If you are a Hallmark or GAC Family Christmas movie junkie, this is a fun blog to visit for trivia, discussion, opinion polls, movie quizzes, and more as we share our love for these clean, heart-warming movies all year long.
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
Get link
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Email
Other Apps
How Does An Actual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony Compare to Hallmark's?
Get link
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Email
Other Apps
I talked my family into joining me for our city's annual Christmas tree lighting. Although we've
called our city home for nearly 14 years, we've never attended the event.
When we first arrived, I felt like I was on the set of a Hallmark movie. I was giddy!
There were carriage rides, a scavenger hunt, cookies, hot chocolate, and a children's choir singing carols. A costumed character meandered through the crowd, pausing for pictures with kids brave enough to stand with him and hold a sign.
A local radio celebrity helped lead the event until passing the microphone off to the mayor, who commended the city council and event organizers for their efforts before calling all the children to gather in front of the tree and lead the countdown.
Seeing not only the tree, but the entire street and city commons area surge to life was spectacular! If you joined all the light strands together, they would stretch for seven miles! No wonder there was such a loud cheer from the crowd.
Doesn't this all sound like a Hallmark scene?
It's not.
The Realities Hallmark Ignores
Not All Kids Are Overjoyed
Kids at Hallmark tree lightings are all smiles, excitedly running from one seasonal activity to another, completely caught up in the holiday magic.
Then there's my tweener, who's an early bloomer, nearly 11. She loves Christmas, but to publicly show her enthusiasm is apparently not cool. Instead of running or skipping like a Hallmark child actress, she saunters disinterestedly and asks to play on my phone while we wait for the tree. I refuse and encourage her to listen to the children's choir to pass the time. I try to take family selfies, but she only smirks while I beam happily. It's like the scene from Christmas Vacation where Audrey can barely contain an eye roll as the Griswolds head to the middle of nowhere to find the family tree.
Spouses Attend Under Coercion
This time of year, it's dark by 5:30 pm. For my spouse, that means being showered and in pajamas by 6:00 pm.
Unlike the male love interest in a Hallmark movie who is thrilled to attend a town tree lighting to spend more time with the woman who jingles his bells, guilt trips and cajoling are required for others.
But, it's dark, so we'll be safer if you go with us.
I need you to drive in case we have to parallel park.
It's a festive, family activity, and it's FREE!
When I told my daughter to straighten up and have a better attitude or I would be leaving her with the grandparents next time, my husband asked if he could stay with grandma and grandpa too.
Sigh.
Long Lines
I looked longingly at the three carriages whisking families away for a ride through the lane of sparkly lights. Each carriage was equipped with a blanket, just like in Hallmark movies.
Hallmark fails to offer a panoramic view of the scene to show you the 10-mile line of people waiting to catch a ride. Our movie couple always manages to hop right on and go.
Judging from some of the event attendees, sharing the same carriage blanket might mean heading home with bed bugs.
Hot chocolate and cookies are free for everyone in the park, if you want to shuffle slowly through yet another unending line and hope with all the waiting, no one in your family needs to find a restroom any time soon.
When you see a Hallmark couple strolling with hot chocolate and sweet treats which they acquired in two seconds, you realize how fictional the scene is. We left and snagged ours at a McDonald's drive-thru.
Parking
The early bird truly does catch the proverbial worm. We arrived 30 minutes ahead of time and parked close to the ceremony. Others didn't fare as well. Parking lots quickly filled, and vehicles lined the streets.
Hallmark couples land right into the middle of the action with no inconvenience of any kind. No leading man ever says, I'll drop you at the door and join in you in 45 minutes after I park and walk three miles.
No Front Row View
A big circle forms around the tree, just like in the movies, but unlike Hallmark where everyone seems to have a front row view, most are several rows back trying to see over a towering crowd.
Crowds
Hallmark tree lighting ceremonies host big crowds, but everyone enjoys ample personal space. This is a fairly accurate view of reality, unless you live somewhere like New York City where you are rubbing shoulders with the people next to you.
It is impossible, however, to photo or video the sparkling landscape without photo bombs ruining every shot.
Not Everyone Ice Skates
Not every Hallmark movie includes an ice skating scene, but many do.
At our city ceremony, families could participate in a scavenger hunt. Lanterns were lit throughout the park, and each one had a letter and a number on it. Once you found all ten lanterns and all ten letters, you unscrambled them to find the city's wish for you--"Find the Joy." Your prize? Tickets for a free skate at the city ice rink.
Our family's response was like Cousin Eddie's from Christmas Vacation when Clark Griswold informs the family he's using his bonus to put in a swimming pool: I can't swim, Clark.
I know that, Eddie, Clark replied.
We still appreciated the gesture and goodwill.
