Christmas on TV: Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas 2023 Schedule

Get ready Christmas movie lovers! The 2023 Countdown to Christmas on Hallmark Channel kicks off with their new movies on Friday, October 20th! Check out more information at https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/christmas/movie-guide-countdown-to-christmas-2023

Christmas on TV: Great American Family's Countdown to Great American Christmas 2023

Get ready Christmas movie lovers! Great American Family's Countdown to Great American Christmas launches new movies starting on October 21st! For more information, you can visit https://www.greatamericanfamily.com/celebrations

Us Magazine provided their movie guide back in September. You can view it here.

Christmas on TV: The Christmas Pageant (Hallmark Channel, 2011)

Director Vera Parks (Melissa Gilbert) has a career that is going nowhere fast. Labeled as difficult, she gets fired from several jobs in a row. Her manager, Peter (Steve Lawrence), manages to get her a job directing a small town Christmas pageant.

Things go from bad to worse quickly. While some are eager to work with her, others are destined to fight any change Vera suggests. Vera has problems adjusting from her glamorous life in New York City to the simple life in Ashton Falls. Then she runs into her ex-fiancé, Jack Harmond (Robert Mailhouse). Vera is soon considering whether she should return to New York or stick it out in Ashton Falls.

If ever there was a movie that Melissa Gilbert was born to star in, it's The Christmas Pageant. If Little House on the Prairie was set in modern times, then the storyline from this movie would be a perfect fit. A woman whose life centers around her career and posh city life, ends up in a simple town where there is one mail carrier and everyone knows each other. It's not long before Ashton Falls and its people begin to grow on Vera.

A blend of funny and sweet, this is a classic Hallmark romance. With a superb cast and quaint setting you can't go wrong. If you are looking for a story that will touch your heart and remind you of the joys of being home, be sure to catch this movie.

I watched this movie when it first aired on Hallmark Channel. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way. 

Christmas on TV: The Three Gifts (Hallmark Channel, 2009)

In the midst of taking a break from baking, I stumbled upon The Three Gifts, a 2009 Hallmark Channel movie starring Dean Cain (Lois and Clark) and Jean Louisa Kelly as a childless couple who have been unsuccessful in starting a family of their own.

Jack (Cain) and Cherie (Kelly) Green are local toymakers who agree to take on three orphans when the orphanage run by Jack's aunt (Mimi Kennedy) is forced to close for repairs. Wary of fatherhood, Jack is concerned by the orphanage's holy terrors. When Ray (Spencir Bridges) thinks he overhears the Greens might adopt one of the boys, Mike (Dylan Sprayberry) and Henry (Alex Zubarey) begin competing along with Ray to be the one that gets adopted.

This is a touching and funny seasonal movie that families will love. Cain is such a fabulous actor, it would be difficult not enjoy his performance as the childlike toymaker whose not certain becoming a father is his cup of tea. Though Cherie is thrilled to have the boys with them for Christmas, the reality is that the business is struggling because costs are up and profits are down.

Veteran actor Reginald VelJohnson (Families Matter) portrays Rodney, one of the workers at the toy factory. He's a superb actor, and you can't seem to go wrong when he's part of a film. I love his touching scene with Ray when the boy is talking about losing his parents.

Seasonal movies don't get better than this one!

This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Christmas on TV: A Season for Miracles (Hallmark Channel, 1999)

Miracles, romance, and family blend together in this heartwarming tale of the season.

A Season for Miracles is a typical Hallmark Hall of Fame movie. It has conflict. It has a family in trouble. It features small town America and its nosy neighbors. But most of all, it touches the heart from beginning to end.

This movie stars Carla Gugino as Emilie Thompson, the aunt to Alanna (Mae Whitman) and J.T. (Evan Sabara). After Emilie's sister (Laura Dern) overdoses again, the children are threatened with foster care. Not wanting her niece and nephew to be separated, Emilie runs off with them and arrives in the little town of Bethlehem. With guidance from an angel, portrayed by Academy Award® winner Patty Duke, Emilie and the children take over an abandoned Victorian home across from an angel statue in the town square.

Nosy neighbors assume Emilie is the niece of Miriam Pierce, who owned the house and left it to her niece when she passed away. When her car breaks down and Emilie must find a job to pay for the repairs, she pretends to be Miriam's niece so that the children have a warm place to stay until they can move on. She doesn't count on falling in love with Police Captain Nathan Blair (David Conrad) or on the blessing of many friends who help her while in town. Can David's love convince her to stay in Bethlehem? What will happen if her secret is found out?

