Hallmark Christmas in July 🎄 comfort & joy ❤️

[Imzadi]

Checking in after being distracted all last week by the Gilmore Girls binge-a-thon on UpTV.

I got back into the Christmas movies filling up my DVR yesterday with Christmas Pen Pals from Lifetime. I've always been a letter-writer and really enjoyed it!

Glad you're back.

I liked Christmas Pen Pals too.

 

[Imzadi]

New Christmas movies premiering this weekend 12/3:

● Back to the usual schedule for the Hallmark & Lifetime channels.
● GAC Family is premiering new movies Sat & Sun now.
● The Lifetime Channel is also premiering new movies Mon - Thurs too, 8pm ET, repeating 4 hr later.
● (Netflix has three premieres. See separate post for Netflix.)


FRIDAY, 8pm ET / 7CT
Hallmark Channel: Eight Gifts of Hanukkah
starring Inbar Lavi and Jake Epstein
Description: An anonymous suitor sends Sara a gift each night of Hanukkah. She sets out to find her secret admirer.
@Kennywood mentioned this is Hallmark's first movie dedicated exclusively to Hanukkah.

Lifetime: A Christmas Dance Reunion (8pm ET / 7pm CT and re-airs 4 hours later.)
starring Corbin Bleu and Monique Coleman
Description: As children, Lucy (Monique) and Barrett (Corbin) would dance together at the Winterleigh Resort's annual Christmas Dance. Since the resort is celebrating their last Christmas season before shutting down for good, Lucy wonders if she should revisit her past and give Barrett a call.


SATURDAY, 8pm ET / 7CT
Hallmark Channel: A Very Merry Bridesmaid
starring Emily Osment and Casey Deidrick.
Description: Leah’s 30th birthday is on Christmas Eve, the same day as her brother’s wedding. Her childhood crush is back in town for the wedding and he is determined to make sure her birthday does not go by the wayside.

Lifetime: Kirk Franklin's A Christmas Gospel,
starring Demetria McKinney, Chaz Lamar Shepherd and Kirk Franklin
Description: Just weeks before Christmas, Olivia (Demetria McKinney) takes the lead pastor position at a new church.Once she's able to get past her nerves, she learns that she's exactly where she's meant to be.

GAC Family: Jingle Bell Princess at 8pm ET / 7CT (re-airs at 10pm ET.)
Starring Merritt Patterson and Trevor Donovan
Description: Princess Amelia's royal jet is grounded due to a snowstorm, and she finds herself spending the holidays with an airline employee and her son.


SATURDAY, 10pm ET/ 9CT
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries: Our Christmas Journey
starring Holly Robinson Peete, Lyriq Bent, Nik Sanchez and Aloma Wright.
Description: As a single mom and her teenaged son with autism come to a crossroad during Christmas, she must learn to let go so he can flourish as she finds her own heart healing in unexpected ways.


SUNDAY, 8pm ET / 7CT
Hallmark Channel: Sister Swap: A Hometown Holiday
starring Kimberly Williams-Paisley and real-life sister Ashley Williams, and Mark Deklin.
Description: Two sisters who couldn’t be closer despite living in different cities swap lives. They find a new sense of purpose and discover what they both truly need in life during the holidays.

Lifetime: My Favorite Christmas Melody at 8pm ET / 7CT (re-airs 4 hours later.)
starring Mya and Rainbow Sun Francks
Description: Along the way, aspiring singer-songwriter Abby (Mya) set aside her big dreams to make a living, but a new opportunity at her local high school opens her eyes to new possibilities.

GAC Family: A Lot Like Christmas at 8pm ET / 7CT (re-airs 10pm ET.)
starring Maggie Lawson and Christopher Russell
Description: A small-town Christmas tree lot owner finds her business in jeopardy when a big-box store moves into town.

ION Channel: The Christmas Thief (8pm ET, re-airs: 10pm ET, 12am Mon ET)
starring Michelle Borth and Vivica A. Fox.
Description: Lana Lawton (Michelle Borth, Hawaii Five-O), a fledgling private eye, home for the holidays, realizes the only way to save her career is by solving a string of local burglaries where the main suspect is Santa Claus

 

[Imzadi]

Netflix premieres this week 12/2:

December 3
The Great British Baking Show: Holidays: Season 4
The fan-favorite baking competition returns for a new round of its holiday edition, featuring judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.

Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas
In this family oriented special, the titular sheep embarks on a “Santastic” adventure in this 30-minute special.

December 6
David and the Elves
In this Polish-language Christmas movie, a man named David attempts to reignite the Christmas spirit in his parents by way of a fantastical adventure.

 

[Imzadi]

I've been watching a lot of Christmas movies, I record all the new ones on Hallmark, my husband watches them with me, there have been several this year that didn't make it past the 30 minute mark. The worst one was Christmas Contest with Candace Cameron Bure, just too much bickering, no chemistry between the leads and as my husband said "she can't act).

