Hallmark’s Christmas Under Construction: release date, cast, plot and how to watch
Hallmark kicks off Christmas in July 2026 with Christmas Under Construction—get the release date, cast, plot, where to stream it, and why it snagged the opening slot.
Summer is all capes and car chases, but Hallmark is politely ignoring the calendar and dropping a new holiday romance to kick off Christmas in July. The movie is called 'Christmas Under Construction' and, yes, it is exactly the soft, twinkly counterprogramming you think it is.
What it is
Jessica Lowndes plays Chelsea, one half of a popular TV renovation duo and co-host of the reality show 'Renovation Romance.' For a special live Christmas broadcast, she and her longtime partner Jake head to New Hampshire to turn a rustic cabin into a full-on holiday escape. On camera, it is wreaths and reclaimed wood. Off camera, their relationship is quietly cracking.
Enter Cooper, the cabin's owner, played by Daniel Lissing. He is grounded, not particularly TV-glossy, and exactly the kind of person who makes Chelsea rethink the blueprint for her life. As the lights go up and the snow machines do their thing, she has to decide whether to keep building the life she planned with Jake or start fresh with something that actually fits.
The twist behind the scenes
This movie has a little history. It first popped up on Hulu in 2024 under a different title: 'Renovation Romance.' Hallmark then rebranded it as 'Christmas Under Construction' and slotted it as a Hallmark Channel original for this summer's event. And for Hallmark regulars, there is a reunion baked in: Lowndes and Lissing are back together years after teaming up in 'A December Bride.' Also worth noting: the Hulu version is still sitting there under the original name.
The essentials
- Premiere: Saturday, July 4, 2026 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on Hallmark Channel. It is the opening-night movie for Hallmark's Christmas in July and the flagship of a four-week run.
- Streaming: Miss the broadcast? It lands on Hallmark+ the next day. The earlier cut remains on Hulu as 'Renovation Romance.'
- Cast: Jessica Lowndes as Chelsea, a driven reality host and one-half of a renovation duo; Daniel Lissing as Cooper, the cabin's owner; Adam Hurtig as Jake, Chelsea's on-air co-host and struggling off-camera partner; Samantha Kendrick as Janice, Cooper's go-to who helps pull off the festive overhaul.
- Setting and setup: A live holiday special from a New Hampshire cabin with TV-friendly makeovers, twinkle lights, and some real-life fallout behind the scenes.
- Trailer: Hallmark has a preview out ahead of the July 4 premiere.
- More July premieres: 'O Little Christmas Market' on July 11; 'Snowbound for the Holidays' on July 18; and 'Love Under the Mistletoe' wrapping the month on July 25. On Hallmark+, Season 2 of the unscripted 'Christmas at Sea' starts streaming July 1.
Bottom line
If you want festive comfort with a side of power tools and second chances, this one checks every Hallmark box. And yes, it is July. Hallmark does not care, and honestly, neither do I.