Lifetime targets a similar audience with the It’s a Wonderful Lifetime lineup, which also premiered in late October, runs around the clock and will debut 30 films this year. Both brands’ films follow the same romance formula — often an overworked woman finds herself in a quaint, Christmas-loving town that also happens to be home to an eligible bachelor — but that consistency is considered an asset.

“They are purposely slightly predictable,” Meghan Hooper, senior vice president of original movies, co-productions and acquisitions at Lifetime Networks, said. “I think viewers know that the couple’s going to end up together in the end. You’re going to be satisfied after spending two hours of your time, and hopefully, you’re getting exactly what you came for.”

The lesser-known UPtv also aims for comfort with its holiday movies, which this year include the meta “A Christmas Movie Christmas” among 10 premiere titles.

But it’s not enough to just attract viewers. Hallmark and Lifetime have expanded their Christmas empires to offer merchandise like holiday movie pajamas, wine totes, aprons and sherpa blankets. For Hallmark, there’s also a podcast and movie checklist app — and it’s sponsoring the first-ever Christmas Con, a (sold-out) three-day fan convention in Edison, N.J., featuring a nostalgia-inducing roster of cable Christmas stars including Melissa Joan Hart, Lacey Chabert and Holly Robinson Peete.

“It’s become something even bigger than a programming phenomenon,” Vicary said. “It’s become a lifestyle. It’s become, ‘How do I live like I’m in a Hallmark Christmas movie?’”

One criticism of the Hallmark Christmas aesthetic has been its lack of onscreen diversity, something Vicary said the channel was “catching up” on and prioritizing. Lifetime and Netflix have outpaced it: roughly half of their new holiday movies feature a romantic lead of color.