Like the classroom rebel they are, Lifetime has waltzed in tardy with its annual Christmas movie lineup. The release comes weeks after Hallmark unveiled its Countdown to Christmas and upstart Great American Family previewed their own festive fare. But don't let their late arrival fool you: The 2023 Lifetime Christmas movies are a veritable naughty-or-nice list of heartwarming romances and seductive thrillers.
This year's "It's A Wonderful Lifetime" marathon kicks off on November 18 with "Christmas Plus One," a lost-love drama starring Hallmark alum Corey Sevier. All 13 new festive flicks will premiere each weekend until December 23. And these star-studded movies are bringing all the goods. We're talking weary travelers thrown together in a charming small town, the well-timed arrival of a handsome widower and, of course, a city girl delivered into the arms of a roughneck. Elsewhere, Teri Hatcher can be found staring bullets at her ex-husband's new girlfriend at a luxury chalet, and Tia Mowry co-stars with Buddy Valastro (aka the Cake Boss) in a culinary Christmas romp.
Lifetime's new holiday films will also feature some show-stopping reunions. Legends Jackée Harry and Vivica A. Fox lead a touching family drama, and '80s icons Loni Anderson, Nicollete Sheridan and Donna Mills play warring soap opera stars in "Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas." Oh, and if you're craving that classic Lifetime envelope-pushing, "Silent Night, Fatal Night" is a heart-pounding thriller about a famous mystery novelist taken prisoner by a madman. This is why we come to Lifetime, Hallmark's naughty cousin.
Here's your guide to all 13 Lifetime Christmas movies of 2023, including their stars, synopses and precise air dates.
November 18: 'Christmas Plus One'
Lifetime
Date & Time: Saturday, Nov. 18 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Lifetime
Stars: Emily Alatalo, Corey Sevier, Vanessa Smythe, Andrew Bushell
Synopsis: When sisters Cara (Emily Alatalo) and Amy (Vanessa Smythe) make a pact to find their soulmates by next Christmas, they're not expecting anything to come from it. However, one year later, Amy's winter wedding is approaching, and Cara finally finds her own perfect man, Chase (Andrew Bushell), who agrees to attend as her plus one. But after immediately losing his number, all hope is lost. Will she find him in time to make her Christmas wish come true? Or does love have other plans for Cara when magazine writer Michael (Corey Sevier) signs on to help her in her quest?
November 19: 'Planes, Trains, and Christmas Trees'
Lifetime
Date & Time: Sunday, Nov. 19 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Lifetime
Stars: Kathryn Davis, Olivier Renaud
Synopsis: During a business trip to Indiana, event planner Kayley (Kathryn Davis) and sports agent Brett (Olivier Renaud) find themselves unable to fly home for Christmas due to a terrible snowstorm. Determined to get back to New York by Christmas Eve, the two team up and try to make their own way home, but when the storm hits, they're forced to seek refuge in the sleepy town of Redwood, Ohio — a place that ignites some much-needed Christmas magic in their hearts.
November 25: 'Christmas at the Chalet'
Lifetime
Date & Time: Saturday, Nov. 25 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Lifetime
Stars: Teri Hatcher, William DeVry
Synopsis: When ex-TV host and socialite Lex (Teri Hatcher) finds herself faced with the possibility of spending Christmas sharing a luxury chalet with her son, ex-husband and his new girlfriend, she volunteers to work in the chalet to avoid things getting too close to home, while documenting her every move for a new wave of followers who are loving this new chapter of her life.
November 26: 'Laughing All the Way'
Lifetime
Date & Time: Sunday, Nov. 26 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Lifetime
Stars: Paniz Zade, Jake Epstein
Synopsis: When ghostwriter and aspiring comedian Aubri Wilson (Paniz Zade) is placed in charge of the Christmas variety show, she worries she might not have what it takes to pull off this make-or-break moment in her career. With Christmas just weeks away, Aubri is in pursuit of the perfect headliner for the event. That is, until famous Hollywood comedian Mike Baxter (Jake Epstein) returns to the comedy club that launched his career. There, Mike rediscovers his stand-up roots, and Aubri shows the world her inner funny girl, and as their journeys collide, they fall hopelessly and hilariously in love, laughing all the way.
December 2: 'Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas'
Lifetime
Date & Time: Saturday, Dec. 2 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Lifetime
Stars: Loni Anderson, Morgan Fairchild, Linda Gray, Donna Mills, Nicollette Sheridan
Synopsis: Five glamorous '80s soap opera stars reunite to share the spotlight to shoot the final Christmas episode of their long-running soap opera. The producer, Alex (Travis Burns) and director Nell (Taylor Ann Thompson), old college friends, do their best to keep things on the rails but as the ladies come together, old rivalries resurface that threaten to tear the whole production apart. With the show nearly canceled before it even begins due to the ladies' famous diva behavior, they reluctantly agree to set aside their differences and past secrets to "act" as if they all still love each other. When old sparks reignite between Alex and Nell, the ladies become eager to play cupid and conspire to bring the couple together. Along the way, the divas also discover that the love between them all is still very strong too.
