It may be October, but the holiday programming is already here. There's a ton of new content coming to Netflix, Lifetime, and Hallmark, just in time for the holiday season, and the celebrities in these 2020 Christmas movies are some serious A-listers. There's also some big-name talent behind the camera, with John Legend and Blake Shelton each producing a film.
As for the actors themselves, there's, of course, the old Hallmark standbys that we love to see every year. Other stars are returning to Netflix for big holiday movie sequels, and there are even a couple of Academy Award winners in the bunch. It's a solid group, and there are a few super big deal movies this year — like Hallmark's first LGBTQ+ romance, and a Hanukkah movie to boot.
One of the films is already out, and the rest are following beginning in October and lasting through December to carry us right up to the big holiday itself. To see what's in store this Christmas season, keep reading.
Robert De Niro
The War With Grandpa is in theaters now and can be purchased online soon
In The War With Grandpa, when Robert De Niro's character, Ed, visits home for the holidays, he's forced to share a room with his young grandson. The grandson is even less pleased about the deal and declares war on Ed to get him back for taking half his room. Hopefully, in the end, they learn that the true meaning of the holidays is love and family.
Emma Roberts
Holidate Premieres: October 28 on Netflix
In Holidate, Emma Roberts plays Sloane, a gal who hates the holidays, because she's always single. But when she meets a guy who feels the same way, they decide to pretend to be each other's dates to get their family off their backs. In addition to Emma, this movie stars Kristin Chenoweth, and Grey's Anatomy's Jessica Capshaw.
Beverley Mitchell
Candy Cane Christmas Premieres: October 31 on Lifetime
Move over Halloween, because this Beverley Mitchell Christmas movie is airing the same night as the spooky holiday. It's never too early for Christmas on Lifetime. In Candy Cane Christmas, the 7th Heaven star plays Phoebe. She's in need of some new holiday traditions that may just bring her to the man of her dreams.
Janel Parrish
Holly & Ivy Premieres: November 1 on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries
This movie not only has Pretty Little Liars star Janel Parrish in it, but Riverdale's Marisol Nichols also appears. The plot follows Melody, played by Janel, and her neighbor, Nina, played by Marisol, whose illness prompts her to put Melody in charge of her children. To give the kids a good home, Melody renovates a fixer upper with a handsome contractor.
Kat Graham
Operation Christmas Drop Premieres: November 5 on Netflix
Last year, Vampire Diaries star Kat Graham appeared in Netflix's The Holiday Calendar. This year, she stars in Operation Christmas Drop as a congressional aide who clashes with an Air Force captain over spending money on charitable holiday gift drops. But her heart softens to Operation Christmas Drop, it may also soften for the captain.
Keegan-Michael Key
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey Premieres: November 13 on Netflix
This holiday musical not only features an A-list cast — with Keegan-Michael Key, Forest Whitaker, and more — but it's produced by John Legend. The soundtrack contains original songs from Legend and Usher, among others. The story follows the tale of a legendary toymaker who gets his prized invention stolen, but his granddaughter is determined to help him get it back.
Sarah Drew
Christmas in Vienna Premieres: November 14 on Hallmark
She's not on Grey's Anatomy anymore, but Sarah Drew's acting career has now expanded to include Hallmark holiday movies. In this one, she plays a violinist who travels to Vienna to get some musical inspiration. But it's her love life that becomes the focus of her trip.
Vanessa Hudgens
The Princess Switch: Switched Again Premieres: November 19 on Netflix
In the first Princess Switch movie, Vanessa Hudgens played both a princess and a baker from Chicago who discovered they looked eerily similar and switched places to see how the other half lived. In the sequel, a third double is introduced — also played by Vanessa — Margaret's party girl cousin, Fiona.
Mario Lopez
Feliz NaviDAD Premieres: November 21 on Lifetime
Mario Lopez is a Christmas movie pro, thanks to his starring turn in the classic Holiday in Handcuffs. In Lifetime's Feliz NaviDAD, he plays a hot school principal/single dad, whose daughter wants to rejuvenate his affinity for the holiday season … and maybe get him to find love again.
