✨✨ It's The Last Weekend of NEW Christmas Movie Premieres... Just Before the Sugar-Plums Dance in Our Heads and Santa Appears!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

'Tis the last weekend before Christmas, dear friends!

How did the holiday season slip by so quickly this year? May we all cherish these last days leading to Christmas Day! I know many of you, like myself, are extra busy getting things done and preparing for this special time - shared with family, friends, and loved ones.

I've included below the last NEW Christmas movie drop that runs Thursday through Sunday. Hopefully, you'll find something you want to see!

This weekend, there's quite a variety of movie themes - with the Nutcracker ballet, country music, puppies, mystery, and more!

See all of the details below...


🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄


Thursday, December 19, 2024:

Trading Up Christmas

Storyline: Michelle (Ricci) is the dreamer of her family, always brimming with imaginative ideas to make the world a better place. This Christmas, her sister Keri desperately needs a new home, and Michelle hatches a creative plan to help. Starting with just a Christmas stocking, she sets out to trade her way up to something far greater—a house for Keri. While Keri dismisses it as a far-fetched idea, local reporter Dan (Xavier) is intrigued. Assigned to cover Michelle's story, Dan follows her closely, and as her plan gains attention, he starts to see the world through her hopeful eyes. As Michelle and Dan grow closer, so do their feelings for each other. But when it seems her plan has failed and she fears ruined her relationship with Keri, Michelle is ready to give up. It's Dan’s love and belief in her that reignites hope just when she needs it most.

Trading Up Christmas

Premieres Thursday, December 19, 2024

at 8pm/7c. on Hallmark Mystery

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄


Saturday, December 21, 2024:

A Country Music Christmas

Storyline: Songwriter Brooke has the decision of a lifetime to make when a charming executive makes promises of fortune and glory that require leaving her best friend and writing partner behind.

A Country Music Christmas

Premieres Saturday, December 21, 2024

at 7pm/c. on UPtv

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄


Saturday, December 21, 2024:

Christmas in Scotland

Storyline: A New York installation designer helps a small Scottish community create a dazzling light display to win “Best Christmas Village” festival. The designer is forced to work with a wealthy heir who doesn’t like Christmas, though feelings may change if the pair succeeds in creating joy for the community.

Christmas in Scotland

Premieres Saturday, December 21, 2024

at 8pm/7c. on Great American Family

Movie Review:

🎄 Christmas in Scotland. Cute movie. I’ll give pretty much any movie based in Scotland a watch and I loved that this one was filmed locally and we could see authentic scenery and set locations instead of it being somewhere in Canada. The script and the premise are rather lacking and the movie had some typical “eye roll” moments but it also had its share of sweet and warm moments (the hot chocolate game was a cute and unique twist on a Christmas-movie staple) and I appreciated hearing some genuine UK accents instead of Americans faking it. The lead actor was kind of different than the usual leading man but I thought he felt pretty genuine in his role. The lead actress was okay but I didn’t really think she was a perfect fit for a warm fuzzy Christmas role (she has the look of Autumn Reeser but her mannerisms and tone of voice comes off as much less lighthearted than Autumn, in my opinion). I could better see her in a role that is more serious or serious with a side of quirky or light sarcasm; maybe in a mystery movie as the serious detective or the coroner along with a male lead who can provide the touch of lightness and humor and also just a hint of romance. And the two leads didn’t have the greatest of romantic chemistry, it was okay but could have been better with different casting. (Also, I was not crazy that she had a loser boyfriend throughout the movie so it felt weird for her to be falling for another guy, even though the boyfriend was an ocean away.) One cringeworthy element to the movie was the actor that played her father - he was way over-acting to the point of being ridiculous (I’ve seen him in other roles years ago and he wasn’t nearly as horrible as this one; I was actually wondering if he’s had a stroke or something that affected the way he acts?). I’m not a huge fan of Reel One movies, I feel they tend to be a bit low-budget and the sound is usually rather bad, but I’m happy to say this one was good and fun for a one-time watch, for me. Family friendly (except there is a weird, awkward scene at the beginning of the movie where the loser boyfriend briefly says he’s rented them a suite at The Plaza hotel so they could spend Christmas there, implying they’d be sharing the room???). ~~Jane


🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄


Saturday, December 21, 2024:

Happy Howlidays

Storyline: Mia (Lowndes), a meticulous webpage editor for the Seattle Tourism Board, finds herself unexpectedly navigating the holidays alone. As the only one working, she's drawn into an unusual encounter when she encounters a stray dog. Unsure how to handle the situation, she crosses paths with Max (Winner of Finding Mr. Christmas), a dog shelter owner. Mia agrees to let Max's ailing dog find solace with her newfound companion, in exchange for Max showing her the hidden gems of Seattle. Through their journey together, they both step out of their comfort zones, discovering new perspectives and forming a meaningful connection.

Happy Howlidays

Premieres Saturday, December 21, 2024

at 8pm/7c. on the Hallmark Channel

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄


Sunday, December 22, 2024:

North by North Pole: A Dial S Mystery

Storyline: Santa is back to help a new couple solve a mystery and find romance. Zoey has one Christmas wish...to produce the perfect Christmas Festival for her hometown of Willow Creek. That wish becomes more difficult when Dalton, the sponsor’s handsome but aggravating son, becomes her partner and his modern ideas clash with Zoey’s more traditional vision. However, when suspicious things start happening, they realize someone is trying to stop the festival. They must team up to save it and soon find that they have a lot more in common than they thought.

