Hallmark’s 2026 Countdown to Christmas: Full Schedule and Premiere Dates

Cancel your sensible autumn plans: Hallmark is starting Christmas before Halloween, and its 2026 lineup has enough romantic chaos to keep your couch occupied through December. Countdown to Christmas begins Friday, October 16, with 34 new movies, plus a fresh season of Mistletoe Murders and a festive special. The attractions include Lacey Chabert at Disney World, a football-loving grandmother with matchmaking instincts, a return to Biltmore, and several magical objects that absolutely refuse to mind their own business. Here are the premieres, standout stories, and scheduling details worth saving.

The Dates and Streaming Details You Need First

Most new movies premiere on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on Hallmark Channel. Thanksgiving week adds extra premieres, including early-evening showings that could easily slip past your usual viewing routine.

Everything on the schedule will also stream the following day on Hallmark+. So choosing between a family gathering and a fictional family gathering doesn’t have to become your own holiday drama.

Thanksgiving Weekend Deserves Extra Calendar Alerts

November 27, 28, and 29 each feature premieres at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. ET. There’s also a Thanksgiving Day movie on November 26, followed by that week of Mistletoe Murders at the later time of 10 p.m. ET.

The Movies Already Making This Lineup Hard to Resist

Hallmark knows the appeal of a familiar formula, but this schedule has some particularly tempting settings and complications. Between theme-park encounters, time travel, and competitive family traditions, these romances have plenty to work through before the inevitable meaningful glance.

Lacey Chabert Takes an Awkward First Date to Disney World

On November 28 at 8 p.m. ET, Chabert plays Lindsey, whose family Christmas at Disney World comes with an unwelcome surprise: the man from her disastrous recent date is staying next door. Travis Van Winkle co-stars alongside Richard Kind and Christy Carlson Romano. A wish at Cinderella Fountain adds a little holiday magic.

A Bears Superfan Might Be the Ultimate Matchmaker

Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story arrives October 17. Darlene is approaching her 500th Chicago Bears game, a reporter is covering her story, and her firefighter grandson is conveniently available to explain football traditions. Lyndsy Fonseca, Robert Buckley, Marsha Mason, Barbara Alyn Woods, and Khary Payton lead the cast.

Biltmore Gets Another Seriously Complicated Christmas

The December 5 movie stars Holland Roden and Niall Matter in a romance about a woman visiting Biltmore in 1915, a mysterious childhood acquaintance, and a magical hourglass. Andie MacDowell, Jonathan Frakes, Rachel Boston, Wes Brown, and James Trevena also appear as the story crosses centuries.

Your Complete Countdown to Christmas Movie Calendar

Below is the date-by-date movie guide, with stars and storylines. All premieres are at 8 p.m. ET unless otherwise noted.

October starts with matchmaking and second chances. November expands into holiday travel, family competitions, and magical mishaps, while December brings time travel, musical rivalry, and determined canine interference.

October: Christmas Arrives Before the Candy Runs Out

• October 16: Amanda Schull and Victor Webster try matching their parents, only to discover the parents have their own plans. Barbara Niven also stars.
• October 17: Lyndsy Fonseca and Robert Buckley headline the Bears romance built around a devoted grandmother.
• October 18: Brendan Penny and Pascale Hutton connect through a Christmas market as a single dad rethinks family traditions.
• October 23: Ashley Newbrough and Franco Lo Presti reunite while trying to save her late grandfather’s bowling alley.
• October 24: Janel Parrish helps Daniel Lissing recover memories of their relationship after an accident follows her flight from his proposal.
• October 25: Lori Loughlin explores an alternate life through a mysterious ornament, with Tom Cavanagh co-starring.
• October 30: Rhiannon Fish hopes to revive an eight-person Christmas Eve dinner tradition with help from Jake Foy and Mila Morgan.
• October 31: Amy Groening and Michael Rady grow closer through a retirement community where a girl befriends a suspiciously familiar Kris.

