After 70 years, it’s time to start taking “White Christmas” seriously.
Few will deny that the 1954 musical is a classic Christmas movie, but no one would call it a “classic” in the same vein as “It’s A Wonderful Life.” Frank Capra’s meditations on morality lend themselves to serious thoughts; Bing Crosby crooning his way through Irving Berlin ballads and Danny Kaye pratfalling all over the Technicolor sets, not so much.
But beneath all the schmaltz and snowfall, &#8220;White Christmas&#8221; is a realistic depiction of a country and people struggling to return to normalcy after years of war and conflict. Its willingness to confront that transition — as well as the social and commercial adjustments it requires — make it not only a true classic, but the perfect Christmas movie for the present.
&#8220;White Christmas&#8221; is the story of Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, World War II veterans turned successful entertainers who find themselves spending Christmas at a struggling Vermont inn owned by their former commanding officer, General Tom Waverly. With ample song and dance, Wallace and Davis manage to save the inn, romance a pair of singing sisters, and put on a spectacular Christmas show that ends with the titular song, just as the first snow of the season begins to fall.
<div id="attachment_704253" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-704253" class="size-large wp-image-704253" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/White-Christmas-1024x576.jpg" alt="A poster the 1954 musical romantic comedy, 'White Christmas', directed by Michael Curtiz and starring (left to right) Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Kaye and Vera-Ellen." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/White-Christmas-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/White-Christmas-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/White-Christmas-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/White-Christmas-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/White-Christmas.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Photo by Movie Poster Image Art/Getty Images</div>
Yes, it’s fluffy. But beneath that fluff is a story of transitions. Career soldier Waverly can’t make peace with peacetime, and tries to trade his pipe and slippers for a new commission. Wallace has done a better job adjusting to postwar life, but only because he’s thrown himself into work, much to the chagrin of Davis, who urges his partner to settle down and start a family.
This is really what “White Christmas” is all about. Think of it this way: the film only has one song about Christmas, but two songs about how hard it is for soldiers to adjust to civilian life.
That fact alone is enough to make us consider that “White Christmas” is about more than seasonal merriment — especially considering the film’s director.
Michael Curtiz is best known for “Casablanca,” an epic tale of love and loyalty at the height of World War II. While the two films don’t seem to have a lot in common, “White Christmas” actually serves as a quasi-sequel to “Casablanca.” So, in order to understand what’s really going on with Wallace and Davis, we have to look back to Rick and Ilsa.
<div id="attachment_844887" style="width: 750px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-844887" class="size-large wp-image-844887" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-1137157651-740x576.jpg" alt="" width="740" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-1137157651-740x576.jpg 740w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-1137157651-300x234.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-1137157651-768x598.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-1137157651-1536x1196.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-1137157651-2048x1594.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" />(Photo by LMPC via Getty Images)</div>
Like “White Christmas,” “Casablanca” is set in the same year it was released. So, contemporary audiences would have seen each film as a commentary on their lives.
With “Casablanca,” that commentary was a call to arms. The film is famously stirring, so much so that the U.S. Office of War Information <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Round-Up-Usual-Suspects-Casablanca/dp/1562827618" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prevented</a> troops stationed in North Africa from seeing it out of fear it would incite violence against Vichy supporters in the area. And the Bureau of Motion Pictures <a href="https://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/active_learning/explorations/casablanca/bmp_report_casablanca.cfm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">determined</a> that “Casablanca” would help the Allies win the war by effectively showing “that personal desire must be subordinated to the task of defeating fascism.”
“Casablanca” isn’t just another war movie. It’s the ultimate war move, in that it drummed up support for the same war it depicted. Similarly, “White Christmas” is more than just a “feel-good” movie. It’s a peacetime movie, one that eased its audience back into normalcy by offering them a step-by-step guide to that end, and showing how happy their cinematic contemporaries were made by following that guide.
Early on in the film, Wallace begrudgingly admits his debt to Davis for convincing him to get into show business after leaving the army, snapping, “We did great, and I’m grateful!” Later on, the film reaches its emotional climax with Bing Crosby’s famous rendition of “Count Your Blessings (Instead Of Sheep).”
You’d be hard pressed to find a better metaphor for prosperity than an abundance of blessings so large, you can toss them off as you’re nodding off. But nowhere is this point better made than at the end of the film, when Wallace and Davis have reunited the members of the 151st Division to surprise General Waverly on Christmas.
Everyone’s happy. Most brought their families. Those whose careers we hear about are wildly successful. And at least one soldier has gotten so pleasantly plump that he can’t fit into his uniform, which gives the whole squad a good chuckle.
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This is the point of “White Christmas.” That it’s okay be okay, to be successful and happy, even — especially! — shortly after a period of national tumult. Captain Wallace’s patriotism is not minimized by the fact that he became a successful entertainer, nor is his professional success minimized by his ultimate decision to settle down. He earned both turns, as did everyone else we meet in the film.
<div id="attachment_844889" style="width: 717px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-844889" class="size-large wp-image-844889" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-1262769670-707x576.jpg" alt="" width="707" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-1262769670-707x576.jpg 707w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-1262769670-300x245.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-1262769670-768x626.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-1262769670-1536x1252.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-1262769670.jpg 1800w" sizes="(max-width: 707px) 100vw, 707px" />(Photo by FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images)</div>
Once we understand the central message of “White Christmas” — that you can and should embrace the comfort and normalcy that follows strife — we can appreciate what a serious film it is. First and foremost, it’s Curtiz’s answer to “Casablanca,” a balm for the people whose wartime passions he had only recently inflamed.
It’s also an ideal Christmas movie in the truest sense. Though it’s surprisingly light on the holiday’s commercial trappings, “White Christmas” is about the promise of a new start for humanity. The soldiers become singers, the singers become fathers. The wolf shall live with the lamb, and all that.
This was an essential message for postwar America. But it’s equally important today. Now as then, our country stands on a precipice. We’ve been fighting for years — about politics, culture, education, and more. For a time it seemed like we would never again return to normal.
But now, the opportunity to get back to normal is here. Yes, our country may be divided, and there are certainly many important fights worth having. But with a monumental election behind us, we now have an opportunity to turn away from the fray and focus on the things that matter.
“White Christmas” reminds us what those things are, and urges us to pursue and celebrate them.
The summer brought two presidential assassination attempts and as many Democratic presidential candidates. Let’s let the winter bring comfort and joy, promise and rebirth, and so many blessings you just can’t help but sing about them.

