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
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Hallmark's "Christmas Tree Lane" Includes Original Songs by Alicia Witt
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Starring: Alicia Witt and Andrew Walker
Released: 2020
Summary: A talented pianist, singer, and songwriter shares her love of music with the voice students she teaches in the loft above her father's music store, all while fighting to protect her street from demolition.
Image: Crown Media
Alicia Witt Wrote, Starred, Produced, & Created Two Original Songs for the Movie
In an interview with Southern Living, Alicia Witt (Meg) shared her inspiration in developing the story that became Christmas Tree Lane. As Witt's work ushered her from city to city, she noticed a trend. What were once bustling epicenters of commerce in communities she visited were now vacated buildings. Since many old-time shopkeepers rented, rather than owned, the buildings that housed their businesses, many of them ended up struggling and ultimately closing.
Witt shared how wandering through vintage shops in downtown areas felt like stepping back in time, and she captured this concept perfectly in Christmas Tree Lane. The older you are, the more you can appreciate the charm of an old-fashioned Christmas.
Witt was thrilled to see the pictures that danced in her head finally come to life on the set.
As if writing, starring in, and producing the movie wasn't enough, she wrote and performed two original songs, too--Why Christmas and Christmas Will Never End. Did you enjoy them? You can listen to them here:
Witt's performance shined in this movie, undoubtedly due to the investment of her heart and soul in every aspect of its development.
Vinyl Records Bring Back Memories
I was browsing through the electronic department at Walmart recently, and I noticed they actually have a retail section for vinyl.
Does anyone still listen to vinyl records today? Let us know in the poll below!
Because Witt is musically inclined in real-life, she leads the viewer to experience music in a new way. Musicians feel and become the music, unlike those of us who just listen to it recreationally.
Nate (Andrew Walker) is one of us. He initially turns down Meg's offer to borrow a record player and a vinyl Christmas album because he doesn't like the scratchy sound of records.
Meg tells him it's the scratchiness and imperfections that make the music "real" and "special." When she convinces Nate to close his eyes to listen to the music, she helps him hear past those imperfections.
If imperfections make something real and special, that's good news for a lot of us, right? What a great metaphor!
Reilly's Music Store has been in business and in Meg's family since 1903.
If you grew up in the era of vinyl, share the name of the store where you purchased your records in the comment section.
For me, it was a place called Record Town. I would save my allowance, and when we shopped at the tiny mall in our rural area, I would spend most of the time thumbing through the LP's and the 45's. The 1980's produced a ton of great hits, so I had quite the collection. One of my favorite Christmas gifts as a kid was a huge stereo with a record player on top. You know--the kind so big it took up at least a quarter of the bedroom. Those were the days!
Meg loves giving voice lessons to students in the loft of Reilly's Music Store.
Image: Crown Media
Nate & Meg Aren't at Odds for Long
According to the regular Hallmark formula, once some type of betrayal occurs (which is always a misunderstood situation), one of the leads distances himself or herself from the other.
When Meg realizes Nate works for Cloverleaf, the same corporation responsible for the planned demolition of Christmas Tree Lane, she's upset. Fortunately, this does not drag on for long. He quickly explains, she's understanding, and they both join forces (along with Nate's mom) against Nate's immovable father. Of course, this is all done very respectfully because no one is ever a meanie pants in Hallmark movies.
This movie offers hope to city districts that are suffering. Sometimes, it just takes a little ingenuity, a lot of drive, and teamwork within the community to revive commerce and make things thrive once again. It can be done!
Alicia Witt and Andrew Walker in Christmas Tree Lane.
Image: Crown Media
The History of Christmas Tree Lane
If we're going to visit a place called Christmas Tree Lane, we expect it to live up to its name! Meg explains her street got its name from being the first street to light things up with electric lights--the vintage gas lights--which we get to see come to life once again.
The Final Kiss
If an invention existed called a "kiss-o-meter," it would have blown up from the power of Nate and Meg's kiss at the very end. WOW!
In some of the newer Hallmark movies, the epic kisses are a bit of a letdown.
If I were in Alicia Witt's shoes at the end, I would have hoped for several "takes" of that scene!
Andrew Walker knows how to plant the final kiss fans love!
Did you notice all the beautiful set decorations? Not only is the entire Christmas Tree Lane decked out for Christmas, so is the loft above the music store. Kudos to the Hallmark set decorators for making the background look so magical!
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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
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