Photo: Graphic by LollyChristmas.com using Crown Media imagery.

July is coming, and you know that that means, it’s the *second* most wonderful time of the year because it’s Christmas in July! Hallmark is one of the biggest supporters of this festive time during the summer season, which is why we can look forward to another year of Christmas programming on both the Hallmark Channel and its sister network Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries will begins the Christmas in July programming slate today, June 25th — exactly six months before Christmas Day, and will run through July 8th. The programming on this network will include themed movie nights (read more on that here).

Hallmark Channel will kick off the celebration immediately after on July 9th until July 31st. Among the network lineup, a brand new movie will premiere. You can look forward to watching the premiere of “Crashing Through the Snow” starring Amy Acker, Warren Christie, Brooke Nevin and Kristian Bruun on Saturday, July 10th. Watch the trailer here!

Photos: Roberts’ Official Instagram, IMDb, Petsch’s Official Instagram

It’s Kind of a Funny Story co-stars Emma Roberts and Thomas Mann, along with and Riverdale‘s Madelaine Petsch, will star in the upcoming film, About Fate. According to the official synopsis, the romantic comedy is a tale of two people who believe in love, but seem to never be able to find its true meaning. In a wild twist of events, fate puts each in the other’s path on a stormy New Year’s Eve and comedy and chaos ensue.

Roberts and Mann take on the leading roles, Petsch will star as Mann’s girlfriend who anticipates a holiday proposal. About Fate is written by Tiffany Paulsen with Marius Balchunas directing.

As the official description confirms, the movie is set during the new year holiday, but I’ve seen some recent photos of the cast filming and there’s a clear festive setting, so the movie may include some Christmas vibes. I’m eager to see the trailer for this one.

The movie is anticipated to hit theaters this holiday season, but keep checking back for updates.

Stay merry!

Photos: Courtesy/IMDB

Krystal Joy Brown (“One Royal Holiday”) and Curtis Hamilton (“Surviving Compton: Dre, Suge & Michel’le”) will be leading an upcoming independent holiday film, “A Christmas Retreat,“ from The Ninth House producers, Autumn Federici and Jake Helgren.

According to Deadline, the story follows Mikaela Leighton (Brown) a beautiful, successful writer of a witty, single-girl-in-the-city series Maya Takes The Town. Mikaela’s late mother was also a famous author, known for hosting an intimate writer’s retreat with a handful of burgeoning writers. This year, Mikaela is knee-deep in the throes of her famous series’ very last book-but having a tough time finding the proper ending, she decides the inspiration she needs is to revive her mother’s renowned writer’s retreat at her father, Irving Leighton’s (James Black) snowy chalet.

Acker and Christie in CRASHING THROUGH THE SNOW (Crown Media)

Hallmark didn’t waste any time preparing us for their annual Christmas in July programming, today they announced the yuletide joy we can expect this summer — and it includes a new original movie!

Spend your days dashing through the sand before you unwind at night for the premiere of Amy Acker and Warren Christie‘s new film, “Crashing Through the Snow,“ which is set to premiere on Saturday, Saturday, July 10 (9 p.m. ET/PT), on Hallmark Channel.

Maggie (Acker) and her ex-husband, Jeff (Kristian Bruun, “Orphan Black”), have always been friends first. When Jeff’s new girlfriend, Kate (Brooke Nevin, “Jingle Around the Clock”), spontaneously invites Maggie along to their Christmas getaway in Aspen, she jumps at the chance to spend a Yuletide holiday away with her two daughters. Although Maggie feels like a third wheel crashing their Christmas, she’s not alone as Kate’s hapless brother, Sam (Christie), shows up unannounced with a plan. Always seeming to live in Kate’s shadow, Sam, for once, wants to come out ahead, and he convinces Maggie that, together, they can compete with Kate and make this Christmas the best one ever. Neither of them is adequately prepared for the blended family challenges that lie ahead — or the feelings they develop for one another.

I’m so excited about getting a Christmas movie premiere this summer! I hope this opens the doors for more Christmas in July premieres in the future.

But, wait, there’s a lot more joy this July!

Photos: Lindsay Lohan’s Official Instagram / Netflix

Variety exclusively reported today that Lindsay Lohan will make her return to acting this holiday season with a leading role in a yet-to-be-titled Netflix original movie.

In the Christmas-themed rom-com, Lohan will play a “newly engaged, spoiled hotel heiress” (according to the logline), who gets amnesia after a skiing accident and “finds herself in the care of a handsome, blue-collar lodge owner and his precocious daughter in the days leading up to Christmas.” The rest of the cast has not yet been announced.