Cast of White Christmas

After 70 Years, It’s Time To Start Taking ‘White Christmas’ Seriously

After 70 Years, It’s Time To Start Taking 'White Christmas' Seriously

2024 Election

Christmas

Christmas movies

Entertainment

Hollywod

Hollywood

Movies

World War II

Christmas traditions never change.
Open presents. Sip steaming mugs of hot chocolate. Suffer through your wayward uncle’s off-color jokes. And, when the festivities have drawn to a close, hit the local theater.
Hollywood uncorks its “Oscar-bait” films this time of the year, and the December crop is heartier than usual. The best of the best? A look back at the singer/songwriter who shaped the soundtrack of the 1960s.
<h3>“<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11563598/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Complete Unknown</a>” (December 25)</h3>
<div id="attachment_847611" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-847611" class="wp-image-847611 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-22-AM-4289-1024x576.jpg" alt="Timothée Chalamet in “A Complete Unknown” (2024). Photo by Macall Polay. Searchlight Pictures. Veritas Entertainment. The Picture Company. IMDB." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-22-AM-4289-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-22-AM-4289-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-22-AM-4289-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-22-AM-4289-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-22-AM-4289-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Timothée Chalamet in “A Complete Unknown” (2024). Photo by Macall Polay. Searchlight Pictures. Veritas Entertainment. The Picture Company. IMDB.</div>
Musical biopics became so clichéd, they even made a movie about it. “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” shredded the genre, and rightfully so. Director James Mangold’s “A Complete Unknown” can’t help but recreate a few of those tics, like key characters turning on the TV just in time to hear, “President Kennedy has been shot.” What timing!
That’s where the Dewey Cox comparisons come to a screeching halt.
Timothée Chalamet studied for six years to sound like folk icon Bob Dylan, and those sessions more than paid off. He brings the inscrutable star to life without feeling like a cheap impersonation. 
The title teases we may never know what makes Dylan tick, but the biopic captures why he mattered to the roiling ‘60s. It’s the music, of course, plus beguiling lyrics that resonated with a generation. it’s refreshing to watch an artist stay true to his principles no matter the era, not bend to the pop culture winds. How many modern stars can say the same?
<h3>“<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8999762/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_7_nm_0_in_0_q_the%2520brut" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Brutalist</a>” (December 20)</h3>
<div id="attachment_847561" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-847561" class="wp-image-847561 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-29-AM-8302-864x576.jpg" alt="Guy Pearce and Adrien Brody in “The Brutalist” (2024). A24 Films. Brookstreet Pictures. Kaplan Morrison. Intake Films. IMDB." width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-29-AM-8302-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-29-AM-8302-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-29-AM-8302-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-29-AM-8302-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-29-AM-8302-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-29-AM-8302-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-29-AM-8302-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Adrien Brody and Guy Pearce in “The Brutalist” (2024). A24 Films. Brookstreet Pictures. Kaplan Morrison. Intake Films. IMDB.</div>
Quick — who wants a three-plus hour look at an architect’s combustible life? As sales pitches go, it’s a dud. Yet director Brady Corbet (“Vox Lux”) brings so much energy to the fictional life of László Tóth that the film proves mesmerizing.
Adrien Brody’s Tóth, a Hungarian Jew who escapes the Nazi’s clutches, comes to America eager to forge a new life. His beloved wife (Felicity Jones) awaits back home, leaving him to create a career that will allow them to reunite.
He’s aided by a mercurial millionaire (Guy Pearce, excellent), but their bond fractures over time. Tóth’s journey speaks volumes about the immigrant experience and the artistic mindset, not to mention the egos behind the characters.
The word “epic” is tossed around glibly in Hollywood, but “The Brutalist” is one of the few modern tales that deserves the label. Yes, that running time factors in, but it’s the scope of Corbet’s storytelling ambition that matters.
Brody is spectacular, suggesting he could add a second Best Actor trophy to his mantle come Oscar night. His performance anchors a fiercely original tale not soon forgotten.
<h3>“<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1262426/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wicked</a>” (In Theaters Now)</h3>
