If you love holiday movies as much as I do, then this entry is for you! I know I’m early with this, but if you’re anything like me, that isn’t a problem! I’m putting the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries schedule at the top, since the second of Joanne Fluke’s Hannah Swensen mysteries will be featured in a holiday mystery movie.
Here is the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Channel Countdown to Christmas 2015. (Make sure to mark your calendars!)
Sunday – November 22, 2015 9/8c
Murder, She Baked: A Plum Pudding Mystery
This holiday season, Hannah Swensen is making plum pudding and trying to solve the murder of a man in his own office. It turns out the list of suspects who would have wanted to see the guy dead is a long one, from a bitter ex-wife to exasperated investors. But Hannah is on the case, not to mention ready for a little Christmas season romance. (Based on Joanne Fluke‘s very popular (very Cozy!) Hannah Swensen Mystery Series/)
Starring Alison Sweeney and Cameron Mathison
***** ***** *****
Sunday – November 29, 2015 9/8c
The Christmas Note
Having just moved back to her hometown without her husband but with her young son, Gretchen Daniels finds her life in disarray as Christmas approaches. But she seems to find new purpose when she helps to deliver a message to her new neighbor that makes her an ally in the quest to find the neighbor’s long-missing sibling. The women become bonded not only by the search but by the understanding that being there for each other means they’re no longer alone in the world. And that becomes the greatest Christmas gift of their lives. Based on a bestselling novel by Donna VanLiere.
Starring Jamie-Lynn Sigler
***** ***** *****
Sunday – December 6, 2015 9/8c
Magic Stocking
This holiday tale surrounds Lindsey Monroe – a widow still mourning her husband’s death – and daughter Hannah. When Hannah buys a stocking at their town’s Christmas craft fair, Lindsey suddenly starts to magically find things inside it that begin holding importance in her everyday life. The stocking holds a power and energy that quickly becomes clear, restoring Lindsey’s faith in life and love – and leading her to open up her heart after meeting a handsome artist.
***** ***** *****
Sunday – December 13, 2015 9/8c
Debbie Macomber’s Dashing Through the Snow
Based on a novel by Debbie Macomber, this yuletide movie tells the story of Ashley Harrison (Meghan Ory) and Dash Sutherland (Andrew Walker). She is a crafter based in San Francisco who is desperate to spend the holidays with her family in Seattle and Dash is also in a rush to get there. When Ashley inexplicably encounters a problem with her reservation at the airport ticket counter, she turns to Plan B and attempts to rent a car. But there’s just one vehicle left and Dash beats her to it. Reluctantly, Ashley takes him up on his offer to join him on the road trip. As the pair heads north, their adventures include car trouble, adopting a puppy and being secretly tailed by federal agents, who believe Ashley is up to no good. With a hint of romance gradually filling the air will these two fall in love or will their journey bring about an unexpected road bump to romance?
Starring Meghan Ory and Andrew Walker
***** ***** *****
(All of the above Hallmark Movies & Mysteries descriptions were copied from the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries site.)
***** ***** ***** *****
Here is the Hallmark Channel Countdown to Christmas 2015 schedule. (As I mentioned before, be sure to mark you calendars!)
Sunday – November 1, 2015 8/7c
‘Tis the Season for Love
Beth Baker is an out-of-work actress stuck in New York City without her friends at Christmas time. She decides to return home to the quaint small town she escaped 10 years before and finds a place far different than the hamlet she left. She suddenly finds performing possibilities and even romance that kind of blow her away. Will the holidays prove to be as magical for Beth as they appear, or is it doomed to disappear as quickly as it arrived for a lady who is ready to take chances she could never have imagined a decade before. Then again, this is the kind of thing that seems to happen during the Christmas season all the time.
Starring Sarah Lancaster and Brendan Penny
***** ***** *****
Saturday – November 7, 2015 8/7c
Ice Sculpture Christmas
After starting her first job at a country club restaurant, Callie – an aspiring chef – reconnects with her childhood friend David, whose wealthy family is a member of the club. When David enters Callie into the club’s annual Christmas ice sculpting competition without her knowledge, she’s forced to go head-to-head with her boss, Chef Gloria. Even though ice sculpting is cold work, sparks are ignited between Callie and David as they prepare for the competition as a team. Callie’s passions for cooking and ice sculpting are met with romance and Christmas spirit as she works to create the perfect sculpture.
Starring Rachel Boston and Brenda Strong
***** ***** *****
Sunday – November 8, 2015 8/7c
Charming Christmas
Rossman’s department store prepares for the Christmas season but its employees are not quite in the holiday spirit. As the no-nonsense manager, Meredith, is busy with the store’s possible expansion for her parents, Nick comes to work as Santa Claus and spreads holiday joy throughout Rossman’s. Between making Christmas wishes come true and cracking Meredith’s tough exterior with some holiday romance, the mysterious Nick seems nothing short of saintly. Could this “Saint Nick” be the real Santa Claus?
