Photos: National Tree Lighting Ceremony/CBS

As we kick off December, we’re also decking the halls and trimming the trees, which includes iconic Christmas tree lighting ceremonies! LL Cool J is set to host the 99th National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, which will be broadcasted on CBS this weekend, Sunday, December 5 (8:30pm ET, 8pm PT) — and there’s a star-studded lineup!

Billy Porter, Chris Stapleton, H.E.R., Juanes, Keb’ Mo’, Kristin Chenoweth, Maren Morris and Patti LaBelle will be on-hand with special performances during the event.  The U.S. Army Band Downrange and the Howard University Gospel Choir are also set to perform.

Julianne Hough and Ariana DeBose. (Photo: Disney/Matt Stroshane)

The magical experience of celebrating the holiday season with Disney returns to the ABC network this year with two festive specials jam-packed with music, magic and your favorite stars as they ring in the season from the ‘happiest place on earth’!

“The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration”, hosted by Julianne Hough and Ariana DeBose (“West Side Story”, “Hamilton”, “The Prom”), will air on Sunday, November 28th while sibling powerhouses Derek Hough and Julianne Hough take on the hosting duties in Walt Disney World for the beloved “Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade” on Christmas morning, Saturday, December 25th.  Freeform’s Trevor Jackson (“grown-ish”) and Sherry Cola (“Good Trouble”) corresponding from the Disneyland Resort.

Performers include: Gwen Stefani, Darren Criss, Kristin Chenoweth, Brett Eldredge, Chance the Rapper, Jimmie Allen, Meg Donnelly, NEEDTOBREATHE and Switchfoot, Pentatonix, Norah Jones, AFTR PARTY, and Sebastián Yatra who will perform “Dos Oruguitas” from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Encanto”.

Check out the lineup and schedule for both specials below!

Photos: NBC/Macy’s

There is no holiday kick-off quite like the iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and this year the tradition is ringing in its 95th year! You can expect to see ‘a spectacle like no other’ when 15 giant character balloons, 28 floats, 36 novelty and heritage inflatables, more than 800 clowns, 10 marching bands and 9 performance groups, a host of musical stars — and, of course, Santa Claus — march their way down the streets of New York City on Thanksgiving morning.

“Today” show anchors Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker will host the three-hour telecast; viewers nationwide can catch all the action via the special broadcasts on NBC and Telemundo, from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. in all time zones, and for the first time fans can also livestream coverage on Peacock. NBC will air an encore of the Parade from 2-5 p.m. ET.

The Spanish-language simulcast on Telemundo will be hosted by “En Casa con Telemundo’s” Ana Jurka and Carlos Adyan, accompanied by Freddy Lomelí live from Sixth Avenue, and will feature a special appearance by current Miss Universe, Andrea Meza.

Check out the lineup of performers below!

Chenoweth with Santa Claus at the premiere of Hallmark’s A Christmas Love Story in 2019. | Photo: Crown Media

We need a little Christmas, and Kristin Chenoweth has a special delivery of it on the way!

The acclaimed singer and actress (and Broadway icon!) has announced that she will release her new Christmas album, Happiness Is… Christmas! on October 22nd and gave us a sneak peek with one song from the record (click here to pre-order).

The song, which is also the title track, “Happiness (Is Christmas)” is also very special for fans of Chenoweth and Peanuts because it’s a reworked version of “Happiness” from the Broadway musical, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, and “Christmas Time Is Here” from the Peanuts holiday classic, A Charlie Brown Christmas. In fact, Chenoweth actually won a Tony Award for her work as Sally in the musical revival back in 1999.

Photos: Crown Media

Tony Award-winner Kristin Chenoweth will star in her first Hallmark holiday movie this year with the Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation of “A Christmas Love Story,“ in which she leads alongside Scott Wolf. In the film, she plays a youth choir director who needs to write a song for the Christmas Eve show. You can expect a lot from this movie–Christmas spirit, a romantic love story, beautiful music, and if these early released production stills are any indication–a plethora of stylish holiday outfits!

ABC

ABC has officially announced the lineup for the annual music event, “CMA Country Christmas”!