<div id="attachment_847565" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-847565" class="size-large wp-image-847565" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-37-AM-2933-864x576.jpg" alt="Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in “Wicked” (2024). Photo by Universal Pictures. Copyright: Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved. Universal Pictures. Marc Platt Productions. SKY Studios. IMDB." width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-37-AM-2933-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-37-AM-2933-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-37-AM-2933-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-37-AM-2933-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-37-AM-2933-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-37-AM-2933-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-37-AM-2933-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in “Wicked” (2024). Photo by Universal Pictures. Copyright: Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved. Universal Pictures. Marc Platt Productions. SKY Studios. IMDB.</div>
Forget that <a href="https://www.uscannenbergmedia.com/2024/11/27/holding-space-and-hefty-tears-why-are-people-talking-about-the-wicked-press-tour/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cringe-worthy press tour</a>. 
Forgive how the film’s title hides that this is but part one of a two-part saga. (“Wicked: For Good” arrives next November)
“Wicked” offers everything we love about big-screen musical adaptations. It all starts with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, who bring bold, Broadway-worthy voices to Glinda and Elphaba, AKA the Wicked Witch of the West.
The story remains provocative given the “Wizard of Oz” source material. That wicked witch wasn’t always so foul. How she curdled into the film’s signature ghoul is a tortured path with a touch of heartbreak.
The Broadway musical supplied the memorable songs, but director Jon M. Chu adapted the show with energy, wit, and memorable moments. No, the great Jeff Goldblum’s voice isn’t up to the challenge as Oz, but in every other way “Wicked” deserves applause.
<h3>“<a href="https://bestchristmaspageantever.movie/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Best Christmas Pageant Ever</a>” (In Theaters)</h3>
<div id="attachment_847577" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-847577" class="size-large wp-image-847577" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-05-AM-1575-1024x576.jpg" alt="The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (2024). Dallas Jenkins. Lionsgate. Media Capital Technologies. Kingdom Story Company. IMDB." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-05-AM-1575-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-05-AM-1575-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-05-AM-1575-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-05-AM-1575-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-05-AM-1575-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (2024). Dallas Jenkins. Lionsgate. Media Capital Technologies. Kingdom Story Company. IMDB.</div>
The best Christmas movies forget one critical element: Christ. Think “A Christmas Story,” “Elf” and “Christmas Vacation.” We love ‘em all, but it’s refreshing to see a holiday comedy acknowledge the reason for the season.
“Pageant,” based on the 1972 book of the same name, follows a group of wayward kids as they commandeer a small town’s Christmas gala. It’s a recipe for disaster, unless one uber-patient mom (Judy Greer, marvelous as always) can teach the kids why Christmas matters in the first place.
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Sweet and soulful, “Pageant” delivers early laughs that set the story in motion. From there, look to young Beatrice Schneider as Beth, the unofficial leader of the cruel Herdman clan. Her transformation supplies “Pageant” with its big, beating heart.
<h3>“<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21823606/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1">A Real Pain</a>” (In Theaters) </h3>
<div id="attachment_847593" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-847593" class="size-large wp-image-847593" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-13-AM-4859-864x576.jpg" alt="Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in “A Real Pain” (2024). Searchlight Pictures. Topic Studios. IMDB." width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-13-AM-4859-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-13-AM-4859-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-13-AM-4859-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-13-AM-4859-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-13-AM-4859-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-13-AM-4859-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-13-AM-4859-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in “A Real Pain” (2024). Searchlight Pictures. Topic Studios. IMDB.</div>
Actor-turned-director Jesse Eisenberg has his finger on the zeitgeist. His second directorial effort follows two Jewish cousins as they travel to Poland to visit their late grandmother’s hometown.
They’re part of a tour designed to connect Jewish travelers to their cultural past, which includes stops at a concentration camp among other emotionally charged locations.
Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin play the squabbling cousins. Culkin is the wild child, someone who loves to stir things up no matter the setting. Eisenberg adores his cousin but simultaneously wants to wring his neck.
Audiences can relate, although Culkin’s performance is sparking awards consideration, and for good reason.
“A Real Pain” is bittersweet, moving, and filled with gentle truths about the human condition. Eisenberg performs a balancing act throughout, letting us care for two very different souls without shoving the real-life trauma of their heritage into the background.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-13-AM-9997

