L-R: Barry Watson, Hilarie Burton, Robert Buckley & Toni Braxton. | Photos: Lifetime
Are you ready for another week of holiday surprises? Lifetime just revealed the line-up for their “It’s a Wonderful Lifetime” holiday programming, and let’s just say…it ‘sleighs’.
In addition to 14 all-new original premieres, 9 acquired films will be airing throughout the holiday season. Not only will Lifetime have some serious yuletide cheer, but the films also feature many stars that will be bringing you some nostalgic holiday vibes this year–including that major “One Tree Hill” movie reunion I told you about this summer with Hilarie Burton, Danneel Ackles, Robert Buckley, Antwon Tanner and Tyler Hilton, and even more OTH stars in separate films–including Bethany Joy Lenz, Sharon Lawrence, Daphne Zuniga, Stephen Colletti and Shantel VanSanten.
The OTH cast members will also sit down for a festive holiday special with surprise guests!
Stars from “The Cosby Show” (Tempestt Bledsoe, Keshia Knight Pulliam), “Sister, Sister” (Tia Mowry-Hardict, Jackée Harry, Tim Reid) and “A Different World” (Kadeem Hardison, Jasmine Guy) reunite for movies and “7th Heaven” (Barry Watson, Beverley Mitchell), “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” (Melissa Joan Hart, Carolina Rhea) and “Grey’s Anatomy” (Chandra Wilson, Sarah Drew, Loretta Devine) alums will be featured in solo films along the way — along with more big names like Toni Braxton, Tatyana Ali, Cheryl Ladd, June Squibb, Megan Hilty, and John Schneider among others!
When does it start? November 21 with new movies every Friday, Saturday and Sunday! To help kick off the line-up, Melissa Joan Hart will host the “It’s A Wonderful Lifetime Preview Special” on November 17th. Get more information the movies below and in the featured slideshow.
Original Holiday Specials & Movie Premieres
It’s A Wonderful Lifetime Preview Special – November 17th at 10pm EST/PST
Hosted by Melissa Joan Hart
My Christmas Inn – November 21st at 8pm EST/PST
Stars: Tia Mowry-Hardict, Rob Mayes, Jackée Harry, Tim Reid, Erin Gray
With the holiday season in full swing, Jen Taylor (Mowry-Hardict) is about to score a big promotion at the San Francisco ad agency where she works. But her life is unexpectedly turned upside down when she inherits a cozy inn in Alaska from her aunt. When she goes to inspect the property and meets handsome town attorney Steve Anderson (Mayes), she’s surprised to find that nothing is what she expected. The small town community is full of fun and festive Christmas traditions and soon, Jen starts wondering if the inn might just be the place she belongs, and if Steve could be the Mr. Right she has been waiting for.
The Christmas Contract – November 22nd at 8pm EST/PST
Stars: Hilarie Burton, Robert Buckley, Danneel Ackles, Antwon Tanner, Jordan Ladd, Cheryl Ladd, Hunter Burke, Bruce Boxleitner, Jason London and a special musical appearance from Tyler Hilton
It’s Jolie’s (Burton) first time going back home to Louisiana since her devastating break up with Foster (Burke). Seeing him is inevitable as their parents run the town’s annual Christmas Market together, but when she discovers Foster is bringing home a new girlfriend, Jolie cannot bear the thought of going home alone and seeing them together. Her best friend Naomi (Ackles) suggests that Jolie bring her flaky brother, Jack (Buckley), home for Christmas as he has no plans this year. Jolie, a professional web designer, is hesitant; so, Naomi, a lawyer, creates a Christmas contract to give them both something they want—a buffer for those awkward moments around Jolie’s ex and a website to help sell Jack’s upcoming novel. Unbeknownst to them, the Christmas contract proves to be so much more than what they signed up for.
