Hey there, Christmas movie friends! ✨🎄⛄
The weekend is here, bringing another cozy, joy-filled round of Christmas movie premieres! We’re three weeks into the holiday movie season, and though this year’s lineup has a few fewer new premieres, there’s still a wonderful mix of classic favorites and fresh new festive films to enjoy!
This weekend brings us *two* brand-new Christmas movies and *two* exciting new episodes of "Mistletoe Murders"! (Don’t miss my review of these specific episodes below!)
Over on Great American Family, they’re rolling out the red carpet for the royal premiere of "A Royal Icing Christmas," while the Hallmark Channel is forecasting snow, romance, and laughs with "Merry Christmas, Ted Cooper!," which looks to be an amusing comedic story about a weatherman who reconnects with his high school crush!
Keep scrolling for all the details on these new premieres, plus a new *non-holiday* rom-com from UPtv, a classic Christmas movie marathon set in the country on Hallmark Mystery, and all of the festive fun below!
Friday, October 24, 2025:
Season 1, Episodes 3 and 4:
Peril of the Belles - Part 1
After a string of suspicious accidents, Emily goes undercover in the local choir to investigate. Sam, however, remains skeptical. Violet takes on more responsibility at the shop.
Peril of the Belles - Part 2
When the choir attacks escalate, Emily and Sam grow closer as they work together to find the culprit. Emily helps Violet out of a precarious situation by tapping into her dark past.
Review:
🎄 Mistletoe Murders – (episode 3&4) Each murder mystery in The Mistletoe Murders series are written to cover 2 episodes, so it’s basically like watching a movie. The 3rd and 4th episodes were mostly family-friendly for a show that revolves around murder. These types of shows are best suited for pre-teen age and up.
Cautions: A woman who was killed in a car “accident,” was thought to be having an affair with a man who is in the local choir. This same man is questioned by Emily (Sarah Drew’s character), and when she asks if he was involved with her, he says something like, "She’s not my type," and Emily says, "Blonde?" and he simply says, "Woman." Nothing else is said, but we get the point. There is another murder near the end of the 4th episode.
Overall, I love the sweet relationship between Emily and Sam, and his teenage daughter, who is a breath of fresh air. The Christmas shop is darling, and it was nice to hear the choir sing Christmas carols in these episodes. ~Net
Episodes 3 & 4
Airs Friday, October 24, 2025
at 8pm/7c and 9pm/8c on the Hallmark Channel
Saturday, October 25, 2025:
Storyline: "In A Royal Icing Christmas, Princess Charlotte (Roth) of Marovia, a duty-bound princess, escapes to a New England town at Christmas, where a secret baking contest — and an unexpected romance (Buckley) — teach her that love may be life’s true crowning achievement."
Premieres Saturday, October 25, 2025
at 8pm/7c. on Great American Family
Saturday, October 25, 2025:
Storyline: "Weatherman Ted Cooper (Buckley) loves Christmas, but the past three have been terrible. This year, Ted has made up his mind that things will be different – this will be the Christmas things turn around for him. But Ted's relentless optimism is about to be put to the test as he is faced with a litany of injuries and obstacles when he travels back to his hometown of Lackawanna, N.Y., for the holidays. Within hours of arriving at his sister Kate's house, he finds himself making a trip to Urgent Care after falling off a ladder while hanging decorations. While there, he runs into Ruth Mittens, his former high school science teacher, who was always his cheerleader. He also reconnects with the charming Hope Miller (Sustad), except now she's Dr. Hope Miller, with whom he went to high school and quietly crushed on from afar. Ted is optimistic that this budding romance is the beginning of his Christmas comeback, but his looming holiday bad luck still has a few curveballs in store for him. Luckily for Ted, he won't have to face them alone – he'll have the support of Kate, Ruth, and Hope to help him overcome the challenges thrown his way and finally enjoy a well-earned merry Christmas."
Premieres Saturday, October 25, 2025
at 8pm/7c. on the Hallmark Channel
Sunday, October 26, 2025:
Storyline: A young couple on an ill-fated second date find themselves up against the elements and each other when they become stranded on a remote lake island.
Premieres Sunday, October 26, 2025
at 7pm/6c on UPtv
Sunday, October 26, 2025:
Cherry Lane Movies
On Sunday afternoon and evening, the Hallmark Channel will air a marathon of the Cherry Lane movies, which initially premiered on Hallmark+.