‘Tis The Season: 5 Films To Watch This Christmas

'Tis The Season: 5 Films To Watch This Christmas

Film Reviews

movie

Movie Theaters

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-word-is-out-candace-cameron-bure-announces-huge-christmas-event-with-gaf-stars">Great American Family</a> network announced its lineup for the “Great American Christmas” movies for 2024 with many favorites stars like <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/candace-cameron-bure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Candace Cameron Bure</a>, Cameron Mathison, Danica McKellar and Mario Lopez as part of this year’s Holiday fun.
One movie that is sure to be a hit with fans features Bure starring alongside Mathison in “<a href="https://www.greatamericanfamily.com/movie/jingle-bells-wedding-bells/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Home Sweet Christmas</a>” as part of the network&#8217;s 18 new original films for this year’s GAF Christmas season, a press release <a href="https://www.greatamericanfamily.com/2023/09/18/come-home-to-great-american-family-for-christmas/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read</a>.
“A Successful lawyer returns home after inheriting part of a maple forest farm,” a description from the “Full House” star about her movie <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DCpAqGgJy4k/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read</a>. “As she reconnects with her childhood friend who co-owns the property, she’ll get a chance to reexamine what matters most….”
“‘Home Sweet Christmas&#8217; stars <a href="https://www.instagram.com/candacecbure/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@candacecbure</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cameronmathison/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@cameronmathison</a> in a heartfelt Christmas movie for the whole family, premiering Sunday, December 1 at 8/7c on Great American Family!” she added.
<div id="attachment_836007" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-836007" class="size-large wp-image-836007" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/1Home-Sweet-Christmas-GAF-1024x576.jpeg" alt="Cameron Mathison and Candace Cameron Bure in &quot;Home Sweet Christmas.&quot; Great American Family. IMDB." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/1Home-Sweet-Christmas-GAF-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/1Home-Sweet-Christmas-GAF-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/1Home-Sweet-Christmas-GAF-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/1Home-Sweet-Christmas-GAF.jpeg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Great American Family. IMDB.</div>
Other film titles include McKellar’s movie “<a href="https://www.greatamericanfamily.com/2024/10/10/great-american-media-announces-great-american-christmas-2024-begins-early-on-great-american-family-october-11/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Cinderella Christmas Ball</a>,” which premieres Friday, November 29 at 8/7 c.
“With only the Internet, a plane ticket and a lifelong determination to find her birth family Chelsea travels to royal hamlet, Havenshire, at Christmas,” a description read. “Along the way, Chelsea sneaks into a castle, teaches a stubborn Prince how to dance, and looks to be in the perfect place when the bells toll Christmas Eve.”
“Saved By The Bell” star Mario Lopez appears in a romantic movie in December on GAF alongside his wife Courtney Lopez in “<a href="https://www.greatamericanfamily.com/movie/my-grown-up-christmas-wish/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Once Upon a Christmas Wish</a>.” It premieres on Saturday December 7 at 8/7 c.
It’s about a local mayor who “discovers his childhood Christmas wishes are coming true. With his childhood friend, the pair can inspire residents to showcase the town’s warmth and values while pushing back a major developer’s desire to take the community in a different direction.”
And from two of the newest stars to join GAF media, Alexa PenaVega and Carlos PenaVega, comes “<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mV0Y0NFxyGU9vx6IfU75T4VvYN7S3iuJUR9cYbKFCh4/edit?tab=t.0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Get Him Back For Christmas</a>.” It premieres on Saturday December 21 at 8/7 c.