‘Tis the Season: A One Tree Hill Cast Reunion – November 22nd at 10pm EST/PST
Hosts: Hilarie Burton, Tyler Hilton, Danneel Ackles, Antwon Tanner, Stephen Colletti
Poinsettias for Christmas – November 23rd at 8pm EST/PST
Stars: Bethany Joy Lenz, Marcus Rosner, Lauren London, Sharon Lawrence, John Schneider
It’s just weeks before Christmas when Ellie (Lenz) gets a call to return home to help her father (Schneider) on the family’s poinsettia farm. The family business is on the line to deliver tens of thousands of plants for the town’s annual parade. The problem is – the poinsettias have yet to turn red! As Ellie searches for the solution, she is reminded of where her heart truly lies as she falls in love with both her roots and a local botanist (Rosner).
Every Day Is Christmas – November 24th at 8pm EST/PST
Stars: Toni Braxton, Gloria Reuben, Towanda Braxton & Michael Jai White
Inspired by the Charles Dickens classic “A Christmas Carol,” shrewd money manager Alexis Taylor (Toni Braxton) gets the holiday visit of a lifetime. A self-proclaimed workaholic who “humbugs” love, Alexis ends up embracing the spirit of Christmas when her past, present, and future collide, forcing her to risk the one thing money can’t buy: her heart.
Jingle Belle – November 25th at 8pm EST/PST
Stars: Tatyana Ali, Cornelius Smith Jr., Loretta Devine, Valarie Pettiford, Obba Babatunde, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Tempestt Bledsoe
Every year, Isabelle (Tatyana Ali) and her high school sweetheart Mike (Cornelius Smith Jr.), rocked their small town’s annual Christmas Eve Pageant with a sweet Christmas duet. But after graduation, Isabelle left to study at Juillard in New York – leaving Mike behind. Years later, when Isabelle returns to her hometown to write music for the annual Christmas Eve Pageant, she is shocked to learn that Mike is the one directing the show. Can Isabelle and Mike put the past behind them and reunite on stage for another show-stopping duet?
A Very Nutty Christmas – November 30th at 8pm EST/PST
Stars: Melissa Joan Hart, Barry Watson, Marissa Winokur, Conchata Ferrell, Rizwan Manji
Hard-working bakery owner Kate Holiday (Hart), has more cookie orders than she has time to fill this holiday season, and when her boyfriend suddenly breaks up with her, any shred of Christmas joy she was hanging onto, immediately disappears. After Kate hangs the last ornament on the tree and goes to bed, she awakens the next morning to a little bit of Christmas magic. She gets the surprise of her life when Chip (Watson), a handsome soldier who may or may not be the Nutcracker Prince from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, appears in her living room.
A Twist of Christmas – December 1st at 8pm EST/PST
Stars: Vanessa Lachey, Brendon Zub
In the frenzy before Christmas, two single parents— busy working mom Abby (Lachey) and her son, and overwhelmed lawyer Ryan (Zub) and his daughter, accidentally mix up their toys at a crowded department store. As a result, both of their Christmases appear to be ruined. Although the two can’t stand each other, the only way to get things back on track is to help each other salvage their holiday plans – not realizing they’re falling for each other in the process.
The Christmas Pact – December 2nd at 8pm EST/PST
Stars: Kyla Pratt, Jarod Joseph, Kadeem Hardison, Jasmine Guy
Can best friends fall in love? That’s the question next door neighbors Sadie (Pratt) and Ben (Joseph) will answer as they keep the spirit of Christmas and the magic of their childhood pact alive! When they were eight years old, they planted a scrawny 3-foot tall Christmas tree behind their church and the Christmas Pact began. But as life gets in the way the pact is threatened to be broken. Ben and Sadie need some Christmas Magic to recommit to each other and promise to keep their special holiday traditions. With each Christmas that passes by, Ben and Sadie’s Christmas tree grows taller and stronger; and so does their love. The pact bearing fruit to the magic of Christmas and the undeniable answer. Yes, friends can fall in love!