No Snow
A city tree lighting ceremony is the ideal time for gently falling snow, but only Hallmark can control the weather. The rest of us have to take what we get. For us, temps hovered just under 40 degrees. There was no snow, but at least we didn't freeze.
Why Do Cities Have Tree Lightings?
In his address to our city, the mayor said (I'm paraphrasing), "This is one of my favorite events of the year because it's something that helps our big city feel like a small town."
As much as I hate crowds, I do love seeing everyone come together like a big family. We put our differences aside and focus on what unites us. Even though an actual city tree lighting ceremony isn't as convenient or cozy as Hallmark makes them appear, Hallmark does capture the most important element both of them share--community Christmas spirit.
Want More Hallmark Christmas Cheer?
If you love Christmas, especially Hallmark Christmas movies, join ourFacebook Groupso you can keep the spirit of the season alive all year!
For those of us who are crazy about Christmas and eagerly anticipate a healthy dose of holiday cheer during the summer months, the wait is almost over! Hallmark Movies & Mysteries continues their annual tradition of bringing us Merry Movie Week 2023 , leading up to Hallmark Channel's Christmas in July event. Merry Movie Week kicks off the evening of June 23 and runs through June 30. Hallmark's Merry Movie Week 2023 Details If you're hoping Merry Movie Week means 24/7 Christmas movies for an entire week, you may be disappointed. You can expect round-the-clock festive movies on Saturday and Sunday, June 24 & 25, but for the rest of the week, it's regular mystery shows during the day and twinkly lights and tinsel from 5pm-11pm Eastern. No new premieres will be featured during Merry Movie Week, but Hallmark Channel will unveil two new Christmas movies in July. Hallmark's Merry Movie Week 2023 Printable Schedule Hallmark Movies & Mysteries currently has
Starring: Merritt Patterson and Luke MacFarlane Released: 2020 Summary: A world-renowned pianist returns to Chateau Newhaus to spend the holidays with her family and try to find her passion for music again. Chateau Christmas. Image: Crown Media Luke MacFarlane Is Julliard-Trained Julliard, located in New York City, is the world leader in training students in the performing arts--dance, drama, and music. Luke MacFarlane's dad was a cellist, which inspired MacFarlane to start playing the cello by the time he was four years old. He set his sights on attending Julliard, and he graduated from the prestigious institution in 2003, afterwards finding success off-Broadway, then on Broadway, and eventually on screen. The script for Chateau Christmas originally cast MacFarlane playing the violin, but when he asked the writers to change his instrument to the cello, they quickly made the adjustment. Luke MacFarlane really does play the cello. While in quarantine before filming, Mac
Home for the holidays, BFFs Naomi and Liz reconnect with high school crush, Chris Silver. A complex love triangle forms, forcing them to take stock of their lives and find the value of friendship. Starring: Janel Parrish, Pascal Lamothe-Kipnes, and Tyler Hynes Image: Hallmark Media What Is Never Been Chris'd About? Chris Silver (Hynes) was the most popular guy in high school. Like most girls, Liz (Lamothe-Kipnes) and Naomi (Parrish) both had crushes on him, but he never seemed to notice them. Whenever a lucky lady became Chris' girlfriend, she instantly catapulted into popularity. Liz and Naomi dubbed this phenomenon being "Chris'd." The tables have turned. Thanks to the innovative "Best Pals" app that Liz and Naomi have created, they are now local celebrities. The two are acknowledged by former classmates when they come home for Christmas and finally experience being the "cool kids." Chris is a former marine and an English teacher at t
Everything is on an app these days, including the Hallmark Christmas in July 2023 movie schedule. Many of us, however, still prefer a paper checklist that allows us to see everything at once without swiping through screens. Some like the Hallmark app since they can set reminders to alert them about the movies they plan to watch. The rest of us love pouring over a tangible copy so we can make notations and highlights. We can also share the document on social media and with our friends and family who look forward to the Christmas in July movie slate. Hallmark's Christmas in July 2023 --What You Need to Know Contrary to what many people assume, Christmas movies are NOT playing 24/7 on Hallmark Channel during the Christmas in July 2023 event. Don't despair! According to Hallmark Channel's website, there are 5-7 Christmas movies on tap for each day of July. In between Christmas movies, you can expect the usual sitcoms: Golden Girls , Frasier , Cheers , and Reba . Hal
When a romantic painting of a Christmas market captures the imagination of copy editor, Lea, she is sent to France with a moody reporter, Mark, to uncover the mystery behind the artist. Starring: Jaicy Elliot and Brant Daugherty Image: Hallmark Media Joyeux Noel Combines Romance & Mystery Joyeux Noel was written by Brant Daughtery and his wife Kimberly and tells the tale of a copy editor and aspiring journalist (Elliot) getting the break she's been waiting for. After visiting an antique store and purchasing an old jewelry box, Lea opens it to find a journal. While she's deciphering its contents, she tunes into the news where journalists are raving about a new painting featuring an unknown artist known only as "F." Lea is shocked to notice that a sketch in the journal matches the newly unveiled painting. She reads on to discover that decades earlier, Mon Fleur had met and fallen in love with a woman at a Christmas market in a small French village. The two s