The first movie in the trilogy, Season's Greetings from Cherry Lane, starring Jonathan Bennett, Annabelle Borke, Corey Cott, Sarah Dugdale, Shannon Kook, Vincent Rodriguez III, airs at 4pm/3c.
Please Note: The first movie has a same-sex couple. (I'm sharing this to inform you all of the content in this film.)
The second film, Happy Holidays From Cherry Lane, starring Benjamin Ayres, Catherine Bell, James Denton, Erica Durance, Julie Gonzalo, and Ryan Rottman, airs at 6pm/8c.
The third film, Deck the Halls From Cherry Lane, starring John Brotherton, Erin Cahill, Brooke D'Orsay, Chelsea Hobbs, Ben Hollingsworth, and Sam Page, airs at 8pm/7c.
*Note: I haven’t seen the last two movies, so I’m not familiar with the content in those installments of the series. If you've seen them and would like to share, please do so in comments below.
Sunday, October 26, 2025:
Christmas in the Country
Classic Christmas Movie Marathon
on Hallmark Mystery
Mini-Marathon on Hallmark Mystery:
(Schedule in Eastern Standard Time)
*A Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas - 10am
*Christmas in Montana - 2pm
*Rocky Mountain Christmas - 4pm
Sunday, October 26, 2025:
Hallmark's Fall
Wedding Movie Classics
on Hallmark Family
Mini-Marathon on Hallmark Family:
(Schedule in Eastern Standard Time)
*My Best Friend's Bouquet - 11am
*All of My Heart: The Wedding - 3pm
*A Harvest Wedding - 5pm
I hope you all have a wonderful time watching whichever movie you choose, whether it’s a new premiere or a beloved classic! Fall has finally brought its crisp, chilly weather to the Midwest this week, and I’m excited to curl up under a blanket and enjoy one (or more!) of these festive films!
Please note: I haven’t pre-screened the NEW movies mentioned above, so if you watch and would like to share your thoughts, please stop back by and leave a review in the comments. I always love hearing what you think.
Special Links:
Visit the *Christmas TV Schedule* for the dates and times of NEW Christmas movies.
You can find the 2025 Christmas Movie Review post *here*.
And you'll find the Christmas Movie List by network *here*.
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend filled with lots of cozy moments! Happy movie-watching!
Joyous Christmas Blessings,
Net🌟
SHINING THE LIGHT
OF CHRISTMAS
"May the God of hope fill you
with all joy and peace
as you trust in him,
so that you may overflow
with hope by the power
of the Holy Spirit."
~Romans 15:13
Another GREAT scripture verse Net! Without hope in God and His promises we are left with nothing but despair. Just reading that scripture over and over filled me with a hope filled warm light only given by the Holy Spirit.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Jim, that scripture is lovely! I look forward to seeing what Net chooses every week. I find it’s usually one that touches my spirit and just what I needed. Christie
DeleteJim, so glad this scripture touched you. God’s promises are always such a beautiful gift, aren’t they? When we trust in Him, despair has no place, only the light of His love remains!!! Blessings to you, my friend!!!
DeleteNet and Christie...Check this out! I wrote this comment to Net about the Romans scripture and how much it moved me on Friday. Later that night a friend of mine texted me and out of nowhere asked me if I had read any letters to the Romans scripture. She had no idea about me seeing a Romans scripture earlier in the day and being so moved by it. Amazing! Miracles are all around us if only we would pay attention.
DeleteA few months ago, I dug around to find out if all 4 Cherry Lane movies featured same-sex content. The first 2 movies do.
ReplyDelete"Happy Holidays on Cherry Lane," the 3rd movie, is family-friendly and a pleasant watch, featuring 3 storylines weaving in and out from 3 time periods. I found it perfectly fine to watch as a stand-alone movie. I also think that the 4th movie, "Deck the Halls on Cherry Lane," is clean, but I've not yet watched it. Hope that helps--happy watching to all here at IAWM!
~Alicia
Alicia, Thank you so much for sharing this information on the Cherry Lane movies! I will definitely record the last two to watch sometime.
DeleteThese movies look interesting in the way they show different eras of one home at Christmastime. It’s a really intriguing movie concept.
I so appreciate your review for "Happy Holidays on Cherry Lane.” Thank you, again!!!
Thank you for the reviews.
DeleteMisty
I have a hunch the royal one could be cheesy but gonna give it a try anyway since it’s GAF. Can’t be any worse than Hallmarks Montana movie. I sure hope there aren’t any strange accents this time.
