5 Hallmark Countdown to Christmas 2026 Movies to Watch

Hallmark is getting a head start on the holidays again, and its 2026 Countdown to Christmas lineup gives viewers plenty to circle on the calendar. The event runs from October 16 through December 25, with 34 new romantic holiday movies and a new season of Mistletoe Murders. That’s a lot of mistletoe to sort through. Looking for a place to start? These five premieres offer everything from an NFL romance and a Christmas Eve time loop to a trip through Walt Disney World.

A football romance and a Christmas Eve that will not end

Hallmark opens the season with a familiar playbook, then tries a different kind of holiday magic in November. One story takes its leads into a city of devoted football fans; the other makes its hero live the same day over and over. Both give a classic seasonal romance a hook that’s hard to ignore.

Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story

After bringing its Holiday Touchdown series to Kansas City and Buffalo, Hallmark heads to Chicago. Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story premieres Saturday, October 17, at 8 p.m. Eastern. Lyndsy Fonseca plays Avery Clark, a reporter assigned to write about Darlene, an elderly Bears superfan played by Marsha Mason.

There’s one problem: Avery knows next to nothing about football. Darlene’s grandson Matt, played by Robert Buckley, steps in to help her understand the game, and their connection soon becomes more than professional. The premise is made for playful lessons, family warmth and the kind of chemistry that makes an assignment feel suspiciously like destiny.

Bears fans have another reason to tune in: former player Mike Singletary and quarterback Caleb Williams are among the football figures making appearances. Even viewers who can’t explain a first down can appreciate the setup. Avery is learning about a sport, but the person teaching her may be the real story.

The Nights Before Christmas

If your favorite holiday movie needs a little existential panic with its romance, The Nights Before Christmas belongs on your watchlist. Premiering Saturday, November 14, at 8 p.m. Eastern, it stars Tyler Hynes as Marty, a man so stuck in his routine that he rarely stops to enjoy life.

Then Marty wakes up after Christmas Eve and discovers it’s Christmas Eve again. And again. The time-loop setup promises plenty of comic frustration, but things get more complicated when he meets Chloe, a recently fired journalist played by Laci J. Mailey. Marty falls for her, only to wake up and face the same day once more.

His challenge is no longer just getting to Christmas Day. He also has to find a way to pursue a relationship when tomorrow never seems to arrive. If you love Groundhog Day and wish it came with more holiday decorations, this could be the season’s most intriguing bit of magic.

A dream vacation and a very long trip home

Two late-November premieres put their couples on the move, though their travel experiences couldn’t be more different. One finds a second chance at a spectacular vacation destination; the other turns canceled flights into an unexpected road trip. Either way, the itinerary is about to change.

Holiday Ever After: A Disney World Wish Come True

Hallmark and Walt Disney World are teaming up for the network’s first movie filmed at the resort. Holiday Ever After: A Disney World Wish Come True premieres Saturday, November 28, at 8 p.m. Eastern. Lacey Chabert stars as Lindsey, who takes a family Disney vacation while recovering from a terrible first date.

That date was with Philip, played by Travis Van Winkle. Naturally, his family ends up staying in the room next to hers. What could have been an awkward encounter becomes a second chance for two people who may have judged each other too quickly.

The Disney World setting is an obvious draw, but the romance starts in a promisingly awkward place. Lindsey can’t simply leave a bad date behind when the man in question keeps turning up nearby. Chabert has said that being asked to join the film brought her to tears. Viewers who’ve ever dreamed of a holiday at the resort may understand why.

Miles to Christmas

Not every holiday traveler gets a magical resort stay. In Miles to Christmas, Cassidy Fields, played by Ashley Williams, sees her plans collapse after a snowstorm leads to two canceled flights. Determined to get home and see her father for Christmas, the no-nonsense businesswoman hits the road with semi-truck driver Chase Woods, played by Steve Lund.

The movie premieres Sunday, November 29, at 8 p.m. Eastern. Chase’s sister Jo, played by Alison Sweeney, joins the story, giving Cassidy someone else to connect with despite their different personalities. As Cassidy and Chase spend time together, the detour begins to look less like a disaster and more like the start of something worthwhile.

Holiday travel is stressful enough, which makes this premise easy to relate to. Miles to Christmas asks what happens when getting stranded forces someone to slow down, accept help and find common ground with people she might never have met otherwise.

One gala, two favors and a possible Christmas romance

By mid-December, Hallmark swaps highways and hotel rooms for a music museum gala. This final pick brings a reclusive star, a treasured family keepsake and two determined guests together under one festive roof.

Hearts All Aglow

Hearts All Aglow premieres Friday, December 18, at 8 p.m. Eastern. Holly Robinson Peete plays Tasha, a world-famous singer hosting a Christmas gala at the music museum she founded. She’s famously hard to reach, though, which leaves two guests struggling to get a moment with her.

Mari, a music historian played by Mishael Morgan, hopes to interview Tasha and ask her for a favor. Julian, a local attorney played by B.J. Britt, has a more personal request. He donated sheet music signed by Nat King Cole, once owned by his late mother, but his sister now wants it as a Christmas gift for her daughter.

Mari and Julian team up, entering the gala’s party games to improve their chances of speaking with Tasha. Their plan might help them get what they came for, but the romance growing between them could be the night’s bigger surprise. Robinson Peete will also appear in Season 3 of Mistletoe Murders, making this a particularly busy Hallmark holiday for her.

With 34 new movies on the schedule, there’ll be plenty more to discover. Whether you’re after football cameos, a time-bending love story or a romance sparked by a trip gone wrong, these five give Countdown to Christmas a strong start.