Listen, I get there are people who love Christmas, but I think even those people might agree that Hallmark's decision to air two of their Christmas movies starting in July might be a bit much.
Hallmark Channel will air their first of the Christmas films, Christmas Camp, on July 7th at 9pm, kicking off their "Keepsake Christmas" campaign from July 12 to July 27, which celebrates the halfway point to Christmas.
Christmas Camp stars Lily Anne Harrison and Bobby Campo, and follows a high-powered ad exec, played by Harrison, is tasked with getting a new account to the firm. The ask is for a traditional toy company, and the exec decides to attend a "Christmas Camp" where she bumps into the owner's son, played by Campo. Shockingly, the two fall in love and he teaches her about the true meaning of Christmas. What else were you expecting?
The next movie to premiere will be A Merry Christmas Match, as part of the "Gold Crown Christmas" spanning from June 28 to July 14, starring Ashley Newbrough and Kyle Dean Massey. Newbrough plays a woman named Corey, who works at her mom's antique shop in a ski village. Corey's father has passed away, and so she puts on an annual children's Christmas pageant every year to honor him.
This year, though, a man named Ryder (Massey) walks into the store, and somehow makes Corey wonder if she should have pursued her dreams of becoming a theater director and left town. Now, spoiler alert, they probably fall in love. I hope that didn't ruin it for you. A Merry Christmas Match will premiere on July 13th at 8pm.
So why is Hallmark Channel going all out this year? A big anniversary, that's why.
“The tenth year will be the biggest, boldest Christmas in Hallmark Channel history,” Crown Media executive VP of programming Michelle Vicary said. “Over the ten years, we have endeavored to be the no. 1 holiday destination, and achieved that over the last several years. What was different about last year — and what’s going to be really big about this year — is just how culturally relevant this has become in people’s minds beyond the programming, where we have towns asking if they can decorate themselves like a Hallmark Channel Christmas movie, and people having watch parties.”
These two films will be a lead up to the 40 new Christmas movies that Hallmark Channel will be airing this year.