unexpectedly open up their hearts for the romantic possibilities in store this Christmas.
