Upamanyu Biswas
Hallmark’s ‘The Christmas Note’ is an adaptation of Donna VanLiere’s eponymous 2011 book, which dives into a quintessential Christmas story about hope in difficult times. Directed by Terry Ingram, the film follows Gretchen Daniels, a married woman who has to move back to her hometown with her son Ethan following an injury sustained by her husband Kyle, which leaves him stuck in a German hospital. Feeling lost with Christmas approaching, she forms an unlikely friendship with her next-door neighbor, Melissa, after being tasked to deliver a message to her. Their bond rejuvenates her enthusiasm and helps both women move past their individual struggles. The story’s heartfelt and holiday-inspired themes are brought to life through a scenic small-town setting that spreads warmth, depth, and seasonal cheer.
Where Was The Christmas Note Filmed?
Despite being set in the town of Wilsonville, filming for ‘The Christmas Note’ primarily took place in the city of Abbotsford in the British Columbia province. The region is a regular shooting destination for Hallmark films, mainly because of its geodiversity and a wide array of versatile locales that are perfect for any type of movie environment. The production team utilized a mixture of decorated interiors and frosty outdoor vibes to authentically capture and recreate the feeling of Christmas in a quaint, small-town neighborhood. With friendship being so central to the movie’s overarching message, the use of cozy shops and houses is perfect for the plentiful human interactions and conversations spread throughout the narrative.
Abbotsford, British Columbia
‘The Christmas Note’ was filmed in Abbotsford, British Columbia. The city’s farm country heritage and low-key urban environment provided a seamless stand-in for Wilsonville. Scenes were recorded at Spruce Collective, a boutique store at 2622 Montrose Avenue, which doubled up as Wilson’s Collective. The fictional store is a recurring location in the series of films adapted from Donna VanLiere’s works, which also includes the town of Wilsonville. A large bulk of the recording took place in the Clayburn Village area. For instance, the scenes for Betty’s Bakery store, another prominent locale in the film series, were lensed at Clayburn Village Store, a sweet shop at 34810 Clayburn Road. It is a historic establishment that also appears in Hallmark’s ‘The Christmas Shepard,’ ‘Aurora Teagarden,’ and ‘It’s Christmas, Eve.’
Additionally, the house depicted as Melissa’s mom’s apartment was likely the Clayburn Village Bed and Breakfast at 34914 Clayburn Road. It is a small Victorian home with four rooms that is permanently closed. The crew also lensed the scenes featuring Robert Layton’s law office at a building located at 33553 Marshall Road. It adequately provided a medium-scale office-type look that fit in with the rest of the small-town vibe exuded by the film’s setting. A combination of these diverse establishments and outdoor shots helped provide the necessary context and believable foundation for the Christmas movie. Projects that have previously been hosted in Abbotsford include ‘Three Wiser Men and a Boy,’ ‘Leah’s Perfect Gift,’ ‘Private Princess Christmas,’ and ‘The Christmas Secret.’
The Christmas Note Cast
‘The Christmas Note’ stars seasoned actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler as Gretchen. She is most famous for appearing as Meadow Soprano in ‘The Sopranos,’ a role that garnered her critical acclaim and numerous award nominations. She also plays Cathy in ‘Dark Ride’ and Ali Federman in ‘I Do.’ Her other notable credits include ‘Entourage,’ ‘Big Sky,’ ‘Beef House,’ and ‘Guys with Kids.’ Starring opposite Sigler is Leah Gibson as Gretchen’s next-door neighbor, Melissa. The versatile actress is prominently regarded for playing Inez Green in ‘Jessica Jones,’ Tamara in ‘Manifest,’ Sylvia Haverford in ‘Shut Eye,’ and Vivienne Schroeder in ‘Sacred Lies.’ She can also be seen in ‘Batwoman,’ ‘Joe Pickett,’ ‘The 100,’ ‘iZombie,’ and ‘Arctic Air.’
Other cast additions include Lynda Boyd as Vivian, Dylan Kingwell as Ethan, Barclay Hope as Phil, Nicola Cavendish as Betty, Lochlyn Munro as Robert, Zachary Gulka as Josh, and Greg Vaughan as Kyle. The Hallmark movie also features Jeremy Guilbaut as Jason, William Vaughan as Bruce, Gillian Barber as Mrs. Schweiger, Jessie Fraser as Megan, Karen Kruper as Kay, and Johanna Marlowe as Kelly. Meanwhile, Iris Quinn, Paul Herbert, and BJ Harrison appear in minor roles.
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