This Illinois Town Is Getting Its Own Hallmark Christmas Movie

If you've watched at least one Hallmark Christmas movie, you already know they feature these charming little towns where everyone magically knows everybody. Well, it turns out one Illinois town is now getting that Hallmark treatment.

Hallmark Channel held its first-ever Merriest Christmas Town competition over the summer. Over 1,000 towns were nominated, 25 became finalists, and fans voted for their favorites.

READ MORE: Illinois Small Town Named One of America's Most Hallmark-Like Christmas Destinations

Illinois Town Wins Hallmark's Merriest Christmas Town Contest

A town of about 5,500 people just south of Springfield won the contest. Residents of Carlinville were asked to come to the courthouse for what they thought was a Midwest Living holiday photo shoot. Instead, Hallmark stars, including Tamera Mowry-Housley, showed up to surprise residents with the news that Carlinville had won.

Here's the best part of Carlinville winning the contest: the town will be the setting for a Hallmark Christmas movie filmed in 2027.

READ MORE: The Most Magical Christmas Towns to Visit in Illinois

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Carlinville Will Be the Setting for a Hallmark Christmas Movie in 2027

Sure, if you've seen one Hallmark Christmas movie, you've pretty much seen them all, but this one's gonna hit different. Carlinville wanted to be America's Merriest Christmas Town so badly that they won the whole thing, and now they're getting a movie filmed in their own backyard.

I honestly feel like this whole thing is a great idea for a movie. Maybe Hallmark should just recreate the contest in a movie, throw a little romance in there, and bang, done.