Naman Shrestha
Adapted from Jennifer Snow’s ‘The Trouble with Mistletoe,’ Great American Family’s ‘The Trouble with Christmas Mistletoe’ is a romantic drama movie directed by Don S. Arthur. It centers on an acquisitions executive named Victoria Mason, who travels from New York City to her New Jersey hometown, Brookhollow, with the mission of occupying the town’s community center from the recent buyer in order to turn it into an entirely new space.
What makes it complicated is that the building’s owner is none other than her ex-fiancé, Luke, who is far from interested in selling it to her. As the two former lovers reconnect and reminisce on old memories, Victoria contemplates whether she belongs in the bustling city or in her charming hometown. The tale of romance unfolds in the fictional town of Brookhollow as its charm and quaintness help Victoria get a clearer perspective on what she wants in life.
Where Was The Trouble with Christmas Mistletoe Filmed?
‘The Trouble with Christmas Mistletoe’ was filmed entirely in New York, especially in Erie County. Principal photography for the GAF production reportedly got underway in March 2026 and went on for a few weeks before wrapping up in early April of the same year. At the time of the shooting, Jillian Murray was six-and-a-half months pregnant. In a couple of scenes, the costume failed to hide her pregnancy. She told KGET, “There is a scene where I am in a green sweater and you can see my bump heavily.” She also revealed that wearing winter apparel during spring was complicated as it was difficult to mask the sweat even through makeup.
Erie County, New York
All the pivotal sequences for ‘The Trouble with Christmas Mistletoe’ were lensed in Erie County, situated along the shore of Lake Erie. The village of East Aurora was transformed into the fictional town of Brookhollow as the cast and crew members set up camp on Main Street. They were spotted taping key portions right outside Vidler’s 5 & 10, Inc. at 676 – 694 Main Street. Moreover, the Yeomans House at 688 East Main Street also served as a prominent production location for the Don S. Arthur directorial. To tape several ice hockey scenes, the filming unit took over the East Aurora Classic Rink at 41 Riley Street. For the purpose of shooing, they also traveled to the county seat — Buffalo.
The Knights of Columbus banquet hall at 261 South Legion Drive doubled as the Brookhollow Community Center, the building that Luke owns and Victoria is seeking to purchase. From what we can tell, numerous indoor scenes were also shot inside the banquet hall. During a conversation with TV Insider, Jillian Murray revealed that they witnessed real-life Yuletide magic. She stated, “There’s a scene where (Victoria is) walking down the street, and it actually started snowing. That’s so rare for Christmas movies, we usually shoot in such weird seasons and weird times. And literally, as we started rolling, little snowflakes started coming down. So that was super unique.”
The Trouble with Christmas Mistletoe Cast Details
Jillian Murray and Brett Varvel help bring the heartwarming story of ‘The Trouble with Christmas Mistletoe’ to life through their chemistry-filled performances. The former has served as a producer/executive producer on ‘Visible Scars,’ ‘Forgotten,’ and ‘A Little Women’s Christmas.’ Meanwhile, Brett has directed and produced several projects, including ‘The Board,’ ‘Foundations,’ ‘The War Within,’ ‘Genesis Impact,’ and ‘Disciples in the Moonlight.’
Jillian Murray as Victoria
Jillian Murray dons the garb of Victoria, an acquisitions executive who attempts to buy her hometown’s community center, in ‘The Trouble with Christmas Mistletoe.’ The ‘When Hope Calls’ fame actor is popularly known for her roles of Penny in ‘Cabin Fever 3: Patient Zero,’ Eve in ‘Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown,’ Suzy Q in ‘Murder in the First,’ and Heather Pinkney in ‘Code Black.’ Her other film credits include ‘Chasing Christmas,’ ‘A Brush with Christmas,’ ‘An Unlikely Angel,’ ‘Deadly Dating Game,’ and ‘A Dangerous Date.’
Brett Varvel as Luke
In the romantic film, Brett Varvel steps into the role of Luke, the owner of the community center and Victoria’s ex-fiancé. You might recognize him from ‘Running the Bases,’ ‘Disciples in the Moonlight,’ ‘American Underdog,’ and ‘County Rescue,’ where he portrays Luke Brooks, Nate Smith, Steve “Mooch” Mariucci, and Andy Dalton, respectively. He also stars in ‘Vindication,’ ‘Mayberry Man: The Series,’ ‘Learning You,’ and ‘Pursuit of Freedom.’
The GAF production also features other talented actors in supporting yet critical roles, including Callie Beaulieu as Mrs. Kingston, Anthony Carvello as Jim, Josie DiVincenzo as Sheila, Sean Greenhouse, Christine Hulton as Christmas Partygoer, Diane Marzec as Townsperson/Self – Party Guest, Ali Ryan as Rachel, and Bob Bozek as Townsperson.
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