Lori Loughlin Returns to Hallmark for a New Christmas Movie—And We Have an Exclusive Sneak Peek

With two Christmas movies featuring When Calls the Heart stars, Hearties are in for a real treat this weekend. We’ve already reported on Forgotten Holiday starring Daniel Lissing, now let’s take a look at What If Christmas starring Lori Loughlin.

Having made a cameo appearance in the season 13 finale of When Hope Calls, Loughlin solidified her return to Hallmark after reprising her role as Jennifer Shannon in the Garage Sale Mystery movie series earlier this year. Now, she returns with a new Christmas movie, What If Christmas and we have all the details! Read on for more about Loughlin’s new movie including a Parade exclusive sneak peek!

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What is What If Christmas about?

Erin (Loughlin) has always supported her heart surgeon husband, Adam’s (Cavanaugh) career by organizing the hospitals’ Christmas charity galas. However, when he moves to a new hospital, her help is no longer needed. Feeling lost and without a purpose back in New York City, her long-suppressed regrets over giving up her dream of pursuing fashion design start bubbling up. When Erin is given a peculiar heart-shaped Christmas ornament, she wakes up in an alternate reality where she’s a world-famous fashion designer. As she “meets” and attends Christmas events with alternate universe Adam, she realizes that while her fashion dreams came true, it’s lonely at the top. While working on a way to bring more charity and heart to her fashion empire, she learns that her dream life and love were always right in front of her – if only she finds the heart and courage to ask.

When does What If Christmas premiere?

What If Christmas premieres on Sunday, Oct. 25 at 8 p.m. ET on Hallmark Channel and can be viewed the next day on Hallmark+.

Related: Great American Family Revealed Its 2026 Christmas Movie Lineup, and These Are the Films to Watch For

Who’s in the cast of What If Christmas?

Hallmark Media

Lori Loughlin as Erin

Loughlin is best known to Hallmark viewers as Abigail Stanton on When Calls the Heart, a role she reprise in the Season 13 finale. She returns as Abigail in Season 14 for several episodes. She also returned as Jennifer Shannon in the Garage Sale Mystery series of movies recently in Garage Sale Mysteries: Murder Takes the Stage.

Related: Lori Loughlin Returns to Hallmark Movies After 7 Years—Watch an Exclusive Sneak Peek

Hallmark Media

Tom Cavanaugh as Adam

Cavanaugh is best known for his roles on Ed, Providence, and The Flash. For Hallmark viewers, he starred in the Darrow & Darrow series of films for Hallmark Mystery opposite Kimberly Williams-Paisley. His most recent credits include Mistletoe Murders, FBI, and You’re Killing Me.

Related: Lifetime Reveals Its 2026 Christmas Movie Lineup, Including Brandy’s Return—See the Full Schedule

How you can watch What If Christmas for free

If you have a library card, you can watch What If Christmas for free! Through the Hoopla website or app, you can unlock seven days of Hallmark+ for free! Hoopla is a free digital media service that partners with local libraries and lets you borrow audiobooks, eBooks, comics, movies, TV shows, and music. You can subscribe to Hallmark+, PBS, and other channels and watch some of your favorite shows and movies, including What If Christmas for free!