Christmas Lost and Found – December 7th at 8pm EST/PST
Stars: Tiya Sircar, Ed Ruttle, Diane Ladd
After years of missing family gatherings, New York City event planner Whitney Kennison (Sircar) is off to Chicago to spend Christmas with Grandma Frances (Ladd). Excited that her granddaughter is finally home for the holidays, Frances decides to bestow Whitney with the precious Kennison family Christmas ornaments. But when Whitney mistakenly throws out the box of ornaments, Grandma Frances must stealthily devise a fun Christmas scavenger hunt to remind Whitney what the holiday is all about. It’s a race against time as Whitney reclaims the family ornaments, finds romance and learns the lesson Grandma Frances imparts.
Santa’s Boots – December 8th at 8pm EST/PST
Stars: Megan Hilty, Noah Mills, June Squibb
When Holly (Hilty) returns home for Christmas expecting the same as any other year, she’s blindsided to learn her family’s department store is on the brink of foreclosure. To keep the business going, Holly fills in as Santa’s Helper and meets the surprisingly young and handsome Nick (Mills), who has been hired to play Santa at the store this year. Their undeniable chemistry and charisma draw in big crowds, until suddenly, Nick disappears. As Christmas day inches closer, Holly scrambles to find Nick with only one clue – his misplaced black boot.
A Christmas in Tennessee – December 9th at 8pm EST/PST
Stars: Rachel Boston, Andrew Walker, Patricia Richardson, Caroline Rhea
Allison Bennet (Boston), along with her daughter Olivia and mother Martha (Richardson), run a bakery in the small mountain town of White Pines, Tennessee. When Matthew (Walker), a charming real estate developer, tries to buy the town for a corporate ski resort, Allison and the townspeople must work together to prevent that from happening. And just when the Bennet ladies seem out of luck, an unexpected visitor—with a well-known sweet tooth for cookies and milk—comes to the bakery and may in fact be the key to solving everything.
Christmas Around the Corner – December 14th at 8pm EST/PST
Stars: Alexandra Breckenridge, Jamie Spilchuk, Jane Alexander
Claire (Breckenridge), a savvy venture capitalist from New York City, escapes to a quaint town in Vermont for the holidays and becomes a guest of the Fortenbury Bookstore. Upon arrival, Claire finds Christmas celebrations have been canceled by the town after a flood and the bookstore is in a dire state of disrepair. She immediately takes on the challenge to revitalize the store, but clashes with the owner, Andrew (Spilchuk), who initially rejects all her proposed improvements. Eventually, sparks fly as the two begin a budding romance, and Claire’s infectious optimism inspires Andrew to join her in reviving the yuletide spirit. But everything comes to a screeching halt when Claire discovers that Andrew is planning to sell the bookstore in the New Year. Will the spirit of Christmas be enough to change Andrew’s mind and encourage him to follow his heart?
Christmas Pen Pals – December 15th at 8pm EST/PST
Stars: Sarah Drew, Niall Matter, Michael Gross
Following an unexpected breakup weeks before Christmas, Hannah (Drew), tech wiz and creator of the dating app, Perfect One, heads home for the holidays, challenged to save her failing business by re-conceiving a new romantic dating model. Upon her return she runs into her high school boyfriend, Sam (Matter) who she has carefully avoided for years and reluctantly makes a deal with her dad, Ted (Gross) to sign up for the town’s Christmas Cupid, an anonymous holiday pen pal service. As the season progresses, Hannah is smitten by each beautifully written letter she receives and starts to believe that her Christmas pen pal could be her soul mate. It’s not until Christmas Eve that everyone must reveal their true identities to their pen pals, even if it means coming face to face with the last person they ever expected.
Hometown Christmas – December 16th at 8pm EST/PST
Stars: Beverley Mitchell, Stephen Colletti, Melissa Gilbert, Danny Boaz
Back in Louisiana for Christmas, Noelle Collins (Mitchell) has big plans to resurrect the town’s live nativity, a beloved tradition that her late mother used to put on. Things become complicated, however, when Noelle runs into her high school sweetheart, Nick Russell (Colletti), a rising baseball star also back home due to a recent injury. Still feeling the burn from their senior year break-up, their lives are pushed together even further when they learn their parents share an attraction and want to be more than just friends. When things begin to fall apart with the live nativity Nick and Noelle reluctantly team up to pull off the show and find themselves growing close, uncovering a hometown love for each other and the joy of Christmas that both never really faded away.