Haul Out the Holly Plot Summary When a woman unexpectedly spends the holidays alone at her parents' house, their homeowner's association insists that she participates in its many Christmas festivities. Starring: Lacey Chabert and Wes Brown Image: Hallmark Media Fans' Response to Haul Out the Holly is Divided A new Lacey Chabert movie each Christmas is always the season's icing on the sugar cookie. Until recently, every Chabert romcom has been pure gold in terms of ratings and enjoyment. For the first time in Chabert's Hallmark career, not everyone is raving about her latest movie. One camp finds Haul Out the Holly a sheer delight. It's Chabert's first Hallmark comedy, and the emphasis is heavy on humor and light on romance. Many love the change-up. After years of the same recycled plot lines and cookie cutter tropes, fans are relieved to watch something new and fresh. Life is too serious, so it's fun to laugh and be entertained. The other hal
When Addy wishes for a year without Christmas, she wakes up in a world of black and white. She must work together with the town mechanic to restore Christmas. Starring: Lyndsy Fonseca and Michael Rady Image: Hallmark Media Hallmark Tries Something New with Where Are You, Christmas? As much as fans love Hallmark movies, most of us are growing bored with the same recycled plots. In response, Hallmark enlisted the talents of seasoned writers Michael Reisz and Timothy Kuryak to deliver something fresh. Where Are You, Christmas? inventively imagines a world in which Christmas doesn't exist. It's an interesting concept. Without Christmas, the world is dull and colorless. People have no joy. Christmas is a season of hope and a time for miracles. Without it, people miss the chance to find healing from the things that are hurting them, which makes them angry and a little bitter. Addy's high-pressure job in branding means Christmas is her business every day of the year. Af
Juniper Jones travels to Mystic, Connecticut during the holidays to work at the rehabilitation center and aquarium. While there, she reconnects with Sawyer, the owner of the pizza shop and the man she once loved. Starring: Jessy Schram and Chandler Massey Image: Hallmark Media A Movie That Pays Homage to Mystic Pizza Mystic Pizza is a coming-of-age movie from 1988 that gave a young Julia Roberts the career breakthrough she needed. The story followed three friends who worked together at a pizza shop in a seaside Connecticut town. Hallmark combines nostalgia with a modern love story to bring us a 2023 Christmas movie based in the same fishing town of Mystic, Connecticut where we visit a pizza shop and a planetarium, just like in the original, though the aquarium is the setting for a chunk of the story. Juniper Jones and Sawyer Adams were in love 10 years ago, but when Juniper shared her heart in an e-mail, she never received a response. Now things are awkward as Juniper returns to
Starring: Lacey Chabert and Will Kemp Released: 2020 Summary: After a woman's storybook Christmas wedding gets cancelled, a dance instructor helps her face her fear in life by fulfilling her dream of learning how to dance. Lacey Chabert & Will Kemp wow fans with their beautiful dance performance in Christmas Waltz Image: Crown Media Jilted at Christmas Getting dropped like a dense fruitcake during the most wonderful time of the year would ruin Christmas for most of us. Each subsequent, annual celebration would be marred by the memory of heartbreak. Right after Avery (Lacey Chabert) decides on a Nutcracker-themed wedding cake and pays for 10 ballroom dancing lessons, she learns her fiance, David (Jeremy Guilbaut) has accepted a job in Boston and will be leaving New York. Despite David's feeble attempts to keep their relationship alive after the devastating blow, Avery calls off the wedding and ends things with him for good. You must admire Avery's spunk. To
A shopping channel host known as Ms. Christmas receives a terminal diagnosis, which inspires a multi-city excursion set to spread Christmas cheer before her farewell broadcast. Starring: Erica Durance, Brennan Elliott, and Barabara Niven Image: Hallmark Media Barbara Niven Delivers Top-Notch Performance Move over, Santa, because MS. CHRISTMAS is coming to town! Barbara Niven is stellar in her role of Gale Storm--the woman who, for 24 years, has been selling merchandise every holiday season on HSC (Holiday Shopping Channel). Ms. Christmas oozes more sweetness than a hot chocolate bomb, even when she receives bad news about her declining health. While many of us might be tempted to wallow in despair following a terminal diagnosis, Ms. Christmas decides to focus on making it the best year yet for her loyal viewers by taking her show on the road. Think of that--using time wisely to do good deeds in the time you have left. If only we approached everyday life with this kind of attitude!
Comments
Post a Comment