REVIEW: The Hallmark Sequel "Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up" Is as Silly as the First One

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Emily and Jared are looking forward to celebrating the holidays together as a couple, and they prepare to work with their neighbors on Evergreen Lane to make this year's Christmas celebrations the best yet.  When a house on the block goes up for sale, the soon-to-be-neighbors are holiday royalty, but they are so competitive that they nearly ruin Christmas for everyone. Starring:   Lacey Chabert, Wes Brown, Stephen Tobolowsky, Ellen Travolta, Melissa Peterman, Seth Morris, and Jennifer Aspen Image:  Hallmark Media Haul Out the Holly:  Lit Up Has a Moral When the residents of Evergreen Lane learn that their new neighbors are the Jolly Johnsons--famous holiday reality stars--they are thrilled to welcome them to the block.  Everyone assumes the Johnsons will fit right in since they share their same affinity for elf culture. Emily, Jared, and the rest of the holiday crew quickly realize that the Johnsons aren't interested in joining in on the fun--they plan to take over. Image:  Tw

Thoughts on Hallmark's "Christmas Cookies"

Release Date:  2016

Starring:  Jill Wagner and Wes Brown

Summary:  A large corporation buys a small town cookie firm with the intent of moving the production center, but the executive they send must deal with the factory owner who fights for his employees.




Losing Your Job

Have you ever lost your job because the company closed down or relocated?  Not only do company closures traumatize working families, but they also cripple small-town economies.  

When National Foods swoops in to salvage Aunt Sally's Cookie Company in small-town Cookie Jar, the livelihood of many locals is threatened.  National Foods plans to market the cookies year-round across the nation, but they insist on moving the production site to the big city.  


Jake Carter can't let that happen.  He inherited Aunt Sally's Cookie Company when she passed away, and he is determined to keep his workers employed.  

Hannah Harper, the executive from National Foods, only sees the bottom line and can't understand Jake's resistance to a good deal that will include a robust severance package for employees.  Too often, business people are so focused on numbers they fail to see the real people their decisions affect.  Logic and reason are dictates of the mind, but sometimes it's necessary to change the lens and look at the situation from the heart. 

Jill Wagner & Wes Brown in Christmas Cookies
Image:  Crown Media

Be Good to Your Enemies

No matter how much we love our Hallmark movies, we have to admit their cookie cutter quality often lacks depth.  In this movie, however, you discover an amazing principle--be kind to your enemies because love has a positive, transformative power.

It's a small town, so everyone knows Hannah is there to close down Aunt Sally's, which will result in unemployment for many.  Even though Hannah could be perceived as the enemy, the entire town embraces her and is kind and inclusive.

Hannah is mothered by Betty at the inn where she is staying; Jake's family invites her to dinner and other festive town events; the factory workers let her sample cookies; she's included in the sled race; she's asked to judge a contest; and she's invited to the Christmas dance.    

Jill Wagner & Wes Brown in Christmas Cookies
Image:  Crown Media

The kindness that is showered on Hannah changes her, and after only a few days in the town, she feels like a different person.  When she allows her heart to be changed, she taps into a passion to fight for the best interests of Cookie Jar's residents, and she convinces her boss to let the cookie production site remain in the town as part of a new business deal.   

The Bible commands us to love our enemies--that isn't easy to do--but showing kindness to those who don't deserve it is powerful.  Who is your biggest adversary?  Try heaping kindness on them and see what happens!

Attitude of Gratitude

When Hannah joins Jake's family for dinner, she gets to participate in one of their traditions--taking a turn to express gratitude for something in their lives.

How often do we waste time seeing our glass as half empty?  A grateful heart can always find something positive.  Maybe you're stuck in a difficult season of life, and maintaining a good attitude seems impossible.  Whether your personal challenge is the workplace, your spouse, a health condition, wayward children, taking care of ageing parents, or something else, shift your focus for just a moment and name three things for which you are thankful.  Attitude is like a magnifying glass--when you look at the negatives in your life, your problems seem too big to handle.  However, if you magnify the positives, they appear bigger.  Which would you rather amplify--your problems or your blessings?  

Own It!

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