Hallmark Countdown to Christmas 2026 Schedule: First Look

Hallmark has finally put dates to the Christmas movies fans have been tracking for months. Its first look at the 2026 Countdown to Christmas schedule features 34 new movie premieres, from October 16 through December 20. The slate includes familiar Hallmark pairings, a packed Thanksgiving weekend, a Disney World–themed title and even a third season of Mistletoe Murders. Here’s what’s been announced so far, plus the dates worth circling on your calendar.

Christmas starts in October, whether you are ready or not

The first listed movie arrives October 16, and the network’s new-premiere season gets underway the following day. From there, October settles into a Friday-through-Sunday rhythm, familiar to anyone who’s spent an autumn weekend with Hallmark.

The opening stretch also brings back plenty of recognizable performers. Amanda Schull, Victor Webster, Pascale Hutton, Brendan Penny and Janel Parrish are all on the calendar before Halloween is over.

Every October premiere announced so far

• October 16: ’Tis the Season for Setups, with Amanda Schull and Victor Webster.
• October 17: Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story, with Lyndsy Fonseca and Robert Buckley.
• October 18: Mr. and Mrs. Christmas, with Brendan Penny and Pascale Hutton.
• October 23: Winter Wonderlanes, with Ashley Newbrough.
• October 24: Forgotten Holiday, with Janel Parrish and Daniel Lissing.
• October 25: What If Christmas, with Tom Cavanagh and Lori Loughlin.
• October 30: Who’s Coming for Christmas, with Rhiannon Fish and Jake Foy.
• October 31: Adopting St. Nick, with Amy Groening and Michael Rady.

Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story stands out in that first weekend. And October has more than an opening-night curiosity: eight premieres give viewers plenty to sample before November’s busier slate begins.

November is where the schedule gets crowded

Hallmark has 17 movie premieres listed for November, building toward a particularly full Thanksgiving week. Before that rush, viewers can look forward to returning favorites Nikki DeLoach, Luke Macfarlane, Tyler Hynes, Tamera Mowry-Housley and Andrew Walker.

Some titles also sound a little different from the usual holiday fare. My Christmas Cowboy, Christmas in Blue Dog Valley and Double Booked for the Holidays each have a distinct hook, though the first-look announcement offers titles, stars and dates, not detailed stories.

November’s premieres before Thanksgiving

• November 1: A Danish Christmas, with Emilie Ullerup and Corey Sevier.
• November 6: Merry Memories, with Brendan Morgan.
• November 7: Holiday Unplugged, with Nikki DeLoach.
• November 8: A Season of Promises, with Ali Liebert, Brooke D’Orsay and James Denton.
• November 13: My Christmas Cowboy, with Amy Acker and Luke Macfarlane.
• November 14: The Nights Before Christmas, with Tyler Hynes and Laci J. Mailey.
• November 15: Mistletoe and Mimosas, with Tamera Mowry-Housley and Kristoffer Polaha.
• November 20: Our Holiday Playbook, with Taylor Cole.
• November 21: Christmas in Blue Dog Valley, with Andrew Walker and Erin Cahill.
• November 22: Double Booked for the Holidays, with Rachael Leigh Cook and Owain Yeoman.

That lineup could fill several weekends on its own. Hallmark’s saving its busiest run for the days when many viewers are settling in for the long holiday weekend.

Thanksgiving weekend brings seven movies in four days

Starting November 26, the schedule shifts into a Thanksgiving-week programming block. Seven films premiere from Thursday through Sunday, with two new titles each on November 27, 28 and 29. Anyone hoping to watch them all may want to clear some space on the DVR.

• November 26: Christmas Delivered, with Autumn Reeser and Wes Brown.
• November 27: The Christmas Eve Feast, with Daniella Monet and Kevin McGarry; and Return to Santa, with Rachel Boston and Paul Campbell.
• November 28: The Most Wonderful Secret, with Tammin Sursok and Peter Porte; and Holiday Ever After: A Disney World Wish Come True, with Lacey Chabert and Travis Van Winkle.
• November 29: Eight Nights for Love, with Hunter King and Dan Jeannotte; and Miles to Christmas, with Ashley Williams, Alison Sweeney and Steve Lund.

The Thanksgiving block includes some of the slate’s biggest talking points. Lacey Chabert’s Disney World–themed movie is bound to attract attention, and Miles to Christmas brings three prominent names together at the end of the weekend. For now, the cast lists and premiere dates are the news; more plot details will have to wait.

December still has nine premieres waiting

By December, some holiday schedules begin to wind down. Hallmark’s doesn’t: nine more movies are listed between December 4 and December 20. The month includes A Grand Biltmore Christmas and new films starring Kimberley Sustad, Jessy Schram, Will Kemp and Jonathan Bennett.

There’s a little breathing room after the Thanksgiving marathon, too. The announced dates mostly return to a Friday-through-Sunday pattern, making it easier to pick a weekend favorite.

The December dates to save

• December 4: The Snowflake Effect, with Heather Hemmens and Mark Ghanimé.
• December 5: A Grand Biltmore Christmas, with Holland Roden, Niall Matter and Andie MacDowell.
• December 6: An Angel in My Stocking, with Fiona Gubelmann and Marco Grazzini.
• December 11: Christmas in Canterbury, with Jessy Schram and Will Kemp.
• December 12: Snow Globe Town, with Kimberley Sustad and Scott Michael Foster.
• December 13: Noelle Nomads, with Benjamin Ayres and Torrey DeVitto.
• December 18: Hearts All Aglow, with Mishael Morgan, B.J. Britt and Holly Robinson Peete.
• December 19: Barking All the Way, with Ian Harding.
• December 20: Save the Date for Christmas, with Jonathan Bennett and Italia Ricci.

There is a mystery bonus, too

Movie premieres are only part of the holiday picture. Season three of Mistletoe Murders, starring Sarah Drew and Peter Mooney, is listed for November 5. It arrives just before November’s movie calendar picks up speed, so mystery fans have a date to mark, too.

The first-look report also notes that a reality-TV special appears to be part of this year’s plans, though it doesn’t include details in the movie rundown. As with any schedule announced ahead of time, dates could change. For now, Hallmark has revealed a substantial slate, and the race to choose this year’s must-watch Christmas movie can officially begin.