Christmas Under Construction
Christmas in July is officially back, and Hallmark is kicking off the festivities with Christmas Under Construction, starring Jessica Lowndes and Daniel Lissing. Now… if you found yourself experiencing a tiny case of déjà vu while watching this one, just know you’re probably not imagining things. We’ll get into all of that later, but first we’re diving into the movie itself: a reality home renovation show, a live Christmas special, a relationship that’s in much worse shape than the cabin they’re remodeling, and Daniel Lissing showing up to remind everyone why Hallmark fans are always happy to see him. Did Hallmark build a solid start to Christmas in July, or is this project already in need of a renovation?
Christmas Under Construction premiered on Saturday, July 4, 2026 and is now streaming on Hallmark+
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What Are the 2026 Christmas in July movies on Hallmark?
Hallmark’s 2026 Christmas in July event is bringing plenty of holiday cheer long before Countdown to Christmas arrives this fall. The festivities begin July 1 with Season 2 of Christmas at Sea streaming exclusively on Hallmark+, followed by four consecutive Saturday night movie premieres on Hallmark Channel: Christmas Under Construction (July 4), O Little Christmas Market (July 11), Snowbound for the Holidays (July 18), and Love Under the Mistletoe (July 25). Whether you’re here for cozy small towns, holiday markets, snowy ski lodges, or a little Christmas romance in the middle of summer, Hallmark has your Saturdays covered all month long.
Why Christmas Under Construction Looks So Familiar
If Christmas Under Construction feels familiar, there’s a reason. The movie originally premiered on Hulu in 2024 under the title Renovation Romance before making its Hallmark Channel debut with a new name for Christmas in July.
While Hallmark hasn’t shared why it acquired the film, it’s easy to see the appeal: Jessica Lowndes and Daniel Lissing are recognizable favorites, the home renovation angle fits neatly alongside Hallmark’s cozy brand, and acquiring an existing holiday movie helps bolster the Christmas in July lineup while the network saves many of its brand-new originals for Countdown to Christmas.
That said, the movie arrives with fairly modest audience reception, carrying an IMDb user rating in the mid-5s out of 10, so we’ll be curious to see whether a Hallmark audience embraces it more warmly than its original release did.
Listen to Girls Gone Hallmark’s Review of Christmas Under Construction
The Cast of Christmas Under Construction
- Robin Dunne directed Christmas Under Construction. He has directed several Hallmark and Hallmark-adjacent Christmas movies, including last year’s The Christmas Cup.
- The screenplay was written by Robin Dunne, Julia Benson, and Peter Benson. Hallmark fans will recognize Peter Benson as both a familiar face on screen and an accomplished director.
- Jessica Lowndes stars as Chelsea. Hallmark fans most recently saw her in Happy Howlidays, where she starred opposite Finding Mr. Christmas Season 1 winner Ezra Moreland in his first leading Hallmark role.
- Daniel Lissing stars as Cooper. Hallmark fans last saw him in Single on the 25th, where – coincidentally – his character was also named Cooper. According to IMDb, his next project is Aussie at Heart, co-starring Rhiannon Fish, though it has not been announced whether the film is for Hallmark.
- Keep an eye out for several familiar Hallmark faces, including Adam Hurtig (A Suite Holiday Romance), Paul Essiembre(Haunted Wedding), and Michael Strickland (Holiday Hotline).
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