Okay, I tried twice to watch The Christmas Contest. I had a feeling from the commercials that I wouldn't like it. I like when Candace Cameron Bure plays strong, smart, capable characters, like when she was trying to evaluate a ski lodge for her father, Alan Thicke. But, when her voice gets high, she tends to play a cutesy and young role. To me, that's when she's just irritating. She's 46. She's not cutesy or young anymore. She should stick to smart and capable roles.

From what I read, there are a lot of "Easter eggs" in this movie to Fuller House. Easter eggs are hidden references so some thing else that the viewer is supposed to watch for and find interesting. The lead actor is also from Fuller House. So, basically Candace is playing an older version of DJ Tanner, complete with long hair.

So not interested.

 

[Imzadi]

Very few would I watch again, most are surprisingly lame, the one with Teri Hatcher was a disappointment.

Interesting. I loved that movie. Maybe, it's because I always liked Mike & Susan on Desperate Housewives. But, the husbands always were just supporting roles. This was a movie where James Denton got to be the lead and show what he can do. I thought he did well.

Also, I like some of the "Mystical Santa put a person's into an alternate life" stories. One of my favorites is an oldie with Lacey Chabert, where she plays a reporter, then suddenly wakes up finding she's "just" a stay at home mom."

 

[Imzadi]

I got a chance to see Angel Falls Christmas on GAC Family. Chad Michael Murray plays an angel who is sent to get the female lead back together with her boyfriend. It actually doesn't end in the usual way Hallmark movies usually do. I found that was kind of strange and different. Still not sure what I think of it.

 

[disney4us2002]

Well I'm certainly no movie critic (real ones would scoff at Hallmark movies anyway) but I've watched and liked most of them. I take them all with the light-hearted silliness they intend. Some I wouldn't go out of my way to watch again; some I will watch over and over for the actors in them. I have watched a few on GAC which I didn't think I had in my cable lineup but I do after all. I liked Angel Falls mostly because I really like Jessica Downdes. I didn't really care for Jen Lilley's Royally Wrapped but that is mostly because I am soooo over the Royalty baloney. How many tiny little countries in the UK can have Princes - yuck!?

I'm looking forward the the Sister Swap movie tonight because I really like Kimberly Williams and Ashley Williams. I am DVRing GAC's A Lot like Christmas which is on at the same time. I like both leads in that one so I'm sure I will like it.

 

[elgerber]

Well I'm certainly no movie critic (real ones would scoff at Hallmark movies anyway) but I've watched and liked most of them. I take them all with the light-hearted silliness they intend. Some I wouldn't go out of my way to watch again; some I will watch over and over for the actors in them. I have watched a few on GAC which I didn't think I had in my cable lineup but I do after all. I liked Angel Falls mostly because I really like Jessica Downdes. I didn't really care for Jen Lilley's Royally Wrapped but that is mostly because I am soooo over the Royalty baloney. How many tiny little countries in the UK can have Princes - yuck!?

I'm looking forward the the Sister Swap movie tonight because I really like Kimberly Williams and Ashley Williams. I am DVRing GAC's A Lot like Christmas which is on at the same time. I like both leads in that one so I'm sure I will like it.

I was blown away that I never knew they were sisters!

I cannot stand Jen LIlley (from her Days days) so I have never watched any of hers.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Hallmark Channel: Eight Gifts of Hanukkah
starring Inbar Lavi and Jake Epstein
Description: An anonymous suitor sends Sara a gift each night of Hanukkah. She sets out to find her secret admirer.
@Kennywood mentioned this is Hallmark's first movie dedicated exclusively to Hanukkah.

I watched this one yesterday. It was OK, but I thought she should have figured it out sooner.

 

[Imzadi]

I was blown away that I never knew they were sisters!

I found out about a year ago, and I, too was blown away at finding out Kimberly Williams Paisley and Ashley Williams are sisters.

 

[elgerber]

I found out about a year ago, and I, too was blown away at finding out Kimberly Williams Paisley and Ashley Williams are sisters.

and they are both going to on the Today show sometime this week.

 

[Imzadi]

The Hallmark streaming service, (Hallmark Movies Now,) had its own original Christmas movie that was only streaming there for a couple weeks. It is now airing on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. (It was not listed on the HMM calender. So you may have missed it like I did when it was on this weekend.)

Every Time A Bell Rings
starring Erin Cahill, Ali Liebert, Brittany Ishibashi and Wes Brown.

Charlotte (Erin Cahill), Nora (Ali Liebert), and Emily (Brittany Ishibashi) are three sister who reunite back in their hometown of Natchez, Mississippi after years apart, much to the delight of their mother, Donna (Dee Wallace).

