Entertainment

Hallmark's Christmas Movie Checklist App Is The Gift You Didn't Know You Needed

If you're a proud Hallmark Christmas movie junkie, grab your smartphone and get ready to celebrate. Thanks to Hallmark's new Christmas movie app, you will never have to worry about missing out on the cheesy magic that is the Hallmark movie-verse. The app will provide you with regular updates and details on the networks 37 new titles coming out for this holiday season.

The Hallmark Countdown to Christmas Movie Checklist App — available for free on iTunes as well as Google Play — provides viewers with premiere dates and tune-in times, as well as cast bios and even video trailers, according to HuffPost. And if you're the type to drop everything to cheer on a plucky heroine as she finds love, you can activate the app's alert feature to keep you from missing a single minute of that sugary sweet cinematic goodness.

Of the 37 new movies, 22 make up the “Countdown to Christmas” series on Hallmark Channel, while an additional 15 movies come from the franchise’s “Miracles of Christmas” film series airing on its sister channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.

Thankfully, it looks like there will be no shortage of Hallmark original holiday movies this year. What's more, the Countdown to Christmas started airing on Oct. 27 this year, according to Scary Mommy, which means that you could already be well on your way to the Hallmark happy ending of your dreams.

Along with early start dates, a handy app for your phone, and a lengthy list of new cinematic masterpieces, Hallmark is also featuring a more diverse cast of leading ladies this year. As Salon reported, women of color like Christina Milian, Tatyana Ali, and Tia Mowry-Hardrict are headlining Hallmark movies this year. Even music legend Patti LaBelle will be present, starring in the film Christmas Everlasting. The effort to diversify the cast is just one more reason why I'll be tuning in this year.

What is it about the Hallmark channel that inspires such devotion? According to Mean Girls star and Hallmark movie alum Lacey Chabert, it's the fans that make it so special. She told Glamour as much in an interview, saying:

The fans of the Hallmark movies are incredibly loyal and devoted, and it's actually enabled me to connect more with them and the people that enjoy the movies. They’re so vocal on social media, and I don’t think I'd experienced that to the level I experience now.

Moms in particular can feel good about their Hallmark guilty pleasure this holiday season. In the same Glamour article, two other Hallmark girls shared their experiences as moms working for the franchise. Holly Robinson Peete told the publication, "Hallmark Channel is very family oriented, so they have respect for us hard-working mommas. Lori Loughlin expanded on that sentiment, saying, "They’re so understanding about kids and obligations that parents have in regards to their children."

As if you needed an excuse to watch all 37 Hallmark Christmas movies, supporting a network that supports working moms is justification enough for me. The Countdown to Christmas Movie Checklist makes it that much easier to join in on the holiday fun. If you start now, you can catch up with all of the films that have already aired, and catch those still to come before Christmas. You're welcome.

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