It may only be July, but it’s never too early to start looking forward to the new slate of Hallmark holiday rom-coms that will defrost our cold hearts and make us believe in love again this winter (as long as we don't overthink them). Believe me, the Countdown to Christmas will be here before we know it — assuming the writers and actors strikes don’t affect the Christmas movie season. Lacey Chabert has become a fixture on the network’s annual programming, and her fans are in for a treat this year, as she’s set to star in a sequel to last year’s hit movie Haul out the Holly.
Lacey Chabert seems to stay busy at Hallmark these days, after signing an exclusive deal with the network in 2022 as several others left for Great American Family. Just last month she starred in The Dancing Detective: A Deadly Tango, and joining her other offerings in the must-see category will be this year’s Haul out the Holly: Lit Up. In the announcement of the sequel, Hallmark’s senior vice president of development Samantha DiPippo said (per TV Fanatic):
Haul out the Holly was an unqualified success and became an instant holiday classic. Viewers immediately responded to the movie's warmth and this incredibly funny cast. We cannot wait to take viewers back to Evergreen Lane with a sequel that is bigger, funnier and jollier than before.
Possibly the most exciting news about Haul out the Holly: Lit Up is that Hallmark viewers won’t even have to wait very long to get their first look. A sneak peek of the sequel will premiere during an encore presentation of Haul out the Holly at 8 p.m. ET, Saturday, July 22, on the Hallmark Channel.
In addition to Lacey Chabert, Lit Up will see Wes Brown reprise his role as Jared, the enemy-turned-romantic interest that Chabert’s Emily kissed as the credits rolled. We’ll also see the return of Stephen Tobolowsky and Melissa Peterman, as well as John Travolta’s sister Ellen, who had always dreamed of being in a Hallmark movie. Joining the sequel will be Seth Morris and Chabert’s fellow Party of Five alum Jennifer Aspen.
Presumably the sneak peek will give viewers some insight into what kind of hijinks the residents of Evergreen Lane are up to this time around, but it certainly sounds like that house-decorating competition is about to get cranked up to 11.
The announcement of Haul out the Holly: Lit Up comes just a few weeks after Lacey Chabert was reported to also be reuniting with her Party of Five co-star Scott Wolf for another Countdown to Christmas movie. A Merry Scottish Christmas will see the two playing brother and sister again, and could there possibly be a better gift than that?
I’ll definitely be keeping my eye on the schedule of Hallmark’s upcoming movies to see when to catch this year’s double shot of Lacey Chabert, but in the meantime, check out our 2023 TV schedule to stay up to date on all of the upcoming premieres.
