Photos: Warner Bros. Nashville/Crown Media

I have more Christmas movie news, you guys! I feel so merry today!

Crown Media Family Networks has announced an exciting new deal with Country music superstar Blake Shelton. Last year, “Time for Me to Come Home for Christmas” premiered on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries network — a film based off of the book by Shelton’s mother Dorothy Shackleford, and inspired by a song from his 2012 holiday album Cheers, It’s Christmas.

The success of the movie has led to a development deal in which Shelton will serve as an executive producer of a new original movie. The all-new film will chronicle the emotional journey home at Christmastime and songs from Shelton’s library of Christmas music will be featured.

“The theme of making your way home at Christmastime to be with loved ones resonated with our viewers in the first film Blake Shelton produced for us,” said Michelle Vicary, Executive Vice President, Programming and Network Publicity, Crown Media Family Networks. “We’re excited to offer a brand-new, heartfelt story with compelling characters our audience will connect with.”

I can’t wait to learn more about this movie as the year goes on!

Stay merry!

Photo: Hallmark Publishing

Oh, I’m super excited about the merry movies news today!

Crown Media Family Networks have announced the very first original movie adaptation from Hallmark Publishing! That’s right, Hallmark Channel will welcome “The Christmas Company”, based off the story by first-time novelist Alys Murray.

“The Christmas Company”, Hallmark’s bestselling novel to-date, tells the story of the annual Dickensian Christmas festival in the small town of Miller’s Point, which is threatened by Clark Woodward, a miserly, big-city businessman. Kate Buckner steps up to save her hometown, their traditions, and her favorite holiday. But, along the way, she realizes that the man she’s trying to protect her town from might need some rescuing of his own.

As the tagline reads: “She’s out to save her town from a real-life Scrooge…”

Casting information hasn’t been released yet, but we can expect to see the premiere during the 10th anniversary of the network’s epic holiday programming, Countdown to Christmas, later this year!

If you’d like to read “The Christmas Company” beforehand, you can find it currently at Hallmark.com, Amazon.com, Target.com, iTunes, BarnesandNoble.com and everywhere else books are sold.

Stay merry!

Photos: Courtesy Headshots

It’s only February and there’s already an announcement for a new holiday movie coming to Hallmark! Did Christmas come early, or is this just the gift that keeps giving? I’ll go with both!

Kristin Chenoweth, known for her many roles across the stage, screen and television, has signed on for “The Christmas Song” alongside Scott Wolf (“Party of Five”, “The Night Shift”).

The film follows a youth choir director (Chenoweth) who needs to write a big song for a Christmas Eve show but is distracted when a boy with a golden voice (Kevin Quinn) joins her choir, which comes as a surprise to his widowed father (Wolf). If you’re familiar with Chenoweth’s voice then, much like me, you’re probably eager to hear her sing some carols in this film — she’s amazing!

“The Christmas Song”, penned by Nicole Baxter and directed by Eric Close, is slated to premiere sometime in November during the Countdown to Christmas lineup, which will also serve as the 10th anniversary of the beloved holiday programming event.

Stay merry!

Photos: Crown Media

I was eagerly awaiting the premiere of the holiday special, “Candace Cameron Bure’s Christmas Across America” on Hallmark Channel but, shortly before the premiere, the network pulled the plug. I don’t know if they plan on airing it during the 2019 Christmas season–I hope they do.

That being said, we still got a full sneak peek at all of the festive fashion that Candace Cameron Bure wore while performing hosting duties, and I have a breakdown of her looks below!

Photo: Crown Media

Over the summer, you may remember reading about a Christmas special that Candace Cameron Bure would be hosting on the Hallmark Channel — well, now we have an air-date!

Tune in to watch “Candace Cameron Bure’s Christmas Across America” premiering this Monday, December 17th at 7:00 PM / 6:00c. Bure will host the special from Santa’s Village as she guides you to the most magical and festive places across America.

