Just why does Hallmark start 24/7 Christmas in mid October?

[Gregg.]

Why do many AC stations switch to Christmas music in early November, weeks before Thanksgiving? It never used to be like that. The rule once was, you only begin playing Christmas music on the day after Thanksgiving. But people like Christmas music a lot. There's no down side to flipping too early that I can see. Stations that switch early see their numbers go up in the November ratings, not down.

I guess some women, who the Hallmark Channel is targeting, want to see Christmas romances on TV, even several months before December 25. You may not be thinking much about the holidays now. But women who have to plan for decorations, gifts, menus, and other holiday activities, may be in a Christmas state of mind already. The shopping channels, QVC and HSN, have been hawking Christmas things since the end of summer. Some women feel a good holiday must be planned months in advance.

 

[davideduardo]

Why do many AC stations switch to Christmas music in early November, weeks before Thanksgiving? It never used to be like that. The rule once was, you only begin playing Christmas music on the day after Thanksgiving. But people like Christmas music a lot. There's no down side to flipping too early that I can see. Stations that switch early see their numbers go up in the November ratings, not down.

I guess some women, who the Hallmark Channel is targeting, want to see Christmas romances, even a few months before December 25. You may not be thinking much about the holidays now. But women who have to plan for decorations, gifts, menus, and other holiday activities, may be in a Christmas state of mind already. The shopping channels, QVC and HSN, have been hawking Christmas things since the end of summer. Some women feel a good holiday must be planned months in advance.

I heard an analysis of this some time ago: "to the potential viewer of those Christmas movies, the season is something you envision, plan for and work on as far in advance as your own wedding, the wedding of your children, a 50th anniversary celebration or the like. The process is many months long. This is the time of the year that people get along with each other, enjoy socializing and strengthen the family"

Not every married woman lives that dream, and not every woman is married... or traditionally married. But there are enough to support a "channel".

 

[Mark Roberts]

During my time at Hallmark, one of the things I learned is that preparations for the Christmas season had to end by
September in order to get product in the stores by November. In those days, all production was domestic; now much of it is from China, so I suspect the lead times may be longer. In September, thoughts in the Seasons business unit turned to love, i.e. the Hallmark holiday par excellence, Valentine’s Day.

So the cable channel manages to combine both!

 

[K.M. Richards]

If Hallmark’s viewership declines they might decide to not start in mid October next year.

Isn't a-gonna happen ...

Why do many AC stations switch to Christmas music in early November, weeks before Thanksgiving? It never used to be like that. The rule once was, you only begin playing Christmas music on the day after Thanksgiving. But people like Christmas music a lot. There's no down side to flipping too early that I can see. Stations that switch early see their numbers go up in the November ratings, not down.

Same thing happens to Hallmark Channel's ratings every year.

 

[TheBigA]

BTW October is also when most new Christmas albums get released. For example, Little Big Town just released their holiday album this week.

Little Big Town To Deck The Halls With New Christmas Album

Little Big Town is offering up some extra holiday joy this year with the release of their [...]

musicrow.com

Also Mariah Carey just announced the 30th anniversary re-release of her Christmas album. Plus a Christmas tour kicks off in a few weeks::

Mariah Carey to re-release All I Want for Christmas Is You

Mariah Carey is to re-release All I Want for Christmas Is You. The 55-year-old singer first unveiled the Yule Tide hit back in October 1994 — the first single from her holiday album Merry Christmas — and to celebrate the song turning 30-years-old she is re-releasing it as well as a new version...

www.asiaone.com

And we just had the first all Christmas radio station of 2024:

The First All-Christmas Station Of 2024 Is…

New Albany Broadcasting Company's 1570 WLRS New Albany IN and 92.5 W223DK Louisville KY is the first all-Christmas music station

radioinsight.com

It's not just the Hallmark channel. So you better not pout and get ready to ho-ho-ho!

 

[crainbebo]

It's for 40-year-old female latte lovers...and it's for $$$ from advertising and promotions. I mean, some people wear their "Hallmark Christmas' socks...
I notice very few or none of these assembly-line films mention anything about the birth of Jesus. It's all about Santa this, a relationship that, etc. C-list actors making a paycheck.