“​​Bella made it big in music. Jack stayed behind in his hometown working at The Salvation Army to help his family after his dad passed,” a <a href="https://www.greatamericanfamily.com/2024/10/10/great-american-media-announces-great-american-christmas-2024-begins-early-on-great-american-family-october-11/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">description read</a>. “Bella returns home after a heartbreaking split with her chart-topping singing partner and asks Jack to write the perfect song to get her boyfriend back.”
<h3><a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE</a></h3>
And once you get your fill of turkey and all the tasty sides, you can sit down and watch these Christmas stories that are already out on the GAF channel like “A Christmas Less Traveled” with the “Fuller House” <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DCcpDa6pMqU/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">star</a> that premiered on the network on November 16. 
Describing the holiday film, Bure wrote on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DCb-JNYxPKt/?img_index=6">Instagram</a> that she hopes her movie, “leaves you with a little bit more joy, a little bit more faith, and a whole lot of love! I can’t wait to hear your guys’ thoughts— after you watch, come back to this post and leave a comment! …MERRY CHRISTMAS.”
<div id="attachment_836013" style="width: 394px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-836013" class="size-large wp-image-836013" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/Christmas-Wreaths-Ribbons-GAF-384x576.jpeg" alt="Kristin Wollett and Casey Elliott in &quot;Christmas Wreaths and Ribbons&quot;(2024). Great American Family. IMDB." width="384" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/Christmas-Wreaths-Ribbons-GAF-384x576.jpeg 384w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/Christmas-Wreaths-Ribbons-GAF-200x300.jpeg 200w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/Christmas-Wreaths-Ribbons-GAF-768x1152.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/Christmas-Wreaths-Ribbons-GAF-1024x1536.jpeg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/Christmas-Wreaths-Ribbons-GAF-1365x2048.jpeg 1365w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/Christmas-Wreaths-Ribbons-GAF-1360x2040.jpeg 1360w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/Christmas-Wreaths-Ribbons-GAF-scaled.jpeg 1707w" sizes="(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" />Kristin Wollett and Casey Elliott in &#8220;Christmas Wreaths and Ribbons&#8221;(2024). Great American Family. IMDB.</div>
Others this Christmas season include, “<a href="https://www.greatamericanfamily.com/2024/10/10/great-american-media-announces-great-american-christmas-2024-begins-early-on-great-american-family-october-11/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christmas Wreaths And Ribbons</a>” about a wreathmaker that “slips on ice and injures her arm which puts her holiday wreath deliveries in jeopardy until a selfless neighbor comes forward to keep her business afloat.”
“<a href="https://www.greatamericanfamily.com/2024/10/10/great-american-media-announces-great-american-christmas-2024-begins-early-on-great-american-family-october-11/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tails of Christmas</a>,” about a person named Caleb who is “injured in the Army and recovers through help from shelter therapy dogs. As a sign of thanks, Caleb returns home to help Amber run the local shelter and, in the process, discovers his feelings for Amber go beyond gratitude.”
And then there’s &#8220;<a href="https://www.greatamericanfamily.com/2024/10/10/great-american-media-announces-great-american-christmas-2024-begins-early-on-great-american-family-october-11/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Royal Christmas Ballet</a>,&#8221;about “a retired ballerina who is pressed into “service working with a visiting team of royal ambassadors to put on the season’s performance of “The Nutcracker” and finds herself center stage in an unexpected Christmas romance.”
A complete list of the “Great American Christmas” 2024 schedule this holiday season can be found <a href="https://www.greatamericanfamily.com/2024/10/10/great-american-media-announces-great-american-christmas-2024-begins-early-on-great-american-family-october-11/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

