While the 2024 Hallmark Christmas movie season has come to an end, don't fret, because work on the slate for the 2025 TV schedule will begin sooner than later. Due to the large number of festive films the channel produces every year, they have to film a bunch of them in the spring and summer. Now, that comes with its challenges, as Alison Sweeney has spoken about it being hard and Jonathan Bennett has shared his qualms with it. However, the Mean Girls actor also revealed why it's actually a great time to work on these projects.
It's not easy pretending it’s winter and 30 degrees or below outside when it’s actually sunny and 90, but some stars, like Andrew Walker, enjoy the challenge. And he’s not the only one. Hallmark vet Jonathan Bennett, who starred in Season’s Greetings from Cherry Lane, told PEOPLE that even though he has complained about it, he now welcomes the warmer weather when filming Christmas movies, explaining:
I'm not going to lie. I kind of like shooting in the summer better. I've complained about it for so long ... [but] actually, it's much more efficient in the summer. Because in the winter, you're cold, and the crew moves a little slower, and you move a little slower.
Even though it would be hard to get into the holiday spirit when it’s so warm outside and you're sweating in a sweater, I can definitely see Bennett’s reasoning.
If they film when it's cold, it can be extra hard on the cast, crew and equipment. Plus, the unpredictable weather can hinder the production. Whereas in the summer, they can make it look like winter, move at a faster pace and control their environment a bit more because it's sunny most of the time.
However, while most Christmas movies are actually filmed in the summer, some are shot in the winter. For example, Bennett has been working on a new festive film, sharing on his Instagram on December 16 a video from set with the caption, “For the first time in my life I’m shooting a Christmas movie at actual Christmas time.”
While summer certainly has its advantages, the actor revealed just how fun and different it’s been working during the holiday season, saying:
Where in the summer, it's hot, and I think there's more vibrancy to everyone on set. Normally, we shoot our Christmas movies during the summer. So you're wearing all these heavy clothes, but you're, like, sweating buckets underneath them. You're just drenched in sweat under all your fur coats. But this year, I got to do something for the first time ever in my life, which is shoot a Christmas movie at Christmas. So, for the first time ever, I was actually in warm clothes because I needed to be in warm clothes. So that was really fun.
Honestly, it sounds like he's got the best of both worlds right now, as each season has its own advantages and disadvantages.
At the moment, not much is known about Jonathan Bennett’s Christmas movie that is being filmed right now. However, hearing him passionately talk about it already has me excited for its premiere.
It’s quite possible that this film will air during Hallmark’s Christmas in July lineup, which would make sense as to why it’s being filmed this month. However, it's also possible that we'll have to wait until the next holiday season to see it too. Either way, I can't wait to watch it in all its wintery wonder.
Honestly, I love hearing about all the differences between filming in the summer vs. winter. However, one thing is obvious, no matter what season they're working in, you can count on these actors to bring the Christmas spirit! So, now, even though Christmas is over, be sure to keep an eye on Hallmark’s upcoming schedule to catch all the holiday happenings -- because they're in a holly jolly mood all year round.