A Season for Miracles is one of the sweetest movies I've ever seen. I didn't know that it was based upon the book, Season for Miracles by Marilyn Pappano. According to the reviews of the book on Amazon, many were disappointed the book wasn't as good as the movie. 

David Conrad plays the honest, caring Nathan to a tee. As the story unfolds, you can't help but like him. You want this situation to work out for all of them. The viewer gets a chance to see the kids come out of their shell the longer they stay in Bethlehem and have what resembles a normal life. Toward the end, when Alanna is sitting before the judge (Lynn Redgrave) and sharing some of what her life was like when she was with her mother, it was almost impossible not to cry.

You have to suspend a little bit of reality when you watch this movie. Not because of how the angel helps guide these people along, but because I just don't see how in real life this truly would have worked out in any good way. That said, if you get a chance to watch this movie, it will be time well spent.

Release Date: 12 December 1999 (USA)
Runtime: 100 minutes

I recorded this movie on my DVR off the Hallmark Channel. This movie contains my honest opinions, for which I haven't been compensated in any way.

Christmas on TV: Fallen Angel (Hallmark Channel, 2003)

Another tear-jerker from the Hallmark Hall of Fame collection, Fallen Angel is a superb seasonal movie.

A tense relationship with his father, forced Terry McQuinn (Gary Sinise) to leave Maine and never look back. Now a successful L.A. attorney, he returns after the death of his father to settle the estate. Terry has no plans to stay in Rosepoint, but when he learns that Katherine Wentworth (Joely Richardson), who he met when he was only a boy, wants Serenity Cottage opened for Christmas, he decides to help get it ready for her.

As Terry's past and present collide, he is drawn to Katherine and her young daughter, and his once fulfilling life in L.A. doesn't seem so satisfying any more.

Oh, my goodness, what a great movie this is. Sinise is a fabulous actor who can play rough and bitter guys like Lieutenant Dan Taylor in Forrest Gump, a hero fighting evil in The Stand, and a romantic lead in this touching 2003 movie that will make you laugh and cry.

Sinise and Richardson had such chemistry in this movie. And because the character of Terry has memories of their first meeting that Katherine doesn't have--for reasons I can't reveal or it will ruin the movie for you--the viewer watches Terry's struggle unfold. Should he help her reconnect with the past? Should he let the memories stay hidden?

This movie started with backstory. We first meet Terry McQuinn at the age of nine. His mother is deceased, and he lives with his detached father in Rosepoint. His father is the caretaker for the cottages inhabited by wealthy residents who visit Maine, so he's working a lot of the time. After a tragedy that takes place around Christmas that year, his father never allows Terry to join him at work again, and the chasm between them widens.

We then see Terry at 18, graduating from high school. It's at this point he decides to leave Rosepoint and his father behind. So, the first half hour of the movie pretty much sets the stage for the rest of it. I felt the short scene between Terry and his dad at age 18 could have been left out, but perhaps the viewer needed to see that tension explode and push Terry to the edge so that his return to Maine was more meaningful.

Despite the title, there are no angels in this movie. It's a term used by one of the characters to describe the homeless people who lean across car hoods to get warmth from recently shut off engines. That's another tidbit I can't explain, but I thought it should be clear there are no heavenly spirits involved in this one.

Release Date: 23 November 2003 (USA)
Runtime: 120 minutes


I recorded this movie on my DVR off the Hallmark Channel. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.

Christmas on TV: Naughty or Nice (Hallmark Channel, 2012)

Hilarie Burton plays Krissy Kringle, an ad executive who lives on Candy Cane Lane. Having worked her tail off to get new business for her company, she doesn't have time to worry about participating in the neighborhood's house decorating contest. When she is unexpectedly fired by her boss, Helen (Michelle Hurd), she's also not in the mood for the misdirected pile of mail intended for Kris Kringle.

As she's plowing through Santa Claus's mail, she discovers a package that contains his "Naughty or Nice" book, which he had left behind while visiting a child. She soon discovers the book is magical and allows her to see the bad deeds of those around her. But when the naughty list hits too close to home, it causes problems between Krissy and her long-time boyfriend, Lance (Matt Dallas) and one of her neighbors.

Naughty or Nice is a fabulous movie. While funny, dramatic, and romantic all in one, the subtle theme behind this movie is the danger of jumping to conclusions. Krissy makes a lot of mistakes along the way, but eventually turns things around.

It was great to see Meredith Baxter and Michael Gross together again as Krissy's parents, Carol and Walter Kringle. I loved them on Family Ties, and it was like no time had passed for the actors as they fell into that sweet, loving chemistry they portrayed when they were the Keatons.