November brings the busiest stretch of premieres. Pay particular attention to Thanksgiving weekend, when the schedule doubles up.

November: Football, Family Secrets, and Holiday Magic

• November 1: Emilie Ullerup mistakes Corey Sevier for a travel writer at her family’s Copenhagen inn.
• November 6: Lindura and Brendan Morgan help create a holiday scrapbook for a boy whose mother is deployed.
• November 7: Nikki DeLoach searches for missing videos of her late husband, assisted by Juan Pablo Di Pace.
• November 8: Brooke D’Orsay and Ali Liebert play estranged sisters seeking romance for their widowed father, played by James Denton.
• November 13: Luke Macfarlane faces ranch life and an old grievance in a Texas-set story with Amy Acker and Sara Canning.
• November 14: Tyler Hynes repeatedly relives Christmas Eve while Laci J Mailey forgets their connection after every reset.
• November 15: Tamera Mowry-Housley inherits the Tipsy Reindeer bar and encounters rival manager Kristoffer Polaha. Jennifer Robertson also stars.
• November 20: Taylor Cole recruits Charles Michael Davis as a pretend boyfriend for competitive family flag football.
• November 21: Erin Cahill opens a small-town veterinary practice, with Andrew Walker and a mysterious dog helping her settle in.
• November 22: Rachael Leigh Cook plays identical twins whose Welsh bookshop romances become tangled. Owain Yeoman and Stephen Hagan co-star.
• November 26: Autumn Reeser helps tree farmer Wes Brown fix his delivery app, then joins his Christmas rounds.
• November 27, 6 p.m.: Daniella Monet and Kevin McGarry connect over Boston traditions and the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Giada De Laurentiis executive produces.
• November 27: Paul Campbell receives decades-late childhood wishes, with Rachel Boston helping handle the consequences.
• November 28, 6 p.m.: Tammin Sursok follows a Christmas scavenger hunt, with neighbor Peter Porte lending a hand.
• November 28: Lacey Chabert and Travis Van Winkle navigate their unexpected Disney World reunion.
• November 29, 6 p.m.: Hunter King revisits memories through an antique menorah and reconsiders her friendship with Dan Jeannotte.
• November 29: Ashley Williams, Steve Lund, and Alison Sweeney face canceled flights and an unconventional trip toward Tennessee.

December keeps the premieres coming through the final weekend before Christmas. Expect stranded travelers, unexpected reunions, and romance that refuses to follow anyone’s itinerary.

December: Time Travel and Second Chances Take Over

• December 4: Heather Hemmens and Mark Ghanimé pursue a magical snowflake ornament after a gift exchange unleashes bad luck.
• December 5: Holland Roden and Niall Matter cross centuries in the Biltmore romance.
• December 6: Fiona Gubelmann is stranded with ex-husband Marco Grazzini while guardian angel Nancy Robertson intervenes.
• December 11: Jessy Schram challenges a school performance tradition, irritating fellow choirmaster Will Kemp.
• December 12: Kimberley Sustad finds company with skeptical journalist Scott Michael Foster in a town famous for Christmas proposals.
• December 13: Benjamin Ayres and Torrey DeVitto encounter an unconventional campground Christmas.
• December 18: Mishael Morgan and B.J. Britt team up during gala contests. Holly Robinson Peete also stars.
• December 19: A mischievous dog keeps bringing Tori Anderson back into the orbit of Ian Harding.
• December 20: Jonathan Bennett and Italia Ricci play best friends trying to dodge matchmaking at a Christmas wedding.

Two More Premieres Belong on Your Watchlist

Mistletoe Murders returns Thursday, November 5, with weekly episodes through December 10. Sarah Drew and Peter Mooney solve three new mysteries, with guest appearances from Catherine Bell and Holly Robinson Peete.

Then, on December 5 at 10 p.m. ET, Jonathan Bennett and Melissa Peterman host a special at the Hallmark Christmas Experience. It features familiar stars and a preview of 2027 programming. Apparently, even after all this Christmas, Hallmark is already planning the next round.