Cheerful woman eating popcorn and watches christmas comedy movie on cable TV at home in evening alone, close-up. Christmas traditions

Great American Family Announces The ‘Great American Christmas’ Movies For 2024 

Great American Family Announces The 'Great American Christmas' Movies For 2024 

Candace Cameron Bure

Great American Family

Televison

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/candace-cameron-bure">Candace Cameron Bure</a> definitely got everyone’s attention when she announced there’s going to be a huge Christmas Festival with herself and the stars from the Great American Family.
In a post on Wednesday on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DAoQ3MHypMX/?igsh=MWQ1ZGUxMzBkMA%3D%3D&amp;img_index=2">Instagram</a>, the 48-year-old actress wrote, “THE WORD IS OUT! The Great American Christmas Festival is coming this holiday season in New York City! The biggest Christmas festival in the country.”
“Sign up at www.greatamericanfamilychristmasfestival.com for pre-sale access to tickets tomorrow, October 3rd!!” she added. “But if for some reason you miss the pre-sale, tickets OFFICIALLY go on sale Friday, October 4th!  #GreatAmericanChristmasFest.”
Bure’s post included a screenshot of all the stars who will be appearing at the festival besides herself, along with Mario Lopez, Danica McKellar, Cameron Mathison, and others who have appeared on GAF’s Christmas programming.
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It will be held at Northwell Park at UBS Arena in Belmont Park, every weekend between November 22 and December 29, <a href="https://people.com/great-american-family-christmas-festival-exclusive-8721832">People magazine</a> reported.
The weekend events include photo ops, as well as Q&amp;As after the world premiere screenings of their films, the outlet noted. The festival will also include ice skating, nightly tree-lighting ceremonies, holiday crafting classes, and photos with Santa Claus.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726313279401000&amp;usg=AOvVaw115_qPFFEePDP86-Fvo-Vd">Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!</a>
The first weekend of November 22 and 23 will include Bure and Mathison on Saturday for the premiere of their film, “Home Sweet Christmas.” On Sunday, McKellar’s 2024 film, “A Cinderella Christmas Ball,” will premiere.
“Saved By The Bell” star Mario Lopez also appears to have landed at GAF and will be at the festival the weekend of December 14 and 15 for the premiere of his movie with wife Courtney Lopez, “Once Upon a Christmas Wish.”
Earlier this year, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/candace-cameron-bure">Bure</a> made headlines when she announced she will be appearing in not one, but two upcoming Christmas movies as part of the Great American Family Christmas 2024.
“I’m so excited that the announcement was just made a few days ago about my new Christmas movie,” Bure said in her <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9TLWytyNnw/?igsh=MTBlZjE4YzMxOA%3D%3D">Instagram</a> post. “I have two Christmas movies coming to you on Great America Family this year.”
“And this second one is with Cameron Mathison,” she added. “Cameron and I have been waiting for probably 15 years to do a Christmas movie together. So, it’s finally happening and I couldn’t be more excited.”
The actress joined GAF in 2022, where she develops, produces, and stars in movies and TV shows broadcast on the channel. The former “Fuller House” star previously said she left Hallmark because she wanted to share “faith-filled” stories “that have more meaning and purpose and depth behind them.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/candace-cameron-bure-announces-shes-in-not-one-but-two-upcoming-movies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Candace Cameron Bure Announces She’s In Not One But Two Upcoming Movies</a>

Today – Season 68

‘The Word Is Out’: Candace Cameron Bure Announces Huge Christmas Event With GAF Stars

'The Word Is Out’: Candace Cameron Bure Announces Huge Christmas Event With GAF Stars

Celebrities

Faith

U.S.