My favorite character, however, is Marco (Gabriel Tigerman). Once Krissy loses her job, her mother secures her a place at the local mall working as an elf in the gift wrapping area, which is where she meets Marco, who's also playing an elf. I was wondering where they were going to take their relationship, but you'll just have to see the movie to find out. 

Release Date: 24 November 2012 (USA)

I recorded this movie on my DVR off the Hallmark Channel. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.

Christmas on TV: Once Upon A Christmas (Hallmark Channel, 2000)

Kathy Ireland stars as the daughter of Santa Claus in this family tale of the season.

Santa is unhappy that so many families are on the naughty list, so he's going to cancel Christmas and take off on vacation with Mrs. Claus. This leaves his oldest daughter, Rudolfa (Mary Donnelly-Haskell) in charge, and she plans to change Christmas in drastic ways. Kristin Claus (Ireland) can't let that happen, so her father tells her if she can bring one family from the naughty list onto the nice list, he'll come back.

That won't be easy. The Morgan family consists of a widowed, workaholic father played by John Dye, and two spoiled, bratty kids who have chased off every nanny they've ever had. There's also Uncle Johnny (Wayne Thomas Yorke) who's living off the family and has no plans to get a job any time soon.

When I looked up this movie to write my review, I was surprised they produced a sequel (Twice Upon A Christmas). I had a few challenges with the plot of this one. While it all works out in the end, and you discover Santa's true intentions, the early minutes of the movie show a Santa that is not discouraged over how the world is changing, but one who is ready to blow off all the good kids who deserve presents so he can take a vacation. I'm not sure that's the kind of movie I want my children to see, even if Santa is redeemed. I also didn't care for the fact that Santa has an evil daughter and some naughty elves who help Rudolfa carry out her plan to ruin Christmas.

The main characters of this movie were portrayed a bit stereotypical for my taste. Bill Morgan (Dye) buried himself in his work after the death of his wife and has lost sight of what is important. To make up for his absence, he's spoiled his kids, Kyle (James Kirk) and Brittany (Kirsten Prout), lavishing them with gifts they don't even play with. Kristen Claus (Ireland) is so good that one can't even consider she would jaywalk. And if I were to be totally honest, Uncle Johnny creeped me out a bit. The only character I truly loved was the Tooth Fairy played by Liz Torres. She was hilarious.

Once Upon A Christmas has potential. If they rounded out the characters a little bit, made Santa more sympathetic, tossed the evil daughter, and made Kristen more believable, it could work. Proust did a great job in the role of Brittany, and I was glad to see her finally come around.

Though this movie really wasn't for me, the ending was superb. I wish the rest of the movie had been like the ending. I would have truly enjoyed it. 


Runtime: 90 minutes

I recorded this movie on my DVR off the Hallmark Channel. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.

Christmas on TV: Let it Snow! (Hallmark Channel, 2013)

Let It Snow is one of the 2013 seasonal movies in Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas lineup.

Stephanie Beck (Candace Cameron Bure)  is a driven executive working for Falcon Resorts. When Falcon acquires the family-owned and -operated Snow Valley Lodge from a retiring couple (Gabrielle Rose and Dan Willmott), Stephanie must spend the week before Christmas on-site drafting a proposal for renovations. Arriving in Maine, Stephanie quickly butts heads with the couple's son, Brady, played by Jesse Hutch, who has decided to leave the family business over creative differences with his father.

Though not one to celebrate Christmas, Stephanie finds the festive traditions shared with the lodge's guests provide a special touch and sense of belonging she hasn't felt from her detached father (Alan Thicke), president of Falcon Resorts. As the magic of Christmas wiggles its way into Stephanie's heart, her relationship with Brady develops from friendship into love, and she begins to question Falcon's planned overhaul. With her Christmas Eve deadline approaching, Stephanie must decide if she should transform the lodge into a hip hot spot for Falcon's single and married professional clientele or embrace the family traditions that make Snow Valley Lodge so special.

Let It Snow is a heartwarming story of two people who learn more about themselves and what they want for the future in one short week than they did for years before. At the beginning of the movie, Brady and Stephanie don't have any Christmas spirit. Stephanie's father has buried himself in his work and she has become a workaholic right alongside him, hoping to at least get a tiny bit of his attention and approval. Brady had big plans for Snow Valley Lodge once, but his dad refused to make any changes to what his grandfather and father had built, so Brady lost heart and wants no part of the family business. Watching the transformation of these two people, and others, makes this a special movie you won't want to miss. Seeing favorite actors (Bure and Thicke) definitely adds an even nicer tough to a lovely story.

