Photo: Crown Media

In more holiday programming news straight from Crown Media Family Network–via the 2018 Summer TCA Tour, it’s been announced that Candace Cameron Bure will serve as Executive Producer for an all new one-hour special for Hallmark Channel entitled “Christmas in America” during Countdown to Christmas 2018.

This special will feature footage of people from every corner of the country and all walks of life as they celebrate the season and embrace their Christmas spirit. From Christmas light festivals to support for charitable causes, get ready to ring in the season with this joyful event.

Photo courtesy the {m} media collective

It was announced during the Crown Media Family Networks’ bi-annual Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour–aka the Summer TCA Tour 2018, that Amy Grant will premiere a new one-hour special during the Countdown to Christmas 2018 programming entitled “Amy Grant’s Tennessee Christmas”, which is named after her 2016 holiday album.

“We’re excited to partner with beloved country music star Amy Grant for this heartwarming special we know will resonate with our viewers, especially during Christmastime,” said Michelle Vicary, Executive Vice President, Programming and Network Publicity, Crown Media Family Networks.

Photos: Crown Media

During this month’s holiday programming on Hallmark Channel dubbed “Christmas Keepsake Week”, the network premiered a special hosted by Lacey Chabert called “Christmas: A First Look”, which gave us insight into the movies we’ll see during Countdown to Christmas 2018 later this year.

While the preview special left me very excited for all of the upcoming movies, my eyes were drawn to the gorgeous red dress that Lacey wore. She embodied the Christmas in July spirit in a Red Knit Dress with Jewels by The Kooples.

Photo/Screencaps: Crown Media

Last night, Hallmark Channel aired a sneak peek of the movies making their way to our television screens this holiday season with the “Christmas: A First Look” preview special hosted by Lacey Chabert alongside Hallmark Channel pet ambassador, Happy the Dog.

On the special, Lacey–clad in a fabulous red dress by The Kooples, talked about some of the new movies that will be premiering on Hallmark Channel’s “Countdown to Christmas” and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ “Miracles of Christmas” holiday programming.

Check out what festive stories you can expect to see later this year–the countdown is on!

Left: Chad Michael Murray, Right: Jessy Schram / Photos: Crown Media/IMDb

In addition to Hilarie Burton, Danneel Harris, Robert Buckley, Tyler Hilton and Antwon Tanner heading to Lifetime with “The Christmas Contract”, and Bethany Joy Lenz  starring in “Poinsettias for Christmas” with Sharon Lawrence, it seems that yet another “One Tree Hill” alum will be headlining a new television movie this holiday season — Chad Michael Murray!

The former OTH star, who made his Hallmark Channel debut this past spring in “The Beach House”, will be returning to the network for the Countdown to Christmas 2018 line-up in “The Wise Men”, alongside Jessy Schram who starred in 2017’s “Royal New Year’s Eve”.

  Photos: Crown Media

Nick Lachey took over co-hosting duties this week on Hallmark’s Home & Family–and he brought along his wife, Vanessa Lachey for a holiday cooking segment! Vanessa got into the Christmas mood in her black sweater adorned with several pixelated Santa Claus faces; she wore the Divided H&M Ugly Christmas Graphic Sweater (Sold Out).

Left: Jessica Lowndes, Right: Michael Rady / Photos: Crown Media

Another festive day of Christmas in July has brought more joyous movie news for all my fellow fans of Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas, according to EW!

Jessica Lowndes, star of 2015’s “Merry Matrimony”, 2016’s “A December Bride” and last year’s “Magical Christmas Ornaments” is returning to the network this holiday season alongside Hallmark alum Michael Rady (2016’s “Christmas in Homestead”, 2017’s “A Joyous Christmas”) to star in “Night Before Christmas”.

Right: Candace Cameron Bure, Left: Lacey Chabert / Photo: Crown Media

It was pretty inevitable that Lacey Chabert would be returning to her holiday stopping grounds this Christmas season, considering she’s hosting the Hallmark Channel “Christmas: A First Look Preview Special” next month during Christmas Keepsake Week, but it’s officially confirmed that she will star in a new movie for the Countdown to Christmas line-up!

Chabert will star in “Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe”, which is an adaptation of Melissa de la Cruz’s book of the same name and a gender-swapping update of Jane Austen’s classic novel, as Darcy Fitzwilliam, a successful and brilliant woman who has a lot going for her — especially her dating life, but she has never fallen in love. She also has a habit of avoiding Christmas back home in her small town, but when her mother falls ill, she can’t help but return to spend the season with her family. Little does she know that this could be the holiday season could bring her love and new beginnings.

“Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe” will mark Chabert’s seventh Hallmark holiday movie, and she’s not alone in that milestone. Candace Cameron Bure will also be back for her seventh run this Christmas while simultaneously celebrating her tenth anniversary of making yuletide magic with the network!

There has been a lot of recent news surrounding all of the holiday movies coming out this Christmas, naturally. I mean, we’re halfway through the year, the Upfronts have recently ended and this is the time when a lot of the movies are being filmed and/or cast, so it’s not surprising that the entertainment news would be heavily holiday-centered despite the impending summer.

What do we know so far? There will be new Hallmark movies from Candace Cameron Bure, Lacey Chabert, Danica McKeller and Kellie Martin coming that are currently TBD while Danielle Panabaker stars in “Christmas Joy”, Kellie Pickler heads to “Christmas at Graceland”, Erin Krakow and Niall Matter return for “Marrying Father Christmas” and LeAnn Rimes leads “It’s Christmas, Eve”.  A third installment from Richard Paul Evans‘ holiday anthology series titled “The Mistletoe Secret” will also premiere.

Photo: Kellie Pickler Official Facebook

It’s going to be a ‘Blue Christmas’ this holiday season when Kellie Pickler heads to Elvis Presley’s former home for an all-new original movie! The Country singer is making her Hallmark Channel festive debut in “Christmas At Graceland”, which is set to premiere on the network later this year during the Countdown To Christmas holiday programming.

Synopsis: Laurel (Pickler), a Chicago-based business executive travels to Memphis to secure one of the city’s oldest family-owned banks. While in Memphis, Laurel reunites with an old flame Clay, a local music promoter with loftier aspirations. Though Laurel tries to keep her eye on the prize of the business acquisition, Clay is very persuasive reminding her of the days when they were a performing duo on the brink of stardom. Now Laurel’s focus turns to the home of the Blues and dreams of making music again.

The movie will feature music made famous by Presley, and will shoot on location at his historic home in Memphis, Tennessee. Look for more info on this film as we get closer to October!

Stay merry!