Hallmark Channel reveals 3 new original movies making this year's 'Countdown to Christmas'

Hallmark Media press release

As Hallmark Channel celebrates its 25th birthday, the network is gifting viewers with festive news – more of its beloved stars will bring comfort and joy into their homes during the network’s upcoming 17th annual “Countdown to Christmas” programming event, the undisputed No. 1 destination for holiday movies.

At a sold-out panel at 92NY on Tuesday, Aug. 4, Alison Sweeney (“Hannah Swensen Mysteries”) and Ashley Williams (“An Alpine Holiday”), who previously starred in and executive produced the 2025 films “To Barcelona, With Love” and “To Barcelona, Forever,” announced they will reunite in a new movie that takes them on a multi-state holiday adventure when they star and executive produce once again. Steve Lund (“Garage Sale Mysteries,” “She’s Making a List”) also stars in the untitled movie written by Alejandro Alcoba (“Another Life,” “Holly Hobbie”) with Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe (“Pie to Die For: A Hannah Swensen Mystery,” “This Time Each Year”) directing. Hallmark’s Make Her Mark Women’s Directing Program participant Sarah Wilson Thacker is set to shadow Lowe.

On Wednesday, Aug. 5, during a virtual panel hosted by the Television Critics Association, Hallmark Media President and Hallmark Chief Brand Officer Darren Abbott and Head of Programming for Hallmark Media Michelle Vicary announced Tamera Mowry-Housley (“Tidings for the Season,” “Haunted Harmony Mysteries”) and Kristoffer Polaha (“Missing the Boat,” “A Grand Ole Opry Christmas”) will star together for the first time in “Mistletoe and Mimosas” (working title). Mowry-Housley also serves as executive producer. Russell Hainline (“Merry Christmas, Ted Cooper!” “Three Wisest Men”) penned the script.

Production on both movies begins this month in Vancouver.

Also during the virtual TCA panel, Abbott and Vicary shared that Jonathan Bennett (“A Keller Christmas Vacation,” “General Hospital”) and Italia Ricci (“Tracker,” “Catch Me if You Claus”) will light up the screen in “Single at the Wedding” (working title), as two perennially single friends who do their best to avoid their well-meaning families’ matchmaking efforts. Production on the movie wrapped last month.

Untitled Alison Sweeney & Ashley Williams movie

Cassidy (Williams) is a no-nonsense Chicago lawyer who finds herself scrambling to get home to her father in Nashville on Christmas Eve after her flight gets canceled due to weather. Jo (Sweeney) is a fellow traveler bound for Nashville whose bright, sunny, easy-breezy attitude is the opposite of Cassidy’s sensible approach to life. Desperate to get home to her father, Cassidy reluctantly teams up with Jo, who enlists the help of her truck driver brother Chase (Lund) to get them to another airport to catch new flights. On the long drive, Cassidy and Chase get to know each other while Jo takes a cat nap – and it’s clear there may be a romantic spark between them by the time they arrive at their next destination. But when Cassidy and Jo’s journey hits snag after snag Chase comes to their rescue more than once – and they continue on make it home for Christmas – Jo and Cassidy slowly form a true friendship and help each other in unexpected ways.

‘Mistletoe and Mimosas’

Claire Bennett (Mowry-Housley) is a successful business consultant in Manhattan who unexpectedly inherits her beloved Uncle Lou’s Christmas themed bar, The Tipsy Reindeer, in upstate New York. When she returns, Claire discovers the bar comes with high debt – her Uncle Lou was overly generous to people in town while the booming business of Algorithm, an upscale and trendy new club, added insult to injury. She intends to turn things around before Christmas and sell to someone who will preserve her uncle’s legacy and then return to her life in the city. Claire meets Zach (Polaha), Algorithm’s part owner and manager, who tells her they want to buy The Tipsy Reindeer so they can expand. Claire bristles at the proposition and they agree to face off in a “12 Days of Christmas”-inspired series of festive events to see who can bring in the most business – if Claire wins, Zach will use his contacts to find the right buyer but, if Zach emerges victorious, Claire agrees to consider Algorithm’s offer.

As they compete over the course of the 12 days their attraction is undeniable. Rivalry leads to romance and the two are faced with figuring out how their shifting priorities might somehow lead them down the same road, together.

‘Single at the Wedding’

Susie (Ricci) has checked out on dating, while Alec (Bennett) is a hopeless romantic – these longtime friends have both struck out in the love department after failing to meet the right man. After being each other's plus-one to what feels like the 20th wedding this year, they vow to take a break from attending weddings and looking for their respective prince charming. That break doesn’t last long as next day Susie's sister announces a last-minute Christmas wedding … and Susie convinces Alec to tag along. The objective for the week? Survive as the two lone, single people and avoid family matchmaking. Over time, the Christmas wedding duties and time with family during the holidays force these two best friends to forge a new appreciation for love and marriage. Susie finds herself turning over a new leaf in pursuing romance while Alec discovers love can walk into your life when you least expect it.