Starring Julie Benz and David Sutcliffe
***** ***** *****
Saturday – November 14,2015 8/7c
I’m Not Ready for Christmas
Holly finds her world turned upside-down when she suddenly finds herself incapable of lying. (Don’t you hate when that happens?) It’s because of a wish her niece made to Santa Claus. And now, with Christmas coming up fast, she has to come to terms with her natural penchant to want to fib while trying to do the right thing. And that’s no lie.
Starring Alicia Witt, George Stults, Brigid Brannagh, Dan Lauria and Maxwell Caulfield
***** ***** *****
Sunday – November 15, 2015 8/7c
Christmas Incorporated
Sometimes, life just seems to hand you exactly what you need – particularly at Christmastime. In this new yuletide original, Riley is scraping bottom when she miraculously lands a job with a wealthy New York City entrepreneur. He’s a bad-boy socialite type who is poised to play Scrooge by closing one of his factories just before Christmas, which would devastate and entire town. It’s left to Riley to talk him out of it and turn him into a man of virtue rather than shame. But will a case of mistaken identity ruin the whole plan? Watch and find out.
Starring Shenae Grimes-Beech and Steve Lund
***** ***** *****
Saturday – November 21, 2015 8/7c
Northpole: Open for Christmas
When Mackenzie Reed inherits her beloved aunt’s once-majestic hotel, she decides the sensible thing to do is sell it before Christmas. But fixing up the rundown place while managing the hotel staff (including the handyman and his kids) and dealing with demanding guests is more challenging than she had anticipated. That’s when the magic of Christmas intervenes. Mackenzie gets some unexpected help as Clementine and a group of Elves arrive on a special mission from Santa to repair the hotel and at the same time help her to rediscover some hidden talents along with the true meaning of Christmas.
Starring Lori Loughlin, Dermot Mulroney and Bailee Madison
***** ***** *****
Sunday – November 22, 2015 8/7c
Merry Matrimony
In this new holiday treat, Brie is an ad executive who lands her dream assignment organizing the perfect Christmas wedding for a fashion magazine. If all goes well, it’s promised that she’ll be promoted to partner at her agency. But whoops, it seems there’s a little catch: The fashion photographer she’s being partnered with happens to be her ex- fiance’. Uh oh. Now Brie’s got to bring her “A” game to the project while working through all sorts of unresolved feelings and issues. Good luck, Brie. You’re probably going to need it.
Starring Jessica Lowndes and Christopher Russell
***** ***** *****
Wednesday – November 25,2015 8/7c
Once Upon a Holiday
When an actual, honest-to-goodness royal princess runs off from her official obligations and duties for a couple of days to see how the other half lives, she winds up falling for a good Samaritan who is unaware of her real identity. And it happens right around Christmas. Will the guy still feel the same way once he learns the truth? And if this works out, won’t that make him a prince? We’re guessing yes.
Starring Briana Evigan, Paul Campbell and Greg Evigan
***** ***** *****
Thursday – November 26, 2015 8/7c
The 12 Gifts of Christmas
When Anna Russo, an unemployed fine arts painter, is unable to make ends meet, she is hired to become a personal Christmas shopper for Marc, an uptight corporate exec. As they begin working together, Marc learns that Christmas giving has less to do with the amount of money spent and more to do with the importance of the gift, while Anna discovers she might find success as an artist in a way she never expected. The best gift of all of course is the love they discover with one another.
Starring Katrina Law, Aaron O’Connell and Donna Mills
***** ***** *****
Friday – November 27, 2015 8/7c
Crown for Christmas
After getting fired from her job as a maid at a ritzy New York City hotel, Allie reluctantly accepts a temp gig as the governess to a young girl who is part of a powerful family in Europe that lives in an actual castle. After arriving, Allie learns the girl is named Princess Theodora and her father is Maximillion, the King of Winshire. The King informs Allie that the Princess has a tendency to terrorize authority figures, a predilection that has grown worse since her mother’s death. Yet governess and Princess wind up hitting it off while at the same time a spark forms between Allie and Max. However, Countess Celia is expecting to wed the King. Will Max take a stand for his feelings for Allie and make it truly a merry Christmas for all (or at least, most)?
Starring Danica McKellar
***** ***** *****
Saturday – November 28, 2015 8/7c
A Christmas Detour
Two New York City-bound travelers find themselves inextricably linked when a snowstorm reroutes them to an airport hotel in Buffalo. Ever the eternal optimist and hopeless romantic, Paige desperately needs to find a way back home to meet her fiancee’s parents before her forthcoming wedding. And it’s somehow up to fellow passenger Dylan MacKenzie, who is permanently soured on romance following a recent heartbreak. Yet Dylan somehow rises to the occasion to become Paige’s chivalrous helpmate. The pair are joined on this misadventure by an older couple named Frank and Maxine trying to get to Connecticut. As their madcap journey ensues, our foursome will find plenty of surprises in store.
