The celebrations are continuing as Hallmark Channel marks its 25th anniversary.
Following a sold-out panel at 92NY on Tuesday, August 4, Hallmark is announcing three new holiday movies that will join this year’s 17th annual Countdown to Christmas programming event.
A Big Reunion
During the panel, Alison Sweeney (“Hannah Swensen Mysteries”) and Ashley Williams (“An Alpine Holiday”) have confirmed that they’ll be reuniting for a new Christmas movie.
This marks the first time the fan-favorite Hallmark stars have appeared onscreen together since their films “To Barcelona, With Love” and its sequel, “To Barcelona, Forever.”
Per Hallmark Channel, the two will be stars and executive producers on the new film, which “takes them on a multi-state holiday adventure.”
Yuletide Pairings
On Wednesday, August 5, during a virtual panel hosted by the Television Critics Association, Darren Abbott, President of Hallmark Media and Hallmark Chief Brand Officer, and Michelle Vicary, Head of Programming for Hallmark Media, announced two other movies set to join the 2026 Countdown to Christmas lineup.
Titled “Mistletoe and Mimosas,” Tamera Mowry-Housley (“Haunted Harmony Mysteries”) will co-star for the first time with Kristoffer Polaha (“A Grand Ole Opry Christmas”).
Mowry-Housley will also serve as exec producer, with production set to begin in Vancouver later this month.
In addition, the Hallmark Channel execs also announced a third film, starring Jonathan Bennett (“A Keller Christmas Vacation”) and Italia Ricci (“Catch Me If You Claus”). Titled “Single at the Wedding,” the film sees the stars “portraying two perennially single friends who do their best to avoid their well-meaning families’ matchmaking efforts.”
‘Untitled Alison Sweeney and Ashley Williams Movie’
The upcoming reunion movie starring Sweeney and Williams has yet to receive an official title, although it does have a synopsis.
“Cassidy (Ashley 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,” that synopsis reads.
“Jo (Alison 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 (Steve 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. As they continue on make it home for Christmas, Jo and Cassidy slowly form a true friendship and help each other in unexpected ways,” the synopsis concludes.
‘Mistletoes and Mimosas’
In “Mistletoes and Mimosas,” Mowry-Housley stars as Claire Bennett, described as “a successful business consultant in Manhattan who unexpectedly inherits her beloved Uncle Lou’s Christmas themed bar, The Tipsy Reindeer, in upstate New York.”
Per the synopsis: “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 (Kristoffer 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 (Italia Ricci) has checked out on dating while Alec (Jonathan Benentt) is a hopeless romantic — these longtime friends have both struck out in the love department after failing to meet the right man,” reads the synopsis.
“After being each other’s plus one to what feels like the twentieth 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.”
I think you need to fix your first paragraph because Alison Sweeney is not starring with herself in a movie.