Dolly Parton
Christmas on the Square Premieres: November 22 on Netflix
Dolly Parton is playing an angel in this movie, and she also lends 14 original songs to the soundtrack. If nothing else, it will be worth tuning in for the music, but the story line — about a mean woman who, with Dolly's guidance, learns to embrace the Christmas spirit — is worth watching, too.
Jonathan Bennett
The Christmas House Premieres: November 22 on Hallmark
Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett plays Brandon in this groundbreaking movie. Brandon heads home for the holidays with his husband, as they eagerly await the news of whether their adoption will get approved so they can grow their family. This is the first time Hallmark has featured a gay couple in one of its Christmas films, so it's major news.
Kristen Stewart
Happiest Season Premieres: November 25 in theaters and will likely be for sale online soon after.
Kristen Stewart headlines this charming holiday movie as Abby, a woman who wants to propose to her girlfriend, Harper, during Christmas … but learns that Harper's family doesn't know that she's gay yet. It's the lesbian rom-com that the holiday movie genre has needed forever.
Kurt Russell & Goldie Hawn
The Christmas Chronicles 2 Premieres: November 25 on Netflix
Real-life couple Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn play Santa and Mrs. Claus in this sequel to the hit 2018 film, The Christmas Chronicles. The movie picks up in real time with young Kate now a surly teen who runs away during Christmastime. She soon finds herself on yet another adventure with Santa to save the holiday from destruction.
Melissa Joan Hart & Jason Priestley
Dear Christmas Premieres: November 27 on Lifetime
This is a seriously star-studded film for us '90s kids, with Sabrina the Teenage Witch's Melissa Joan Hart, as well as Beverly Hills, 90210 star Jason Priestley taking up the lead roles. They play a podcast host and firefighter, respectively, who are just destined to find love for the holidays.
Lacey Chabert
Christmas Waltz Premieres: November 28 on Hallmark
Lacey Chabert is one of the queens of the Hallmark channel, appearing in a ton of holiday TV movies for the network every year. This year, she's actually in two. First up is Christmas Waltz, where she plays Avery, whose wedding gets canceled last minute. Thankfully, a charming dance teacher may just save the day. Then, on December 6 on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries is Time for Us to Come Home for Christmas. It's the third installment in the Blake Shelton-produced series. Lacey plays Sarah, who finds a romantic spark with an inn owner.
Candace Cameron Bure
If I Only Had Christmas Premieres: November 29 on Hallmark
Another Hallmark queen is Candace Cameron Bure, who, this year, will be playing a cheery PR person who has to help a gruff businessman give back for the holidays. (Chances they fall in love? 100%.) Candace filmed this movie during lockdown, because she's just that dedicated to providing us all with Christmas cheer.
Vanessa Lachey
Once Upon a Main Street Premieres: November 29 on Lifetime
In Once Upon a Main Street, Vanessa Lachey plays Amelia, who wants to open a Christmas store. But to do so, she has to fight for the property with a man named Vic, who starts out as her mortal enemy, but could quite easily become her boyfriend by the movie's end. No matter what happens, at least Vanessa got to go home to Nick Lachey at the conclusion of filming. We could be so lucky.
Ashley Greene
A Little Christmas Charm Premieres: December 5 on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries
Twilight actress Ashley Greene plays Holly, a jewelry designer, in this Hallmark Movies and Mysteries film. When Holly finds a lost bracelet just before Christmas Eve, she gets a reporter named Greg to help her track down the owner — and she may just find love with Greg along the way.
Tamera Mowry-Housley
Christmas Comes Twice Premieres: December 13 on Hallmark
This movie's got it all: love, time travel, Christmas spirit, and Tamera Mowry-Housley. She plays a newscaster who wishes she could get back with the one who got away. Good thing the holidays are just magical enough to make that second chance at love happen for her.
Ben Savage
Love Lights Hannukah Premieres: December 20 on Hallmark
Hanukkah will already be over by the time this movie airs, but it's the thought that counts, right? Boy Meets World actor Ben Savage stars in this Hanukkah tale about a woman who takes a DNA test and finds out she's Jewish just in time to fall in love — in eight magical nights, of course.