Starring Candace Cameron Bure, Paul Greene, Sarah Strange and David Lewis
***** ***** *****
Sunday – November 29, 2015 8/7c
Angel of Christmas
Susan is a newspaper staffer who decides to generate some Christmas spirit by writing an article about her family’s storied 100-year-old, hand-carved, heirloom Christmas angel. This leads her to accidentally meet Brady, a cute, upbeat artist who insists that he and Susan become fast friends (at least). It turns out that this angel also has the spiritual power to bring people together – as it seems to be doing with Susan and Brady. What’s behind this enchanted ornament? As time moves on, more about this captivating artifact is revealed.
Starring Jennifer Finnigan, Jonathan Scarfe and Holly Robinson Peete
***** ***** *****
Saturday – December 5, 2015 8/7c
Hallmark Hall of Fame’s Just in Time for Christmas
Lindsay is faced with a life-altering decision as Christmas approaches: Stay in her tiny hometown and marry boyfriend Jason or accept a coveted post teaching at an Ivy League college on the other side of the country. What to do? Fortunately for Lindsay, she has some big-time help in the form of a magical messenger who is able to transport her three years into the future to see how it would all turn out. Christopher Lloyd co-stars as Lindsay’s beloved Grandpa Bob.
Starring Eloise Mumford, Michael Stahl-David, William Shatner and Christopher Lloyd
***** ***** *****
Sunday – December 6, 2015 8/7c
Karen Kingsbury’s The Bridge
Don’t miss the sweeping tale of Molly Callens and Ryan Kelly, two young students who share a profound friendship their first semester in college, a time that becomes the defining moment of their lives. At their favorite bookstore and coffee shop, The Bridge, they spend countless hours studying and inspiring the other to dream their 10-year goal. They bond with the owners of The Bridge, Charlie and Donna Barton, a couple who designed the bookstore as a place where people can connect and be part of an extended family. Can Molly and Ryan’s unspoken love and future dreams survive the expectations of others as to what their lives should ultimately be?
Starring Katie Findlay, Wyatt Nash, Ted McGinley and Faith Ford
***** ***** *****
Saturday – December 12, 2015 8/7c
On The Twelfth Day of Christmas
Maggie Dunlop is thrilled when her long time crush, Mitch, moves to her little town of Harrison. Once Maggie discovers Mitch and his love for Christmas has drastically changed, she vows to bring the holiday spirit back in his life. Determined to show him the magic of Christmas, she decides to create 12 Christmas gifts that ask him to do fun Christmas tasks in order to renew his love for the season and explore his feelings towards Maggie.
Starring Brooke Nevin and Robin Dunne
***** ***** *****
Sunday – December 13, 2015 9/8c
Debbie Macomber’s Dashing Through the Snow
Based on a novel by Debbie Macomber, this yuletide movie tells the story of Ashley Harrison (Meghan Ory) and Dash Sutherland (Andrew Walker). She is a crafter based in San Francisco who is desperate to spend the holidays with her family in Seattle and Dash is also in a rush to get there. When Ashley inexplicably encounters a problem with her reservation at the airport ticket counter, she turns to Plan B and attempts to rent a car. But there’s just one vehicle left and Dash beats her to it. Reluctantly, Ashley takes him up on his offer to join him on the road trip. As the pair heads north, their adventures include car trouble, adopting a puppy and being secretly tailed by federal agents, who believe Ashley is up to no good. With a hint of romance gradually filling the air will these two fall in love or will their journey bring about an unexpected road bump to romance?
Starring Meghan Ory and Andrew Walker
***At the time I was writing this entry, the Hallmark channel didn’t have this movie on the schedule. However, since it shows all the premiering Christmas movies on Saturday and Sunday nights, I am guessing that this will premiere the same night it will premiere on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel.***
***** ***** *****
Saturday – December 19, 2015 8/7c
A Christmas Melody
Mariah Carey portrays a music teacher who helps a stressed-out young girl named Emily write a song she will sing at a town’s Christmas variety show. The girl has just moved with her mom to begin a new life just before the holidays. And the teacher does wonders to help with the adjustment process – also intervening to help her mother find love and happiness as well. Expect that Carey herself might also sing a song or two.
Starring Mariah Carey
***** ***** *****
Sunday – December 20, 2015 8/7c
Christmas Land
Jules has just inherited a quaint Christmas tree farm bequeathed her by her grandmother. This is good news, since she plans to sell it and use the profits to buy her dream home in the city. The farm needs a bit of sprucing up, but Jules is a natural fixer so she’ll have it cleaned up in no time to impress buyers and be out by Christmas. But the longer Jules stays on the farm and the more she learns how important Christmas Land has been to so many families, the more Jules starts to question her motives to sell. And when the perfect buyer turns out to have ulterior motives for the farm, Jules must do whatever it takes to save Christmas Land.
***** ***** *****
(All of the above Hallmark descriptions were copied from the Hallmark site.)
***** ***** ***** *****
For more ideas on Christmas movies, be sure to take a look at these two entries of mine:
Christmas: Favorite Classic Holiday Movies : Old, Black & White
