The temperatures are high, kids are out of school, and we’re getting ready to wish our country a happy birthday, so that could only mean one thing — it’s Christmas in July on Hallmark! The summer slate of holiday movies on Hallmark’s schedule kicks off July 4, but the whole thing makes me wonder: Is there such a thing as too much Christmas? So I posed the question to Hallmark star Alison Sweeney.
People have a lot of big feelings when it comes to the holidays. There’s the fake tree vs. real tree debate, and opinions on when it’s appropriate to start decorating. So what about Christmas coming twice a year? When Alison Sweeney spoke to CinemaBlend about her whopping 14th Hannah Swensen movie, I got the opportunity to ask her feelings about Hallmark’s semi-annual injection of holiday cheer. She said:
I love it. I think it's great. I think it's great because, you know, you're six months away and you need, like, a little zest of Christmas to get you through to the holidays. So I think it's really fun to perk up the hot summer with some good Christmas movies.
Some may argue that celebrating in the summer takes away from the full impact of the holidays, and I wouldn’t blame the actress for feeling that way — for those filming the family-friendly holiday fare, it can feel like Christmas lasts year-round. However, I’m so glad that’s not the case and that even Hallmark stars love Christmas in July.
Alison Sweeney has had a busy year on Hallmark so far, with three premieres in the first half of the 2026 TV schedule. However, we’ll likely have to wait a few more months before we know if she’ll be on this year’s Countdown to Christmas.
Of course we’re already looking forward to Lacey Chabert’s partnership with Disney for Holiday Ever After: A Disney World Wish Come True, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Hallmark has some delicious Christmas offerings premiering way before that one does.
In fact, Hallmark Channel has been airing holiday movies for about a week now, with its first 2026 Christmas in July premiere coming Saturday, July 4. That will see Jessica Lowndes and Daniel Lissing starring in Christmas Under Construction, where a project on a home renovation reality show becomes a turning point in the characters’ lives. Take a peek at what’s in store for the month:
We’ll also see Hallmark Hunk Stephen Huszar in O Little Christmas Market and Jen Lilley in Love Under the Mistletoe, to name a couple, and remember, those premieres are in addition to nonstop Christmas movies from past years playing all day long for the entire month. It’s almost enough to make you forget the temperatures approaching triple digits outside.
According to that preview, we’ll also get some sneak peeks into what’s to come later in the year, which is a shot of holiday cheer in and of itself for Countdown to Christmas fans.
So don’t let any scrooges dampen your spirit over celebrating the holidays in the middle of summer. You’re in good company with Hallmark stars like Alison Sweeney.
