But as we prepare for Halloween’s goblins, ghouls and spirits, we might as well get ready to be moved by a different sort of spirit — the Spirit of Christmas. Like the rest of the country, the cable network that has become the traditional home of yuletide cheer is leaping over Halloween and headed straight toward Christmas as Thanksgiving forlornly looks from the sidelines. We’re speaking, of course, of the Hallmark Channel. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Hallmark’s “Countdown to Christmas,” where it shows Christmas-themed movies 24/7. This year, the network will debut 24 new movies. Here at Komando.com, we have our own, but very different, “Countdown to Christmas” you can enjoy as well. Just click or tap here to see it.
“Countdown to Christmas”
The new movies will debut every Saturday night, starting Oct. 26 and ending Dec. 28. Think about that. Christmas movies running 24 hours a day, seven days a week from the end of October, all the way through November and almost all of December! In 10 years, Hallmark has certainly built quite a library of Christmas movies featuring some sort of romantic entanglement only twinkle lights can resolve. Among the 24 new movies being released this season, we picked out three we think would be worth your time: “Picture a Perfect Christmas” An extreme sports photographer (Merritt Patterson) returns home for the holiday to look after her grandmother and ends up lending a helping hand to a neighbor (Jon Cor) who needs assistance watching his nephew. Airs Nov. 9 “A Christmas Duet” Well-loved music duo Averie (Chaley Rose) and Jesse (Rome Flynn), famous for their duet “Wouldn’t Be Christmas,” haven’t played together since they went their separate ways years ago. Fate brings them together over the holidays at Averie’s lodge, just in time for the annual Yuletide Festival. Can the magic of Christmas help reunite them once again? Airs Nov. 25 “The Christmas Club” Two busy strangers, Olivia Bennett (Elizabeth Mitchell) and Edward Taylor (Cameron Mathison), meet when they help an elderly woman find her lost Christmas savings. Thanks to fate and Christmas magic, they also find something they were both missing: true love. Airs Nov. 27 This is but a taste of all the Christmas movies Hallmark will be airing during its “Countdown to Christmas.” To help you keep track of all the new movies this year, just click below to download a pdf version of the image so you can start checking off what you’ve seen or what you want to see.
Netflix gets into the Christmas spirit
Seeing as Netflix will be gutted this holiday season when Disney+ steps into the streaming services ring on Nov. 12, it should come as no surprise the channel has lined up quite a number of its own original Christmas movies. It all starts Nov. 1, with “Holiday in the Wild.” It stars Kristin Davis as a jilted woman who goes to Africa alone on what was supposed to be a second honeymoon. Rob Lowe co-stars. On Dec. 5 comes the third installment in the popular Christmas Prince saga. No spoiler alert needed, The movie is called “A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby.” The animated movie “Klaus” debuts Nov. 15. It features the voices of Jason Schwartzman, Rashida Jones and J.K. Simmons. Also expect is an original series called “Merry Happy Whatever,” which debuts. Nov. 28. It stars Dennis Quaid and follows a slightly dysfunctional family during the Christmas period. Maybe if we’re really good, Santa will drop a Christmas-themed “Black Mirror” episode.