North by North Pole: A Dial S Mystery

Premieres Sunday, December 22, 2024

at 7pm/6c. on UPtv

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄


Sunday, December 22, 2024:

Small Town Christmas

2 New Episodes!

Small Town Christmas (Oxford, Miss.)
premieres Sunday, December 22
on UPtv at 9 p.m. ET

Hosted and executive-produced by Inside Edition’s national correspondent and best-selling Author Megan Alexander, each episode takes viewers to a different small town around the country. This delightful southern town, located in the heart of Mississippi, comes to life during the holidays. We take viewers around their annual “Holly Jolly Holidays festival, introduce you to some spectacular gingerbread displays, a walk down the peppermint trail promoting small business, learn holiday cooking secrets from local legend Mama Jo, and more! We end the episode with the famous lighting of the square! This episode of Small Town Christmas will leave your heart full of Southern hospitality and Christmas cheer for days.

Small Town Christmas (Bryson City, N.C.)
premieres Sunday, December 22
on UPtv at 9:30 p.m. ET

Hosted and executive-produced by Inside Edition’s national correspondent and best-selling Author Megan Alexander, each episode takes viewers to a different small town around the country. We celebrate a town known for Christmas hayrides at a legendary local farm, taste a Santa Sangria, worship at the local nativity pageant, and try to spot the elves all over town. Plus, a meaningful military tribute to local veterans by Santa himself and a Christmas train ride through the mountains of North Carolina. Oh, and did we mention everyone wears Christmas PJs? This is a Small Town Christmas you won’t want to miss!


🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄


Sunday, December 22, 2024:

A Royal Christmas Ballet

Storyline: A retired ballerina is pressed into service working with a visiting team of royal ambassadors to put on the season’s performance of “The Nutcracker” and finds herself center stage in an unexpected Christmas romance.

A Royal Christmas Ballet

Premieres Sunday, December 22, 2024

at 8pm/7c. on Great American Family

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄


Sunday, December 22, 2024:

Engaged by Christmas

Storyline: When Zoe (Brittany Bristow) writes to advice columnist “Dear Adora” to help save her relationship before the holidays, she puts the advice into practice, and it's disastrous - her boyfriend breaks up with her! When she tracks down Dear Adora to confront her, she discovers it's actually a man named Adam (Marcus Rosner). Zoe vows to keep Adam’s identity a secret if he helps her to repair her life via a series of Christmas themed events publicized by his column. When the interest in their activities gains huge traction, will they also find love?

Engaged by Christmas

Premieres Sunday, December 22, 2024

at 8pm/7c. on Lifetime

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄


That's a Wrap... on NEW Christmas Movies!

Hopefully, you found a NEW Christmas movie you will enjoy this weekend, or perhaps, a Classic Christmas movie that you want to catch one more time before Christmas Day! 

Besides the new movies, there are lots of other excellent Christmas movie choices this weekend, including: A Christmas Less Traveled, A Christmas Blessing, A Cinderella Christmas Ball, Once Upon a Christmas Wish, Get Him Back for Christmas, A Bluegrass Christmas, Dial S for Santa, Crown for Christmas, Sugarplummed, Following Yonder Star, Christmas at the Plaza, A Veteran's Christmas, Miss Christmas and many more!

Hallmark Channel's Extras This Weekend:

* "Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story" will have an extended cut version airing Friday night, December 20th, at 8pm/7c.

* "A Reason for the Season," which initially premiered on Hallmark Mystery, will air on the Hallmark Channel on Saturday, December 21st, at 6pm/5c. (I believe this is the first time this movie has aired on the Hallmark Channel.)

* "Three Wiser Men and a Boy" will have an extended cut version airing Sunday night, December 22nd, at 8pm/7c.




The "When Hope Calls" Christmas episodes, which first aired in 2022, may air on Great American Family on Christmas Day at 8pm/7c! I've seen this listing in some of the TV guides I follow; however, it is not listed (as I write this) on Great American Family's website, yet, so I'm hoping we'll see this listed there or hear an official announcement from them soon! I've received feedback from many who would love to catch up with these previous episodes before season 2 begins next year.

If streaming is an option for you, the "When Hope Calls" Christmas episodes will be available to stream through Great American Pure Flix beginning Christmas Day. The Christmas episodes can also be streamed currently via Prime Video for free, if you subscribe to Amazon Prime - click here.

On a totally different note from this family show, I want to caution that one of Lifetime's new Christmas movie premieres this weekend, A Carpenter Christmas Romance, will have sexual content that is not family-friendly. I will not be watching this movie, and I just wanted to be certain you all were aware.

Please note: I haven't pre-screened the new Christmas movies listed above; however, you can see Jane's insightful review above for "Christmas in Scotland." If you'd also like to post a review for this movie or any of the other new Christmas movies, please be sure to share in comments.

Visit the *Christmas TV Schedule* for the dates and times of NEW Christmas movies.

You can find the 2024 Christmas Movie Review post *here*.

Happy Christmas Movie-Watching!

Merry Christmas, Dear Friends!

Net 🎄

SHINING HIS LIGHT:

The third week of Advent reflects on the joy that comes through the arrival of the Christ Child, Jesus!

“Rejoice in the Lord always. 

I will say it again: Rejoice! 

Let your gentleness be evident to all. 

The Lord is near.”

Philippians 4:4-5