I recorded this show through my cable provider. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Christmas on TV: Farewell Mr. Kringle (Hallmark Channel, 2010)

This heartwarming tale of the season is a must see. Christine Taylor stars as Annabelle Wahl, a jaded journalist who is sent on an assignment to cover the 50th anniversary of Mistletoe's own Kris Kringle. After being widowed on Christmas Eve, Annabelle doesn't celebrate Christmas. She begs to get out of this assignment, but her editor and friend, Zoe Marsden (Vivica Fox), insists she blog about her experiences in Mistletoe for the next month.

The town and its people are overwhelming to a classy girl from the city. She can't stand their quaint ways, and she thinks the way they have embraced John Wilson's decision to be Kris Kringle (William Morgan Sheppard) is a bit too quirky, going so far as to rename the town and all its streets to holiday names. But when she hears Kris's story from the townsfolk and learns of all the good he's done, she's eager to interview him.

Slowly, the town of Mistletoe works it's magic on Annabelle. But meeting Mark Stafford (Christopher Wiehl)  throws her for a loop. A former cutthroat divorce attorney, he returned to his home town and now owns the local bed and breakfast. Still hurting from the loss of her husband, Annabelle isn't sure she's ready to open her heart again.

This is a fabulous movie. A classic Hallmark Channel movie that includes drama and romance, Farewell Mr. Kringle is a must see this holiday season. You'll definitely need a tissue or two while you watch this one. Little did Annabelle know when she arrived in Mistletoe that she and Kris Kringle share a hardship: both of them lost their spouses close to Christmas.

Watching Mark and Annabelle's relationship unfold is so touching. Both have reasons not to open up their hearts, but Mark is willing to do it if she is. Annabelle is just harder to convince.

Between the small town feel of Mistletoe, the celebration of Christmas, and the romance, you really can't go wrong with this one. All the characters were delightful. 

Release Date: 4 December 2010 (USA)

I recorded this movie on my DVR off the Hallmark Channel. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.

Christmas on TV: Debbie Macomber's Trading Christmas (Hallmark Channel, 2011)

Based upon Debbie Macomber's novel originally titled, When Christmas Comes, this 2011 seasonal tale provides the viewer with romance, humor, and tender moments.

Emily Springer (Faith Ford) has been a widow for three years, but she's still trapped in the past. Upset when she learns her daughter Heather (Emma Lahana), who is in college in Boston, won't be coming home for Christmas, she calls her best friend Faith (Gabrielle Miller) in California for sympathy.

Charles Johnson (Tom Cavanagh), a Scrooge-type college professor and writer, lives in Boston, not far from his brother Ray (Gil Bellows). Charles's publisher is pushing him to make edits to his latest book before the deadline, but he's experiencing the worst writer's block of his life. He needs somewhere quiet where he can concentrate without distractions.

Emily decides to surprise her daughter in Boston. So, she and Charles swap houses for the holidays. Imagine Emily's surprise when she discovers that Heather has taken off to Arizona with her boyfriend Jason (Andrew Francis). Meanwhile, Faith, who feels bad for her friend being all alone for Christmas, makes plans to travel to Emily's to spend Christmas with her, not realizing she isn't there.

Trading Christmas is the perfect blend of sweet romance and humor. Emily and Charles are both out of their elements when they travel to opposite sides of the country during the Christmas season. Emily meets Ray. Charles meets Faith. Heather, who is so excited to do something different for Christmas, realizes she misses all the things she does with her mother.

While I felt the opening of the movie was a bit jumbled, moving from Washington to Boston to California, once each character was settled in their part of the country, the storyline flowed nicely. Faith Ford and Gil Bellows, and Tom Cavanagh and Gabrielle Miller, had excellent chemistry as they interacted with each other. You couldn't help but root for them to get together. The storyline with Heather and Jason really isn't much. Heather's decision not to come home is the reason everything played out the way it did, but she's not vital to the story otherwise. When the movie switched to college in Boston or where she and Jason were in Arizona, it felt like they were just putting the characters in there so you wouldn't forget about them.

Placing a grump like Charles, who doesn't like Christmas, in a town--and specifically a house--where Christmas is unleashed full-throttle, is hilarious. Cavanagh plays this grouchy, anti-social, nervous guy to a tee. His banter with the character of Faith is great. He's not too keen on women. She's not too keen on men. It makes for some funny conversations. It's touching to watch Emily and Ray get to know each other. Their lives are so different, even how they grew up. And, yet, they are perfect for each other.

The ending of Trading Christmas was sweet and predictable, but you come to expect that of a Hallmark movie. 

Release Date: 26 November 2011 (USA)
Run time: 88 minutes


I recorded this movie on my DVR off the Hallmark Channel. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.