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/candace-cameron-bure">Candace Cameron Bure</a> definitely got everyone’s attention when she announced she will be appearing in not one, but two upcoming Christmas movies this year.
In a recent post on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9TLWytyNnw/?igsh=MTBlZjE4YzMxOA%3D%3D">Instagram</a>, the 48-year-old actress shared news that she has two holiday movies coming out on the Great American Family network as part of its Great American Christmas 2024.
“I’m so excited that the announcement was just made a few days ago about my new Christmas movie,” Bure said in a clip. “I have two Christmas movies coming to you on Great America Family this year.”
“And this second one is with Cameron Mathison,” she added. “Cameron and I have been waiting for probably 15 years to do a Christmas movie together. So, it’s finally happening and I couldn’t be more excited.”
In “Jingle Bells,Wedding Bells,” Bure will star alongside Mathison in the original holiday movie that will premiere in November, a <a href="https://www.greatamericanfamily.com/2024/07/09/great-american-family-announces-original-christmas-movie-jingle-bells-wedding-bells-starring-candace-cameron-bure-and-cameron-mathison-part-of-great-american-christmas-2024/">press release</a> about the “Fuller House” star’s new movie read.
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The countdown is on! <a href="https://twitter.com/candacecbure?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@candacecbure</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/CameronMathison?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CameronMathison</a> team up for &#8216;Jingle Bells, Wedding Bells&#8217; <a href="https://twitter.com/GAfamilyTV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GAfamilyTV</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GreatAmericanChristmas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GreatAmericanChristmas</a><a href="https://t.co/8K8HxVDkMS">https://t.co/8K8HxVDkMS</a>
— Entertainment Focus (@Ent_Focus) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ent_Focus/status/1812787299987472403?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2024</a></blockquote>
“Gracie (Bure) is Peachtree Inn’s perfect wedding planner whose mantra is, ‘No problems only solutions waiting to be discovered,’” a press release read. “Moreover, Gracie makes blushing brides’ dreams come true.”
“When Charlie (Mathison) brings his sister and future brother-in-law to their former hometown of Butler, South Carolina, he expects to create a magical Christmas Eve wedding at the Inn for Lindsay and Josh,” it added. “However, the trio is shocked when Gracie stubbornly declines the job, saying it isn’t possible to pull off the perfect wedding just two weeks before Christmas.”
“However, eventually Gracie relents and agrees to plan the wedding, only to discover there are more hurdles to overcome than expected,” it concluded.
In April, the “Full House” star announced that she would appear in a new holiday movie on the network in November titled, “A Christmas Less Traveled,” alongside Eric Johnson, as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/candace-cameron-bure-drops-news-about-upcoming-christmas-movie">previously reported</a>. It will also be part of the network’s slate of Christmas movies this year.
Oh my lanta!!” Bure captioned her post, referencing a common phrase said by her “Full House” character. “There is so much going on in Candyland including … Christmas came early with a sneak peek of my new Christmas movie on [Great American Family] called ‘A Christmas Less Traveled’…”
Bure is the executive producer on both films, which is a Syrup Studios production in association with the GAF star’s CandyRock Entertainment, <a href="https://tvline.com/news/candace-cameron-bure-a-christmas-less-traveled-movie-cast-release-date-1235201305/">TV Line</a> noted.
The actress joined GAF in 2022, where she develops, produces, and stars in movies and TV shows broadcast on the channel. The former “Fuller House” star previously said she left Hallmark because she wanted to share “faith-filled” stories “that have more meaning and purpose and depth behind them.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/candace-cameron-bure-drops-news-about-upcoming-christmas-movie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Candace Cameron Bure Drops News About Upcoming Christmas Movie</a>

Candace Cameron Bure Announces She’s In Not One But Two Upcoming Movies