The results are in! Unsurprisingly, Hallmark Channel crushed the Christmas ratings again in 2025. The beloved network was the most-watched entertainment cable channel among women ages 18+ during the entire fourth quarter of 2025 for the 12th consecutive year, per a press release from Hallmark.
But the network’s 2025 ratings have also revealed some seriously surprising stats, from the movies that were most-watched to the continued breadth of Hallmark’s popularity. And spoiler alert — the number one movie of the year WASN’T a Christmas movie!
Hallmark Channel’s Top 5 is Blend of Early 2025 Rom-Coms & New Christmas Movies
Hallmark Channel ran its uber-popular Countdown to Christmas with non-stop original holiday fare from late October through December, but for the first time in a long time, its number one movie was not a Christmas movie!
February’s “An Unexpected Valentine,” starring Hallmark queen Lacey Chabert with Robert Buckley, was the top-rated Hallmark of the year, with 1.8 million viewers, according to Forbes. That aligns with our recent assessment that 2025 would go down as the year Buckley became a true Hallmark hunk in fans’ eyes, thanks to his top-tier rom-coms (“Merry Christmas, Ted Cooper!” is also a gem) and adorable antics at his first-ever Hallmark event, the Hallmark Christmas Experience in Kansas City.
Hallmark didn’t release exact viewership numbers for its movies, but according to Forbes, the number two movie of the year was another fun surprise: Rachel Boston and Brendan Penny’s Christmas movie “The More the Merrier” drew in 1.77 million viewers on Black Friday.
HallmarkAnother non-Christmas movie came in third place for the year, according to Forbes — “The Reluctant Royal,” which fan-favorite Andrew Walker developed, produced, and starred in. Filmed in Ireland with co-star Emilie de Raven, the movie attracted a whopping 1.75 million viewers in March.
Coming in fourth place for 2025 was “A Grand Ole Opry Christmas” starring Nikki DeLoach, Kristoffer Polaha, Sharon Lawrence, Eliza Hayes Maher, James Denton, and over a dozen country music stars. On the Saturday night of Thanksgiving weekend, the charming holiday movie nabbed 1.74 million viewers, per Forbes.
Rounding out the top five, Lacey Chabert strikes again — right alongside Andrew Walker! Their Christmas movie, the campy and heartwarming “She’s Making a List,” was “watched live by 1.6 million people,” per Forbes.
What Other Hallmark Channel Christmas Movies Fared the Best in 2025?
HallmarkAs far as Christmas movies go, many other 2025 flicks were right behind “She’s Making a List,” with their number of viewers — particularly in the key demographic of ages 18-49 — hovering around the 1.5 to 1.6 million mark, according to TV Ratings Guide.
For instance, “Three Wisest Men” — starring Walker, Tyler Hynes, and Paul Campbell — had 1.536 million viewers. Hallmark’s second NFL-themed movie, “Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story,” nabbed 1.516 million viewers, and Hynes’ other holiday movie, “Christmas Above the Clouds” with Erin Krakow, brought in 1.506 million viewers.
TV Ratings Guide reported that other strong performers were the Hannukah-and-Christmas movie “Oy! To The World” starring Brooke D’Orsay and Jake Epstein, with 1.356 million viewers 18-49, and that it nearly tied for viewership with Erin Cahill and Paul Campbell’s “Christmas at the Catnip Cafe,” which was the cat’s meow for 1.355 million fans.
For comparison’s sake, the number one Hallmark movie of 2024 was “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story,” starring Tyler Hynes and Hunter King, and 2023’s top movie was “A Merry Scottish Christmas” starring Lacey Chabert and Scott Wolf.
Cable Ratings Continue to Fall, But Hallmark Channel’s Still Striking Gold
HallmarkAlthough Hallmark struck gold again with its rom-coms and Christmas movies in 2025, Hallmark Channel’s ratings were down overall by 24%, according to Variety. That’s a trend shared by almost every cable network as viewers cut the cord and switch to streaming.