ReplyDeleteThe Ted Cooper movie sounds cute. Just hope it’s not too much of the- we’re trying real hard to be funny routine.
Happy TWO Months ‘til Christmas Day, Everyone … on this October 25th!!!
ReplyDeleteI hope you’ll all enjoy lots of wonderful Christmas movies today!
I’m planning to watch A Royal Icing Christmas tonight and catch some of the great classics throughout the day like… A Very Merry Mix-Up, Nine Lives of Christmas, and A Christmas Prayer (a very new classic!).
Happy watching, everyone!
Enjoy!😊🎄✨
It definitely feels like the Christmas season is upon us! (And finally here in Chicagoland we have temperatures that are below normal, instead of weeks and weeks of above-average temperatures!) I love going in the stores and seeing the Christmas decorations up! Anyway, I am going to give Merry Christmas, Ted Cooper! a shot tonight - l hope it is as much fun as it sounds! Happy 2-months-to-go, everyone!
ReplyDeleteSome sad news today... Actress June Lockhart, best known for the sitcom series Lassie, has passed away at 100 years old.
ReplyDeleteJune also had roles in many other sitcoms, such as Petticoat Junction, Happy Days, Full House, and Step by Step, and drama series like Perry Mason and 7th Heaven, and movies, including Meet Me in St. Louis with Judy Garland, The Night They Saved Christmas with Jaclyn Smith, and The Gift of Love with Marie Osmond.
I know I'll always remember June warmly as the mother on the Lassie sitcom. I always loved watching the reruns of that sweet series. Good ole Lassie, of course, would always save the day, but Timmy's mother was always so loving and nurturing.
June Lockhart passed away at age 100 of natural causes. I watched her on Lassie & Lost in Space, Holiday in Handcuffs,, Au Pair II, The Hardy Boys & Nancy Drew Mysteries, Pound Puppies, & other TV Shows that she was in
DeleteShe was also the Grandma in Holiday In Handcuffs. So sad. RIP
DeleteMerry Christmas Ted Cooper is definitely 1 of the funniest movies of the Season. Brendan Penny has a really amusing cameo, and Mark Harmon from NCIS was referenced and I'm going totally nuts inside!! (and yes, it's also clean). -Maria
ReplyDeleteIt looked like it would be a funny movie! Thanks for the review.
DeleteMisty
Maria, So glad you loved it and you got such a fun reference to Mark Harmon! What a fun touch. Perhaps, Robert Buckley is a fan of NCIS, too, since he co-wrote the movie.
Deletethat's a nice thought. :)) -Maria
DeleteA Royal Icing Christmas is very sweet. -Maria
ReplyDeleteI just watched A Royal Icing Christmas. It was a pretty enjoyable movie! I thought the leads were well cast and had good chemistry. I believed Charlotte/Charlie was from royal background. She has a quiet elegance about her. The ending was a tad rushed. Seems like there could be an opening for a sequel to me!
ReplyDeleteLilly stole the show. She was adorable.
Misty
A Royal Icing Christmas is cute, but the acting is a little cheesy, at times. Never heard of these actors before.
ReplyDeleteI watched A Royal Icing Christmas. This was not my cup of tea! It was boring to me. I turned to something else for the last half of the movie, then turned back for the ending. One watch for me.
ReplyDeleteReview: Merry Christmas, Ted Cooper! -
ReplyDeleteFamily-friendly? Yes -
Recommend? Yes -
I agree with Maria - this is one funny, and fun, movie! I think I had a smile on my face from start to finish! Both actors really shine here, and this is one of my favorite roles of Kimberley's in recent years. And Brendan Perry is a hoot in cameos as a self-centered news anchorman - I didn't realize he could play comedy this well! If you are looking for an enjoyable, lighthearted movie, this is one to watch!
Review: A Royal Icing Christmas -
ReplyDeleteFamily-friendly? Yes -
Recommend? No -
I have never seen these two lead actors before, and they should have been in supporting roles first. Their acting (especially his) does not come across as authentic - it is as if they are simply reciting lines that they memorized without knowing how to present them. (The little girl is the best actor of them all!) It doesn't help either that their lines seem to have been generated by AI, all of which unfortunately makes for a very yawn-inducing movie.