Longtime friend Liam (Wes Brown) is also glad to see the sisters back in town, especially Charlotte. The trio is surprised to discover their late father had planned one last scavenger hunt for them to find their family’s wooden wishing bell, which was a beloved, annual holiday tradition when they were young. Charlotte, Emily and Nora’s search for clues in the days leading up to Christmas, takes them to childhood haunts around Natchez that hold special meaning for them. In the process, their sisterly bond is rekindled and each learns an important lesson about what they want in life and in love.

Next times it's on:
Thu 12/09 at 10pm ET on HMM
Sun 12/12 at 12pm ET on HMM
Wed 12/15 at 8pm ET on HMM
Sat 12/18 at 6am ET on HMM
On Spectrum Cable it is also On Demand

 

[Worfiedoodles]

The Hallmark streaming service, (Hallmark Movies Now,) had its own original Christmas movie that was only streaming there for a couple weeks. It is now airing on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. (It was not listed on the HMM calender. So you may have missed it like I did when it was on this weekend.)

Every Time A Bell Rings
starring Erin Cahill, Ali Liebert, Brittany Ishibashi and Wes Brown.

Charlotte (Erin Cahill), Nora (Ali Liebert), and Emily (Brittany Ishibashi) are three sister who reunite back in their hometown of Natchez, Mississippi after years apart, much to the delight of their mother, Donna (Dee Wallace).

Longtime friend Liam (Wes Brown) is also glad to see the sisters back in town, especially Charlotte. The trio is surprised to discover their late father had planned one last scavenger hunt for them to find their family’s wooden wishing bell, which was a beloved, annual holiday tradition when they were young. Charlotte, Emily and Nora’s search for clues in the days leading up to Christmas, takes them to childhood haunts around Natchez that hold special meaning for them. In the process, their sisterly bond is rekindled and each learns an important lesson about what they want in life and in love.

Next times it's on:
Thu 12/09 at 10pm ET on HMM
Sun 12/12 at 12pm ET on HMM
Wed 12/15 at 8pm ET on HMM
Sat 12/18 at 6am ET on HMM
On Spectrum Cable it is also On Demand

I watched this last night. I thought it was well done and not the typical formula movie. I hope they continue to make movies that step a bit outside of the mold.

 

[PollyannaMom]

The Hallmark streaming service, (Hallmark Movies Now,) had its own original Christmas movie that was only streaming there for a couple weeks. It is now airing on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries... Every Time A Bell Rings...

Thanks for the tip on the re-air dates! I just set it to tape for Thursday.


Today I watched Reba McEntire's Christmas in Tune from Lifetime. I really enjoyed it!

 

[Imzadi]

Today I watched Reba McEntire's Christmas in Tune from Lifetime. I really enjoyed it!

I liked it too. Reba and John Schneider are such solid actors. It was nice seeing them singing too. Although, John didn't use his usual booming, low voice. I wonder if he was letting Reba shine. Yet, she can hold her own against him. I liked the solo she did.

 

[Imzadi]

SUNDAY, 8pm ET / 7CT
Hallmark Channel: Sister Swap: A Hometown Holiday
starring Kimberly Williams-Paisley and real-life sister Ashley Williams,

I was setting up my DVR for this weekend and noticed there is a Sister Swap PART TWO! It also stars the Williams sisters. It's on this Sunday.

Still haven't watched the first one yet.

 

[Imzadi]

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries: Time for Them to Come Home for Christmas
starring Jessy Schram and Brendan Penny.
Description: During the holidays, a woman with amnesia catches a ride with her handsome nurse to investigate the only clue to her identity: a newspaper clipping for a Christmas Festival with a cryptic invitation. .

This is movie #4 in this series. If you guys haven't watched any of them, the movies actually aren't a continuation of a series. Meaning, you didn't have to watch all the others in order to watch one. They are all separate movies. The only thing in common is that each movie involves people traveling home for Christmas. And singer, Blake Shelton executive produced each movie as the first one was inspired by his song. The song also is heard in each movie.

I liked the first movie, Time for ME to Come Home For Christmas, and this last one the best.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

I’m watching Lifetime’s Christmas Movie Magic. It’s another unique story and has a feel good quest

 

[elgerber]

I was setting up my DVR for this weekend and noticed there is a Sister Swap PART TWO! It also stars the Williams sisters. It's on this Sunday.

Still haven't watched the first one yet.

I was so confused why they were advertising a movie that I was watching during its commercial breaks . Each sister gets their own movie

 

[Imzadi]

I’m watching Lifetime’s Christmas Movie Magic. It’s another unique story and has a feel good quest

Oh, good, I have that one recorded. I'm running out of room on my DVR and had to skip recording some of the Lifetime movies that didn't sound very interesting. Their quality is iffy at times. I also have The Santa Squad recorded that someone else recommended.