Netflix has been building on their library of original holiday films over the past few years, including: “Jingle Jangle,” “A Christmas Prince,” “The Christmas Chronicles” and “The Princess Switch” starring another former Disney-darling, Vanessa Hudgens.

I can’t wait to get more information on her movie! Are you excited for her acting comeback?

Stay merry!

Photos Courtesy of Lifetime

You all know how much I love Christmas movie news, and today was quite the day for announcements! In addition to CBS’ news of original films, Lifetime gave us another sneak peek of what you can expect during their annual It’s A Wonderful Lifetime programming slate, which kicks off this fall.

Lifetime Television has been a fan-favorite for cast reunions over the past few years; we’ve seen some iconic cast mates reunited in heartwarming holiday tales, including stars from The Facts of Life, Sister, Sister and One Tree Hill — and this Christmas, we will get even more.

High School Musical alums Corbin Bleu and Monique Coleman will team up once again for A Christmas Dance Reunion. The movie is directed by Brian Herzlinger, who also serves as a writer alongside wife Megan Henry Herzlinger.

Lifetime

A CHRISTMAS DANCE REUNION
Successful attorney Lucy Mortimer (Coleman), along with her mother Virginia (Kim Roberts) return to the Winterleigh Resort to help celebrate the hotel’s final Christmas season before the resort closes its doors permanently. Once there, Lucy is reunited with the owner’s nephew and her childhood Christmas Dance partner, Barrett Brewster (Bleu). Though the resort has fallen on hard times and has stopped most holiday events, Lucy leads the charge in recreating the beloved Christmas traditions, including the popular Christmas Dance, to bring together new families and new hope to the resort. Now, Lucy must decide if she’s willing to take a risk on love and partner up once more with Barrett for what could be the last Christmas Dance.

Camacho (left) Rodriguez (right) – Photos via Courtesy/CBS/Paramount Plus

CBS is ready to expand on their holiday lineup this year by adding more original content, including two movies starring network stars. In the announcement of the 2021-2022 primetime programming lineup today, the network included information on both of the CBS Original Movies: A Christmas Proposal, starring Jessica Camacho (“All Rise”) and Adam Rodriguez (“CSI: Miami”, “Criminal Minds”), and Christmas Takes Flight — cast currently unknown.

(Update: 7/8/21) – CBS announced today the production has begun for Christmas Takes Flight in British Columbia, Canada, and the film will star Katie Lowes (“Scandal”, “Smallwood”) and Evan Williams (“Versailles”, “Degrassi: The Next Generation”).

Photo: BBC

According to DEADLINE, Idris Elba (Luther, The Suicide Squad) is set to star in his very first holiday action movie titled Stay Frosty from Warner Bros.! The English actor will play the lead role in the film, which will be directed by Sam Hargrave (Extraction) from a script penned by Tyler Marceca.

The movie is said to be nod to ’80s high-action Christmas movies like Die Hard and Lethal Weapon with a John Wick-style. The synopsis is: After miraculously surviving a bullet to the head, a man (Elba) has to figure out who wants him dead and why. He needs to stop the assassin while still making it back home in time to spend Christmas with his son.

No word on whether this will be only in theaters or available to see at home as well.

Stay merry!

Toubia and Lopez wrapping production. (Photo via @emeraude on IG)

Mario Lopez has been spending the past few weeks in Santa Fe, New Mexico as he films his brand new Lifetime Christmas movie with co-star Emeraude Toubia. The two will star in “Holiday in Santa Fe,“ which is set to premiere during the annual It’s A Wonderful Lifetime event later this year.

In the movie, sparks fly when a greeting card executive arrives in Santa Fe to acquire a tight-knit family company that creates ornaments inspired by Mexican Christmas traditions. Mario stars as Tony Ortega and Emeraude plays Belinda Sawyer.

CHRISTMAS AT DOLLYWOOD (left) / CHRISTMAS IN EVERGREEN: BELLS ARE RINGING (right) | Photos: Crown Media

There are several Hallmark Christmas movies from recent years past that have made their way to DVD, and I try to share the latest releases whenever possible.  Quite a few that debuted on the network between 2017-2020 started releasing on DVD between October and December, with a few on their way in June. Check out the list of movies below and see which ones you need to add to your movie collection right away!

We may get ’round-the-clock holiday films at the end of the year, but it’s never too early to enjoy your festive favorites. Which ones are you most excited about?!