Acquired Holiday Movies
A Christmas Arrangement – November 21st at 10pm EST/PST
(Acquired Original – Worldwide Premiere)
Stars: Nicky Whelan, Miles Fisher, Daphne Zuniga
Flower shop owner Poppy (Whelan), enters the annual holiday floral show for a chance to win the grand prize but standing in her way of victory is Garrett (Fisher), the underappreciated protégé of florist extraordinaire, Blair (Zuniga). While Poppy and Garrett’s rivalry heats up on the flower show floor, an undeniable romance begins amidst a whimsical holiday backdrop.
Every Other Holiday – November 23rd at 10pm EST/PST
(Acquired Original – Worldwide Premiere)
Stars: Schuyler Fisk, David Clayton Rogers
Recently separated parents Tracie (Fisk) and Rick (Rogers), spend every other holiday with their young daughters Harper and Ava. But this Christmas, the girls have only one thing on their wish lists—to spend Christmas with both Mom and Dad at Tracie’s family farmhouse. The temporary reunion will be no walk in the park for Tracie and Rick, but perhaps this Christmas gathering can help rekindle the lost romance between the two and make their daughters’ greatest wish come true.
Christmas Harmony – November 24th at 10pm EST/PST
(Acquired Original – Worldwide Premiere)
Stars: Kelley Jakle, Chandra Wilson, Adam Mayfield, Sally Struthers
Soft-spoken Harmony (Jakle), is used to living in the shadow of her pop star boyfriend, but when he breaks up with her right before the holiday season, she returns to her quaint hometown to discover the heart and music that her big city life has been missing.
Christmas Perfection – November 25th at 10pm EST/PST
(Acquired Original – Worldwide Premiere)
Stars: Caitlin Thompson, James Henri-Thomas, Robbie Silverman
As a kid, Darcy (Thompson) had no control over her family’s holidays and thus, has grown up to be a Christmas control freak – so much so that she loses sight of what the holidays actually mean. Suddenly, she finds herself magically transported into her idea of the perfect Christmas Village and learns that “perfection” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Love for Christmas (previously “A Golden Christmas 3”) – December 1st at 10pm EST/PST
Stars: Shantel Vansanten, Rob Mayes, Nikki Deloach, Mark Famiglietti
When Heather, a local theater director, and Bobby run into each other upon his return home after leaving for the Navy years prior, they quickly realize that their mutual childhood crush might lead to an unexpected romance.
A Star for Christmas – December 2nd at 10pm EST/PST
Stars: Corey Sevier, Briana Evigan, Karissa Vacker, Travis Van Winkle, Brooke Burns
Cupcakery owner Cassie can’t help falling for her hunky new customer, but when he turns out to be action superstar Alex Gray, will their relationship survive Hollywood and the holidays?
A Christmas Kiss – December 21st at 8pm EST/PST
Stars: Elisabeth Röhm, Laura Breckenridge, Brendan Fehr
High-end interior designer Priscilla and her assistant Wendy, vie for the attention of Priscilla’s socialite boyfriend while decorating his home for the holidays.
A Golden Christmas – December 22nd at 8pm EST/PST
Stars: Andrea Roth, Nicholas Brendon, Bruce Davison, Elisa Donovan, Jason London, Alley Mills
Several years ago, a very special dog brought together a little girl and boy. Now, through an incredible coincidence, these two long-lost friends will reconnect during Christmas.
3 Holiday Tails (previously “A Golden Christmas 2”) – December 23rd at 8pm EST/PST
Stars: Julie Gonzalo, Kelly Stables, KC Clyde, Alley Mills, Bruce Davison
David and Lisa are meant to be together, but they haven’t quite figured that out yet. With help from family, friends, and four lovable dogs, this couple will truly have a Christmas to remember.
Stay merry!