"Hallmark warns of potential Frndly TV blackout during holiday season". I just saw this article on thestreamable dot com / news
ReplyDeleteJim, Oh, no. Say it ain't so... I'm plugging my ears now. I caaaannnn'tttt heeeaaar yooouuuu!!!!
Delete*long sigh*
Seriously though... I'm hoping this is one BIG mistake. Please, let me know if you hear anything.
While watching hallmark tonight I noticed on the top of the screen they wrote that FrndlyTV might drop Hallmark. They told you to go to keephallmark.com
ReplyDeleteElizbeth
I wonder if that that whole thing about how FrndlyTV dropping hallmark channels is fake? Bc when you go to keephallmark.com, you see that they are promoting 50% off for Hallmark+?
ReplyDeleteElizbeth
Elizbeth, Thank you for alerting us to this. I will definitely keep a look out for any news regarding this. Love my FrndlyTV - I can't imagine the Christmas season without it now.
DeleteAnd, if you happen to hear any more details, please share with us!!!
I just watched A Royal Icing Christmas. It's a one-time for me as well. It was OK, I liked the lead actress, more than the lead actor. But I was a little bothered by the friend Kate staying overnight with a guy friend. I wish they had made that a cousin or something more clearly platonic. There's a conversation where Luke mentions having planned to go on a trip with his now-ex girlfrind--I would have rather had that sound better. There were several night time scenes in pjs, ok I guess. Also felt a little strange at times that Luke's brother in law was out of the picture so much while he wife was pregnant. Those are just my extra-sensitive and I guess old-school eyes watching! ~LR
ReplyDeleteA Royal Icing Christmas: This is a cute, family-friendly movie I would watch again when it is playing live but not one that I would pick to watch on Pure Flix or keep on my DVR. While there are a few royal movies I love, the royal genre is not my favorite. I enjoy seeing new faces on GAF and thought the actors who played Princess Charlotte and Lily gave good performances. Some of the secondary actors, in my opinion, had an overly exaggerated type of acting style. I am all about over the top Christmas sweaters, pajamas, aprons, etc. so it was great to see all the fun Christmas attire and the gowns were beautiful. I also thought the decorations were very festive and I loved the inn. Overall, I found this to be a sweet Christmas move but just not one of my favorites. Gena
ReplyDeleteI was so pleasantly surprised by Merry Christmas Ted Cooper! I actually think this is a good family (teenage) movie. I appreciated even how they brought some depth towards the end with Ted's tendency to always be positive and Holly helping him see more emotions. This one was sweet, funny, not cheesy, and clean! I'm going to watch again with my huisband! ~LR
ReplyDeleteMerry Cooper Ted Cooper is like a breath of fresh air! I don't know the last time I laughed out loud at any movie! It's clean, sweet and great acting all around! This is one I will be watching again!
ReplyDeleteI almost passed on the Ted Cooper movie and I’m so glad I didn’t!!! Joyce said it so well!! It really was a breath of fresh air!! I laughed throughout the whole thing. It was family friendly and full of cheer!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, Ted Cooper – Super fun, cute movie! You’ll instantly be on Team Ted – rooting for this guy, who is such a happy, joyful character! Even though, he has lots of holiday mishaps, he’s generally optimistic, looking on the bright, sunny side of things, which is especially good since he's a weatherman! I absolutely loved his cheerful Christmas spirit!!!
ReplyDeleteA few things I’d change, if I could… The ladies in the jogging group – loved them!!! I just would’ve loved them even more if at least 2 or 3 of the ladies could’ve spoken. It seemed odd to me that only one of the women would speak to Ted and the others would just smile and nod in agreement. I know speaking actors are paid more than extras, so that’s why they were silent. But, honestly, it felt rather weird. Women, especially in a group like that, are usually rather chatty and talkative.
Another thing I‘d change… the disagreement with Ted and Hope near the end seemed a little off to me. She wasn’t happy because he was too happy? Okay, whatever. And the ending seemed kinda fast and the credits rolled before I knew it. Perhaps, I just didn’t want a good thing to end???
A nice touch… it was good to see Hope’s friend, who is in a wheelchair, working and thriving in her life, in spite of her disability.
Also, it was fun to see Actor Brendan Penny in this. I thought he was going to have a small cameo, but his character showed up quite often.
Overall, this movie is family-friendly and an absolute delight and blast to watch! I laughed out loud numerous times- so this is definitely one for the re-watch list… an instant classic! ~Net
The Great Christmas Snow In is clean and quite silly. -Maria
ReplyDelete