Nevertheless, Hallmark said it continued its reign as “the most-watched network in Total Day among Households.” Notably, of the Top 50 most-watched cable TV movies of 2025 among women 18+ and all households, Hallmark produced and aired every single one. All of them can be streamed on Hallmark+.
I don’t like any of those movies that yall mentioned, & I can’t stand Robert Buckley, he can’t act a lick, he’s annoying, & Lacy Chabert hasn’t had a decent movie since she started making crap like Haul Out The Holly, worst movie that she ever made.i leave 2 of my tvs on Hallmark 24 hours a day, but that doesn’t mean that I’m watching the The more the merrier I liked
Well, aren’t YOU just a bucket of sunshine! If you don’t like the movies and if you don’t watch them …why in the world would you have not one — but TWO televisions tuned to Hallmark?
Thank You!!! Hilarious! 😂
Isn’t that the truth!
You couldn’t be more wrong! Maybe just watch a different channel!
I so agree. Buckley has zero sex appeal and the Holly movies were stupid. In my opinion the best film of 2025 was Villa Amore. But then I do love Kevin McGarry.
I think Robert Buckley is adorable! Merry Christmas Ted Cooper had Me giggling! Great movie! Even my daughter who is not a hallmark junkie was giggling and enjoyed merry Christmas, Ted Cooper!
Also… the reluctant royal was a cute movie as well as she’s making a list! I went to the second week of the Hallmark Christmas experience in Kansas City and was literally washing my hands in the women’s restroom next to Lacey Chabert and a wonderfully sweet lady!!!
Love him and loved that movie! Actually I’ve loved everything he’s in.
Agree but I think the best movie was We Met in December. It was smart and a warm fuzzy. I have had enough of Lacy.
I wasn’t just giggling, I laughed, guffawed, snorted and anything else related to laughing!
Hallmark might do better if they didn’t run 18 hours a day of Golden Girls and Gilmore Girls for 9 months out of the year.
I was going to say the exact same thing it sounds like the majority of us would love to have Christmas movies on all year around that would make their ratings go up. No more golden girls Reba Gilmore girls just Christmas movies. That’s what we all love and that’s what we all want. Hallmark executives should listen to us.
If Christmas movies were on all year long I would be so sick of them and not feel the anticipation of getting that Christmas spirit when they do arrive. Although, I feel like the Christmas movies were just not up to par this year. I enjoyed watching some of the older ones more. Just my opinion, of course!
I watched more of the older ones on Hallmark Mysteries and Movies. Most of them didn’t interest me. Quite a few start were absent from Hallmark and GAM too which was disappointing.
I’m with everyone else. Christmas all year long Golden Girls, Gilmore Girls need to go maybe a little Reba ever now and then but not back to back
Exactly why I gave up my Hallmark cable.
Exactly why I gave up my Hallmark cable subscription.
AGREE! Murder she Wrote is pretty tired too! How about Love Boat reruns – good for Hallmark!
So VERY true! Golden girls is awful! A tramp/whore, a”mean old lady”, a nasty/snarky woman who constantly picks on, belittles etc. the only nice cast member!
Agreed
I agree
OMG why isn’t A Newport Christmas on any of the lists? Maybe it’s because they are only looking at live ratings? I watch these on Hallmark+. But anyway, that movie was my fave this season by far.
Mine to Pam. Absolutely loved it.
I’m happy to see The More the Merrier make the list. I really enjoyed that and I can’t say that about many of this year’s movies, except, of course, Three Wisest Men!
The older Christmas movies are so much better than what was shown this season. Hallmark kept showing the same movies over and over when there was so many older ones that could have been shown. They also show the better movies in the middle of the night. I feel like they went for quantity instead of quality. Even the best actors can’t save some of these new movies. Turned more movies off this season than I watched.
I couldn’t make it through She Making A List. The plot was beyond stupid and boring. I thoroughly enjoyed A Grand Ole Opry Christmas & was my favorite of the year. Agree with everyone about Golden Girls, Murder she Wrote, and Gilmore Girls. Those need to go.
When they give ratings are they including Hallmark+? I ordered last year and just renewed so I can watch when the regular network channels are showing old series.