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

Grab These NEW Hallmark Christmas Movie Releases on Amazon!

Feed Your Hallmark Addiction

Hallmark gives us a booster shot of Christmas cheer in July, and if we DVR enough of these holiday favorites, we might stretch out the enjoyment until new Christmas movies premiere in October.

We ration DVR space to our family during November and December because we not only need space for the new movies, we need to record all of our old favorites, too!

Hallmark movies are our catnip.

Then comes January--Hallmark pulls the plug.

We are addicted by this point and craving a hit, but Hallmark only teases us with two Christmas movies per week until summer.   

Thankfully, there's a solution.  We must build our own DVD libraries so we aren't beholden to Hallmark's mercy!

Get the Latest Hallmark Releases On Amazon

Here is a list of the seven January and February 2020 Hallmark Christmas DVD Releases.  Three of these movies originally aired in 2018, and four debuted in 2019.

A Shoe Addict's Christmas   

Have you ever seen Candace Cameron Bure in a Hallmark movie that isn't awesome?  

In this one, she gets locked inside the department store for which she works.  While she's there, she receives a visit from a guardian angel who gives her a glimpse into her past, present, and future.  

Divine intervention helps her find her way to her destiny.

This movie is filled with so many wise nuggets, like these:
  • When we lose faith, we need to find it again.
  • Our choices all lead to different possibilities.
  • You have to decide what difference in the world you want to make.
  • Nothing worth having comes without risk.
If you are at a crossroads in life, this movie will give you courage to take a leap of faith!

                                                                   

Pride, Prejudice, and Mistletoe

Lacey Chabert is my favorite, and like you, I adore all her movies.  She works hard to bring heart and soul into all the characters she plays. 

Darcy (Chabert) is experiencing tension with the other partners in her firm.  She heads to Ohio for Christmas and winds up helping her mom plan a charity auction.  Long story short, she falls in the love with the caterer of the event (Brendon Penny).

Another Hallmark plot we've seen a million times, but it's still a keeper!

                                                                    

Time For Me To Come Home For Christmas

Any country music fans out there?  You don't have to be to appreciate this movie, based on a Blake Shelton song.

Starring Megan Park and Josh Henderson, this plot line is also familiar:  two people end up traveling together unexpectedly.  He is seeking inspiration, and she's trying to save the family business.

Do you think they fall in love and everything works out in the end?  Of course!  No need for a spoiler alert because we know every Hallmark movie is a sure thing when it comes to a happy ending!

                                                                     
Jill Wagner plays a single mom who dreams of being an interior designer.  She steps out of her comfort zone for a chance to prove herself by decorating the estate of a local businessmen.  The catch is, she only has four weeks to complete the project, and Nick (Matthew Davis) is distant and often inaccessible.

Check out my blog post on this movie where we talk about being too busy and assess our career paths.

                                                                    

Write Before Christmas

Starring Torrey Devitto and Chad Michael Murray, this movie is about recognizing people who impact our lives the most.  They need to hear it!

Jessica sends Christmas cards with heart-felt notes to five people who have played a key role in her life:  her aunt, her brother, a pop star, her music teacher, and her BFF.

I analyze this movie in my blog post, so be sure to take a peek!

I know some of you out there are crazy about Chad Michael Murray!

                                                                     
Candy canes are the focus of this "sweet" story, and it stars Jodie Sweetin and Andrew Walker.

Cate is the CEO of her grandmother's Merry & Bright candy cane company, and she balks when Gabe comes to town from a corporate recovery firm to help her make the company more profitable.

Cate pages through her grandmother's old cookbooks and agrees to diversify by adding candy cane flavors that bring year-round enjoyment. 

Do you know where the candy cane capital of the world is?  Read the blog post to find out!   

                                                                      

Christmas Scavenger Hunt

The plot of this fun movie is a little different.  It centers around a town scavenger hunt that raises money for charity.  The clues are fun, and the contestants have to send pictures to home base every time a riddle is solved.  

The most hilarious part of this movie is that the selfie you watch being taken is completely different from the one that pops up for us viewers.

Kevin McGarry shines in this movie, but in my humble opinion, Kim Shaw does not fit the ideal profile for a Hallmark leading lady.  I hope we will see less of her....or none at all.

Read more of my random thoughts on this movie and take a trivia quiz in the blog post.  

                                                                      


Some Of These Movies Are Books!

Books offer a lot more details and insights than a movie can capture.  If you want to start a reading bucket list for spring break or summer vacation, here are the available titles from the movies listed above:


Are You In Our Facebook Group?

You love Hallmark movies, so become a part of our community of Hallmark movie lovers!  We have two fun Facebook groups--one devoted to Christmas movies, and one devoted to all the rest!

Find kindred spirits here:
See you there, #Hallmarkies!

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