Stay merry!

LeAnn Rimes | Photos: Crown Media

This Thursday marks 12 days until Christmas Day — wow, the month flies by so fast!

It wouldn’t truly be the Countdown to Christmas on the Hallmark Channel if they didn’t celebrate it, now would it? Of course not, and that’s why this Thursday, December 13th the network will begin airing “12 Days ‘Til Christmas”, which will included special segments that air periodically between the airings of all the scheduled holiday programming.

Photo: Crown Media

Tonight is the night! Hallmark Channel will present the all-new holiday special, “Amy Grant’s Tennessee Christmas” where the Grammy Award-winning performer, with more than a 30 year musical career, will ring in the season with musical friends for an event perfect for the whole family!

Amy Grant will be joined during the 1-hour special by her husband, Vince Gill, as well as Kellie Pickler and Michael W. Smith for unforgettable musical performances as they share heartfelt stories and their favorite family holiday memories.

Tune in tonight Monday, December 3rd at 6:00 PM/5:00c only on the Hallmark Channel!

The special will re-air on Monday, December 17th at 12:00 PM/11:00c.

Stay merry!

Brendan Penny and Lacey Chabert in a scene from “Pride, Prejudice & Mistletoe”. | Photo: Crown Media

In her seventh Christmas movie for Hallmark Channel, Lacey Chabert starred in “Pride, Prejudice, and Mistletoe” as Darcy Fitzwilliam, a successful businesswoman who returns home for Christmas and ends up working on big holiday family event with her former rival.

I’m still on the hunt for some of the outfits Lacey wore in the movie, but I couldn’t wait to spotlight a few items that I quickly recognized while watching the premiere a few nights ago.

In one of the first scenes, we see Darcy dressed in a beautiful burgundy coat that’s accented with a beautiful cream-colored plaid scarf. She wore a classic luxury must-have item — the Burberry Gauze Giant Check Wool & Silk Scarf, which is still available at Saks Fifth Avenue for $390.

Marilu Henner, Emily Hampshire and Joey Lawrence in 2012’s “Hitched for the Holidays”.

We’re freshly into the holiday season, and we already have news for next year’s celebration!

Forbes announced yesterday that the Hallmark Channel and its sister network Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, known for their lineup of holiday-themed romantic comedies and hugely successful Christmas programming, are currently in the process of creating two films for the 2019 festive lineup that will celebrate Hanukkah as well!

“Holiday Date”, which is currently in the early stages of script development, will have “Hannukah elements … which is a lot of fun as Hanukkah and Christmas overlap in 2019,” a spokeswoman for Crown Media explained.

The last time Hallmark included a movie that included Hanukkah was 2012’s “Hitched for the Holidays”, which starred Joey Lawrence, Emily Hampshire and Marilu Henner. The comedy was about a young couple who fake their engagement after meeting on a dating website to keep their families from meddling in their love lives during the holidays.

I can’t wait to see these new movies when they premiere next year!

Stay merry!

The Peete family! | Photo: Crown Media

I love the music, the movies, and festive episodes of my favorite shows, but there’s something very nostalgic, for me, about watching holiday specials during Christmas time.

I love all types; comedy, concerts, and behind-the-scenes looks at how other people ring in the season with their loved ones.  Hallmark Channel has giving us all of the above, and next week they’re sending us on a jolly journey with Holly Robinson Peete and Rodney Peete as their family celebrates the most wonderful time of the year with a special episode of the original docuseries, “Meet the Peetes”!

In the “Meet the Peetes Christmas Special”, viewers will join the Peetes as they prepare for their annual Christmas party extravaganza! There will be merry mayhem, decor galore, and more.

Make sure you tune in to see all of the yuletide fun when the “Meet the Peetes Christmas Special” premieres Monday, December 3rd at 7:00 PM/6:00c only on the Hallmark Channel.

Stay merry!