Sartaj Singh
Directed by Bradley Walsh, ‘Twas the Date Before Christmas’ follows a blind date between Jessie and Bryan that inadvertently leads to them spending Christmas together with her family. Jessie (Amy Groening) is distraught when she learns that her family is planning to cancel their annual Christmas games because of her relationship status. To save their Christmas, she invites Bryan (Robert Buckley), a handsome man she recently met on a dating app, to spend time with her.
Despite being unaware of what their first date would entail, he reluctantly agrees to play the part of her boyfriend when Jessie explains her predicament to him. However, as the two face the festive challenges of the Chamberlain Family Christmas Olympics together, an undeniable spark of romance ignites between them. The Hallmark holiday romance movie narrates a heartwarming story revolving around the magic of Christmas, the warm family environment lit up by snowball fights and glittering décor.
Where Was Twas the Date Before Christmas Filmed?
‘Twas the Date Before Christmas’ was entirely filmed in Toronto, Ontario. Principal photography was carried out under the tentative title ‘Blind Date Christmas’ between February 20, 2024, and March 11, 2024. The cast and crew seemed to share light-hearted moments behind the scenes, enjoying the emblematic festive décor of the Hallmark production. Lead actress Amy Groening said that she loved the team’s positive energy and that filming with them for around three weeks felt like a delightful summer camp for adults.
Toronto, Ontario
Toronto, often referred to as the Hollywood of the North alongside Vancouver, became the picturesque filming destination for ‘Twas the Date Before Christmas.’ The Ontario city’s established crew base, seasoned with experience in film and television productions, played a key role in bringing the Hallmark movie’s cheerful holiday atmosphere to life. From maintaining visual consistency between scenes to decking out the sets in Christmas paraphernalia, the team effortlessly recreated the holiday cheer.
When asked about her experience and whether she got tired of Christmas while working on the film, Amy Groening said, “I don’t. I’m the perfect person for this genre because I actually really love Christmas. I have always loved Christmas. I’m a Christmas baby. I’m born on December 21st.” She was relieved that ‘Twas the Date Before Christmas’ was filmed in cold weather, and that wearing winter clothing on set was cozy and comfortable as opposed to hot and sweaty if the filming had been done a few months later.
The movie was filmed in Toronto during the winter months. However, the weather was more erratic than expected, with snow falling upwards of 20 cm in March 2024 despite having tapered off in surrounding regions. The extensive snowfall in Toronto also made the wintry background of the film ideal for depicting Christmas time while shooting exterior scenes. The movie was shot on filming properties in the city, facilitating both the intimate family gatherings inside homes and the grand outdoor holiday competitions. Toronto is a go-to filming destination for Hallmark Christmas productions, and other films of the network shot in the city include ‘The Jane Mysteries: A Deadly Prescription,’ ‘The Jane Mysteries: Inheritance Lost,’ ‘A Not So Royal Christmas,’ and ‘Christmas with a Kiss.’
Twas the Date Before Christmas Cast
‘Twas the Date Before Christmas’ is led by Amy Groening, who steps into the role of Jessie. Groening is a Hallmark regular, having starred in films like ‘Miracle in Bethlehem, PA.,’ ‘The Santa Summit,’ and ‘We Wish You a Married Christmas.’ She is also recognized for her performances in ‘Father’s Day’ as Chelsea, ‘Reign’ as Charlotte, and ‘Teen Lust’ as Cheryl.
Robert Buckley stars opposite her in the film as Bryan. Buckley is a seasoned actor known for his work in ‘One Tree Hill’ as Clay Evans, ‘iZombie’ as Major Lilywhite, ABC’s ‘666 Park Avenue’ as Brian Leonard, and Hallmark’s ‘The Christmas House’ as Mike Mitchell. His other credits include Hallmark’s ‘Blind Date Book Club,’ ‘Chesapeake Shores,’ and ‘Play It Again, Dick.’ Other cast members include Peter Bou-Ghannam as Devi and Fabio Ricci as Xavier.
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