The 2023 holiday season witnessed a veritable explosion of festive films across various networks, promising a heartwarming escape for every Christmas enthusiast. Hallmark Media, comprising Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, and Hallmark+, led the charge with an impressive 47 new titles, solidifying their position as the go-to destination for feel-good holiday entertainment. Their “Countdown to Christmas” and “Miracles of Christmas” programming blocks commenced in October, saturating the airwaves with Christmas cheer months in advance. This year saw Hallmark+ venturing into original holiday series with “Holidazed,” starring Ian Harding, expanding their offerings beyond the traditional made-for-TV movie format.
Great American Family, a burgeoning competitor in the holiday movie arena, continued to expand their programming slate with their “Great American Christmas” lineup, also launching in October. Featuring familiar Hallmark alumni like Candace Cameron Bure, the network aimed to carve its niche within the festive film landscape. Netflix, a streaming giant, also joined the holiday fray, attracting established Hallmark stars like Lacey Chabert and Chad Michael Murray to headline their original Christmas movies. This cross-pollination of talent highlights the increasing competition and appeal of holiday-themed content across diverse platforms.
Lifetime, a long-time purveyor of holiday films, unveiled its winter-themed lineup in November. Their slate included “The Holiday Junkie,” starring real-life couple Jennifer Love Hewitt and Brian Hallisay, adding a touch of real-life romance to the fictionalized world of holiday movies. With Hulu, BET+, OWN, and UPtv also contributing to the festive film abundance, viewers were presented with an overwhelming selection of over 100 movies to enjoy throughout the season. This diversified range of platforms offered something for every taste, from traditional romantic comedies to family-friendly adventures, ensuring that no viewer was left out in the cold.
The holiday movie marathon kicked off in October with offerings like Hallmark Channel’s “‘Twas the Date Before Christmas” and Great American Family’s “Christmas Wreaths and Ribbons.” As November arrived, the floodgates opened with a cascade of new titles across all networks. Netflix’s “Meet Me Next Christmas” and Hallmark’s “Trivia at St. Nick’s” joined the lineup, further intensifying the festive competition. This mid-November period saw a significant surge in holiday movie premieres, providing ample viewing options for those eager to embrace the Christmas spirit.
The latter half of November continued the trend with titles like Netflix’s highly anticipated “Falling for Christmas,” starring Lindsay Lohan, and Hallmark’s “Three Wise Men and a Baby.” Great American Family’s “A Christmas…Present” also premiered during this period, offering an alternative for viewers seeking faith-based holiday content. This pre-Thanksgiving period solidified the dominance of holiday movies across the television and streaming landscape, ensuring that Christmas cheer was readily available throughout the month.
December, traditionally the peak of the holiday season, saw a final flurry of premieres, culminating in a Christmas Day release from BET+. Hallmark Channel continued its dominance with titles like “Hanukkah on the Rocks” and “The Santa Class,” while Lifetime delivered Jennifer Love Hewitt’s “The Holiday Junkie.” Great American Family concluded their slate with “Christmas in Scotland” and “Coupled Up for Christmas,” offering a variety of storylines to cap off the season. This saturation of holiday movies throughout December provided viewers with a constant stream of festive entertainment leading up to Christmas Day and beyond.