 

[Megatron]

It gets ratings that is why Hallmark Channel airs Christmas movies in Oct. Heck there is even a Christmas Calendar that has Christmas for 12 months for those crazy about Christmas, I keep the mini Christmas trees on my shelf all year long I even have a Funko Santa with him having a Coke also on the shelf as well.

 

[radiofan2023]

There are already Christmas movies on Netflix too, I like the Dolly Parton ones.

 

[tall_guy1]

There are already Christmas movies on Netflix too, I like the Dolly Parton ones.

Those look like mainly Netflix produced films though, which probably never leave. There are only a handful of theatrical "regular" Christmas movies on streaming looking at Google. Looking at Max and Paramount, they only have a very small number of Christmas movies up now.

 

[radiofan2023]

I want to see that Rod Serling Christmas movie.

 

[K.M. Richards]

I want to see that Rod Serling Christmas movie.

According to IMDb, it was a made-for-TV movie from 1964. Directed by the acclaimed Joseph L. Mankiewicz; the UCLA Film & Television Archive calls it "Serling’s impassioned plea to prevent nuclear war through international cooperation."

Rod Serling’s Nuclear Nightmare: Carol for Another Christmas | UCLA Film & Television Archive

cinema.ucla.edu

 

[radiofan2023]

According to IMDb, it was a made-for-TV movie from 1964. Directed by the acclaimed Joseph L. Mankiewicz; the UCLA Film & Television Archive calls it "Serling’s impassioned plea to prevent nuclear war through international cooperation."

Sounds like the spirit of Christmas to me!

 

[yeoldeschool]

At this rate of "Christmas creep," it won't be much longer before all pre-lit Christmas trees are sold with glowing orange pumpkin ornaments and a slowly revolving, golden brown turkey on a vertical rotisserie spit where the angel used to be.

 

[secondchoice]

One family has so "high tech" LEDs which are orange now on Nov 1st the lights change to assorted colors they change out their inflatables and they are ready. BTW they keep them up until the "Greek Orthodox" Christmas towards the end of January.

I have been told there really isn't an exact date in the Bible for Christ's birth and the Wise men's arrival so I guess you could celebrate any time the Sprit moves you

 

[Don CT]

Right. Probably not in the Hallmark lineup, but "Home Alone" is fun even if you're watching it in October, and The Sandlot is a fine movie outside of baseball season.

You can even watch Die Hard during the summer if you want.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

Who's in the mood for Christmas in October though? Couldn't they wait a bit longer? I notice a few streaming services have a very tiny amount of Christmas movies in October (Deck the Halls on Starz, Scrooged on P+), but most don't start being on them until November. Elf is on TBS on November 2nd, which still seems too soon to start.

You aren’t the audience. The numbers they get tell them all they need to know.

 

[davideduardo]

You aren’t the audience. The numbers they get tell them all they need to know.

I'm willing to bet that tall_guy1 never watched the Hallmark channel outside of its extended Christmas season anyway. The rest of the year is full of what most men would call sappy, syrupy melodramas that are soft of like daytime soaps but which wrap up in two hours including commercials.

 

[Don CT]

I'm willing to bet that tall_guy1 never watched the Hallmark channel outside of its extended Christmas season anyway. The rest of the year is full of what most men would call sappy, syrupy melodramas that are soft of like daytime soaps but which wrap up in two hours including commercials.

Isn’t that what it is though.

 

[TheBigA]

I'm willing to bet that tall_guy1 never watched the Hallmark channel outside of its extended Christmas season anyway. The rest of the year is full of what most men would call sappy, syrupy melodramas that are soft of like daytime soaps but which wrap up in two hours including commercials.

You could have stopped at "channel." The channel is primarily aimed at women.

 

[K.M. Richards]

I'm willing to bet that tall_guy1 never watched the Hallmark channel outside of its extended Christmas season anyway. The rest of the year is full of what most men would call sappy, syrupy melodramas that are soft of like daytime soaps but which wrap up in two hours including commercials.

You could have stopped at "channel." The channel is primarily aimed at women.

In other words, this entire thread is based on the personal dislikes of a single viewer who isn't actually likely to be a viewer.

Excuse me while I go start a thread on Lifetime's programming. 😝