December 3: 'Mistletoe Match'
Lifetime
Date & Time: Sunday, Dec. 3 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Lifetime
Stars: Elena Juatco, Ryan Bruce
Synopsis: With the holiday season in full swing, Olivia Hayes (Elena Juatco) goes undercover to provide her readers with an in-depth and cynical look at the hugely successful annual Secret Santa for Singles event. There, she meets single dad and handsome widower Thomas (Ryan Bruce) who is just as skeptical about the program as she is. Sparks soon fly, but with a once in a lifetime promotion on the line, will she risk losing it all for the romance she never saw coming?
December 7: 'Silent Night, Fatal Night'
Lifetime
Date & Time: Thursday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Lifetime
Stars: Alex Camacho, Matthew Pohlkamp
Synopsis: Mallory Dearborn (Alex Camacho) is one of the best-selling mystery writers in the market. Against the wishes of her manager, Michael (Matthew Pohlkamp), she's decided to end her long-running detective franchise and focus on more personal matters. Desperate for a big payday, Michael takes her prisoner and, convincing the world she's passed away, forces her to write a new, posthumous novel. Now, Mallory will spend the holidays writing her most thrilling story yet: her own escape.
December 9: 'A Cowboy Christmas Romance'
Lifetime
Date & Time: Saturday, Dec. 9 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Lifetime
Stars: Jana Kramer, Adam Senn, Max Ehrich, Curt Mega, Lisa Lee, Mary-Margaret Humes, Cassie Randolph, Bruce Thomas
Synopsis: One week before Christmas, a huge business deal sends real estate 'closer' Lexie Crenshaw (Jana Kramer) back to a place she swore she'd never return to: her hometown of Tubac, Arizona. Back on the range, Lexie must convince Coby Mason (Adam Senn), a horse-whispering rancher, to part ways with his family's land, while navigating her relationship with the father (Bruce Thomas) and brothers she left behind, leading her to reconsider the life she gave up 10 years ago.
December 10: 'Yes, Chef! Christmas'
Lifetime
Date & Time: Sunday, Dec. 10 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Lifetime
Stars: Tia Mowry, Buddy Valastro, Luke Humphrey
Synopsis: Alicia Gellar (Tia Mowry) is a culinary school instructor who has put both her true career aspirations and personal life on the back burner. But this holiday season, fate is on her side. She is invited to compete in the city's annual Kringle Cook Off and learns a family secret that could change everything and be the big break she needs to become a respected chef like her former boss Bobby (Buddy Valastro). There to mentor her through the competition is the fiery chef and Kringle protégé, Logan (Luke Humphrey), whom Alicia builds a real connection with, despite their rocky start. But can Alicia win the cook-off and prove to herself that she is the capable head chef that Logan believes her to be? And will she be accepted by the Kringles if she shares the truth with them? She will have to put it all on the line to find out.
December 16: 'The Holiday Proposal Plan'
Lifetime
Date & Time: Saturday, Dec. 16 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Lifetime
Stars: Tatyana Ali, Jesse Kove
Synopsis: Travel columnist Sonny Kravitz (Tatyana Ali) and her ex-boyfriend Kip (Jesse Kove) are forced to team up to help their best friends Bree (Whitney Able) and Jarod (Geovanni Gopradi) get engaged. To set the backdrop, the four return to Sonny's parents' snowy chalet and set up 12 holiday traditions that are celebrated around the world to nudge Jarod to ask Bree to be his wife. But it seems that the proposal plan doesn't just reignite the love between the engaged couple. Will Sonny and Kip rekindle what they once had?
December 16: 'A Christmas Intern'
Lifetime
Date & Time: Saturday, Dec. 16 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Lifetime
Stars: Jackée Harry, Ciarra Carter, Vivica A. Fox
Synopsis: With the Holidays approaching, Cecilia (Jackée Harry) discovers that retirement isn't all it's cracked up to be, so she decides to make a surprise visit to her daughter Alexis (Ciarra Carter), who created and runs 'Cyber Santa,' an online gift giving business. Seizing an opportunity to spend Christmas with her daughter and get back into the game, Cecilia becomes an intern at the start-up company and the two learn the importance of family during the most wonderful time of year, while also finding love.
December 17: 'Merry Magic Christmas'
Lifetime
Date & Time: Sunday, Dec. 17 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Lifetime
Stars: Patricia Isaac, Andrew Dunbar
Synopsis: As Christmas nears, financial advisor Beth (Patricia Isaac) finds that her fortune is hinting all around her. She starts seeing a recurring number: 624, an angel number that will help make her heart's secret wish come true. It mysteriously becomes the time she wakes up, how far she bikes and the countdowns she sets. Taking on a pro-bono financial case for the local children's theatre, Beth meets Nate (Andrew Dunbar), whose financial inexperience may cause the theatre to shut down. The two must work together to raise money for the theatre and possibly find love along the way.
December 23: 'Mom's Christmas Boyfriend'
Lifetime
Date & Time: Saturday, Dec. 23 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Lifetime
Stars: Jeananne Goossen, Zach Smadu
Synopsis: Precocious 10-year-old Lily Morgan (Ai Barrett) enters a writing contest about her Christmas wish. She wishes that her single mother, Emma (Jeananne Goossen), finds love and a father for Lily whom Emma adopted as an infant in China. After winning the contest, will Lily's wish come true?
