Christmas may be several months away, but we long for the time of year when everything is peppermint flavored, festive lights illuminate the sky and, of course, Hallmark airs its Christmas movies.
After last year's releases like A Merry Scottish Christmas and A Biltmore Christmas, folks will likely be gearing up for what's to come from Hallmark's annual "Countdown to Christmas" programming event in 2024.
As the movies air from the end of October through December on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET (along with Hallmark Mystery’s “Miracles of Christmas” on Saturdays nights at 10 p.m. ET), fans will get to see familiar faces this year.
With When Calls the Heart stars Erin Krakow and Daniel Lissing starring in the upcoming Santa Tell Me and Hallmark's collaboration with the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs in Holiday Touchdown: a Chiefs Love Story, there's bound to be a whole lot in store come the colder season.
On the days that are too cold to go outside or when you’re feeling like cozying up under a blanket to watch a holiday film, you might be wondering how you can watch your favorites on Hallmark – even if you don’t have cable. Thankfully, there are multiple ways to help you enjoy the holidays and watch the all-time best Hallmark Christmas movies.
How to Watch and Stream Hallmark Christmas Movies Live
Here’s an early Christmas gift: Even if you pulled the plug on cable, you can still watch Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Mystery all season long. There are a number of streaming services that let you watch live TV and recordings anytime, anywhere.
All of these no-commitment streaming services are made with Hallmarkies in mind:
- Hallmark+: a revamp of the streaming site Hallmark Movies Now, the new streaming platform is set to launch in September 2024. Starting at $8 per month, it will feature all of your favorite Christmas movies in one spot, plus exclusive, members-only content.
- Peacock: One of the easiest ways to stream brand-new Hallmark Christmas movies is through the Hallmark hub on NBCUniversal's streaming service. For $8 per month, you can watch the Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Mystery live and on-demand via the Peacock app and PeacockTV.com.
- Pluto TV: If you want to catch a Hallmark movie live and without paying for a subscription, Pluto TV is your best bet. The free streamer has a Hallmark Movies & More channel, and you can watch shows and movies live or on-demand.
- Hulu + Live TV: The platform added the Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries to its lineup, and for $83 per month, you can access 90+ channels live and on-demand.
- YouTube TV: For $73 per month, you can watch Hallmark movies around the clock, along with 100+ other channels.
- Sling: For $40 a month, get 30+ channels as a part of the Sling Orange Service. You also get an additional nine channels, including all three Hallmark channels, as a part of the Lifestyle Extra package.
- Philo: At a flat rate of $28 a month, get 70+ live channels including all three Hallmark channels. Just in time for "Countdown to Christmas," viewers can test it out with a free seven-day trial.
- FuboTV: The starter package – 172 channels, 1,000 hours of DVR space and screen sharing capabilities — starts at $80 per month. Before you make the splurge, try it out with a one-week free trial.
How to Watch and Stream Hallmark Christmas Movies After They Air
If you get caught up in a baking frenzy and miss any movies when they're live on TV, don't fret! Select streaming services give you the option to watch new releases within a few days of their initial air time:
- In addition to letting you watch Hallmark movies as they air live, Peacock allows you to watch new films on-demand for three days after their release.
- FuboTV has a Lookback feature that allows users to watch any movies or TV shows up to 72 hours after their original air time.
- If the movie is part of Sling's on-demand or catch-up TV program, you can watch or rewatch anything that aired within the last three to eight days, or you can record the movie with Cloud DVR Plus to watch at a later date. (Note: Your first 50 hours of DVR storage are included with a paid subscription, but then you'll have to pay additional fees.)
How to Watch Older Hallmark Christmas Movies
Hallmark movies aren't on Netflix or Hulu, but some of the Hallmark Christmas classics like A Christmas Detour and Crown for Christmas are available to rent or buy from retailers like Amazon. Amazon Prime Video also offers a 30-day free-trial for some Hallmark films.
If you're looking to watch older Christmas movies without breaking the bank, Pluto TV also has a selection of them free on-demand. All you need to do is head to the streamer's official site, type in which movie you want to see, and queue it for whenever you want to get into the holiday spirit.
Lilli (she/her) is an editorial intern at Good Housekeeping and a senior undergraduate student at Syracuse University majoring in magazine, news and digital journalism. When she’s not looking into the latest news and trends, she’s seeking her new favorite ice cream flavor or dream travel destination. She has previously covered news at The Daily Orange and The Evening Sun and lifestyle content at The Fit Magazine and Jerk Magazine.
As the entertainment and news associate editor for Good Housekeeping, Adrianna (she/her) writes about everything TV, movies, music and pop culture. She graduated from Yeshiva University with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in business management. She covers shows like The Rookie, 9-1-1 and Grey's Anatomy, though when she’s not watching the latest show on Netflix, she’s taking martial arts or drinking way too much coffee.