This year, Country superstar Trisha Yearwood will host the 10th annual holiday event, which is set to air on the ABC network with performances from Kristin Chenoweth, for KING & COUNTRY, Chris Janson, Tori Kelly, Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts, Runaway June, CeCe Winans, Brett Young and Chris Young.

In addition to her hosting duties, Yearwood will also perform on the Christmas special, taking the stage for a night filled with Christmas classics and festive one-of-a-kind collaborations.

“Music, memories and enjoying the season with loved ones are what make Christmastime so special,” says Yearwood. “Hosting ‘CMA Country Christmas’ is an opportunity to share joy and celebrate the holidays with friends and family everywhere.”

“CMA Country Christmas” will be taped on Wednesday, September 25, 2019 at Belmont University’s Curb Event Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Tickets went on sale last Friday, September 6th, and they’re still available at CMAChristmas.com/tickets.

Stay merry!

L-R: Chenoweth, Seeley and Rose. | Photos: Crown Media

What’s the holiday season without some carols?!

Many stars will bring their musical talents to the Hallmark networks for their respective festive movies, which are set to premiere during the 10th anniversary of Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas as well as Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ Miracles of Christmas programming.

“The right Christmas music is key to setting the mood for the holiday season so we couldn’t be more thrilled to feature original songs in our movie premieres this year,” said Michelle Vicary, Executive Vice President, Programming & Network Publicity, Crown Media Family Networks at the networks bi-annual Television Critics Summer Press Tour yesterday. “We’re fortunate to have so many new songs performed by such talented stars, so turn up the volume because this holiday season will be triumphant and bright on Hallmark.”

“A Christmas Love Story” (Hallmark Channel)
Tony®and Emmy®Award winner Kristin Chenoweth (You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, “Pushing Daisies”) will lead the Hallmark Hall of Fame film “A Christmas Love Story”, in which she will star as a youth choir director who needs to write a big song for the Christmas Eve show but becomes distracted from that endeavor when Danny (Kevin Quinn, “Bunk’d”), a boy with a golden voice joins her choir, much to the surprise of his widowed father played by Scott Wolf (“The Night Shift,” “Party of Five”). Little does she know a life-changing, emotional surprise is in store for her moments before the show as she gets ready to take the stage and sing “When Angels Land” with Danny.

Photo/Screencaps: Crown Media

Lacey Chabert brought the spirit of Christmas into the summer season by celebrating Christmas in July and hosting Hallmark Channel’s “Christmas: A First Look” Preview Special. The annual sneak peek show gave us a look at some of the original movies coming to the network during the 10th Anniversary of Countdown to Christmas, which officially kicks off on Friday, October 25th!

During the special, Chabert was joined by network pet ambassador, Happy the Dog, and “Home & Family” pet rescue expert Larissa Wohl — who brought along some kittens and puppies as she explained Hallmark Channel’s pet rescue initiative, “Adoption Ever After”. Learn more here!

Read on to check out the movies that were spotlighted during the special!

Photos Used: Crown Media

Last year Hallmark debuted a record-breaking 37 original movies during the holiday season, but they’re ready to top themselves in 2019!

Crown Media Family Networks announced that they will be premiering 40 brand new films between their Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries networks later this year to help spread the joy of the season. While Hallmark Movies & Mysteries will debut 16, the remaining 24 will be celebrated during the 10th anniversary of the Countdown to Christmas holiday programming event on Hallmark Channel – including “Holiday for Heroes” and an untitled Blake Shelton project.

There are also plans to premiere a new movie during Hallmark Channel’s Keepsake Christmas, the annual event during July to coincide with Hallmark’s Keepsake Ornament Premiere preview in stores.

So, I’m guessing one of those 24 films will be that movie — and my guess is that it will be the previously announced “The Christmas Song” starring Kristin Chenoweth and Scott Wolf or, perhaps, the tentatively titled “A Family Under The Christmas Tree” starring Merritt Patterson (“The Christmas Cottage”, “Christmas at the Palace”) and Jon Cor (“Love on Safari”).

— Updated 07/14/2019: This movie has officially been named “Picture a Perfect Christmas”! —

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!