4 Must-Watch When Calls the Heart Christmas Specials Before Season 12

Mark your calendars! The highly anticipated Season 12 of When Calls the Heart is set to premiere on January 5, 2025. However, Hallmark is ensuring that fans who are not fully caught up have a delightful festive option to indulge in this holiday season.

Long-running series can sometimes be daunting for new viewers; the extensive history can seem overwhelming. Conversely, dedicated fans of When Calls the Heart relish the opportunity to dive deeper into the rich narrative tapestry that has been woven over the past eleven seasons. The show has indeed paid off for those who have stayed the course.

With many seasons behind us, viewers have witnessed Elizabeth’s journey through love and heartache following the tragic death of her husband, Jack, during Season 5. Currently, she finds herself entwined in a new romance with Nathan, while Lucas, her former love interest, has faced tremendous loss as well.

4 Festive Hallmark Movies to Enjoy Before Season 12

Before the new season debuts, fans can catch a series of heartwarming Christmas specials airing on Hallmark Family starting December 15th at noon ET. The featured titles include:

The Greatest Christmas Blessing
Home for Christmas
The Christmas Wishing Tree
When Calls the Heart Christmas

Jack and Elizabeth dance in a When Calls the Heart Christmas special — Hallmark Channel

As seen in their promotional materials (notably hinting at *cough* a still-living Jack *cough*), these festive offerings are strategically placed at various points throughout the series timeline:

Christmas: A mysterious peddler arrives in Hope Valley, sharing delightful goods and imparting lessons on joy and generosity. The townsfolk unite to ensure that the recently displaced settlers experience a memorable holiday.
The Christmas Wishing Tree: Excitement fills Hope Valley with the debut of the Wishing Tree, where residents gather to place their heartfelt wishes. Among them, Elizabeth earnestly wishes for Jack’s return.
The Greatest Christmas Wish: As Christmas nears, a newly widowed Elizabeth readies herself for the arrival of her baby while Abigail takes charge of organizing the town’s seasonal festivities.
Home For Christmas: Elizabeth is set to celebrate Little Jack’s first Christmas and birthday, grappling with her deep longing for Jack. Meanwhile, Nathan contemplates a prestigious job offer in Union City and its potential impact on his relationship with Elizabeth.

It’s also significant to note that there was a New Year’s special titled New Year’s Wish that fits between Seasons 2 and 3, along with a two-hour movie that premiered even before the series launched.

All these festive titles are available on Hallmark’s streaming platform, providing ample opportunities to enjoy Hope Valley’s charm ahead of the January premiere.

As Season 12 approaches, audiences can look forward to fresh plot developments and answers to lingering questions. In the meantime, fans of small-town dramas can explore similar series such as Virgin River Season 6 and Sullivan’s Crossing Season 3.

Learn more about the upcoming season and specials