Naman Shrestha
Lifetime’s ‘Scentsational Christmas’ is a romantic Christmas drama film helmed by Robert Vaughn. It revolves around a beautiful perfumer, Ellie Reddy, who is asked by her boss to come up with a holiday scent that would leave a lasting impression on people. So, in search of inspiration, she travels all the way to her family home for the holiday season. Upon reaching her hometown, she crosses paths with a charming writer named Logan Osborne, who is apparently staying with Ellie’s father. The latter handles Ellie’s late mother’s candle business and works on it from their candle-making cottage.
The cottage is an extended part of their family’s historic property. When Ellie and Logan find out that the business is hanging by a thread, they work together to complete all the orders and in the process, fall in love. Part of Lifetime’s ‘It’s A Wonderful Lifetime’ lineup, the film was initially titled ‘A Candlelit Christmas.’ The budding romance between the protagonists keeps the viewers invested. At the same time, the Christmas setting against vibrant backdrops, including the cozy cottage, makes one wonder where the movie was filmed.
Scentsational Christmas Filming Locations
‘Scentsational Christmas’ was filmed entirely in Ontario, particularly in Hamilton. The principal photography for the romantic film commenced in late November 2021 and seemingly wrapped up within a couple of weeks, in December of the same year. So, let’s not waste any time and navigate all the specific sites that appear in the Lifetime film!
Hamilton, Ontario
All the pivotal sequences for ‘Scentsational Christmas’ were lensed in Hamilton, a port city in Canada’s Ontario province. The production team set up camp at various sites across the city to tape different scenes against suitable backdrops. For instance, the community and town of Dundas in Hamilton served as one of the primary production locations for the movie. Moreover, the Westfield Heritage Village also features in the film. Located at 1049 Kirkwall Road outside Rockton in rural Hamilton, the heritage center is home to more than 30 historic buildings spread over 840 acres.
In a conversation with Close-Up Culture in November 2022, the actor Mykee Selkin was asked about his experience shooting the Lifetime film during the festive season as opposed to the fact that most Christmas movies are usually shot in the summer. He said, “Yeah, the last Christmas movie I did film in June but this one was filmed in December, in Hamilton Ontario…it was cold lol. It was so beautiful though, it really helped make the scenes feel real and play into the festiveness of the season.”
Located in Southern Ontario, Hamilton consists of several tourist attractions, including the Royal Botanical Gardens, the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, the Cathedral of Christ the King, Dundurn Castle, and the HMCS Haida National Historic Site, to name a few. Moreover, due to the city’s diverse landscape, many filmmakers tend to frequent Hamilton for shooting purposes. In fact, it has hosted the production of many filming projects over the years. Some of them are ‘Lie With Me,’ ‘The Cutting Edge,’ ‘Six Degrees of Santa,’ and ‘Good Witch.’
Scentsational Christmas Cast
Nazneen Contractor and Mykee Selkin essay the roles of the two protagonists — Ellie and Logan — respectively. The former is a talented actress who gained prominence in the industry by starring in CBC’s ‘The Border,’ ’24,’ and ‘Ransom.’ She bagged several roles in Hallmark movies, too, as she features in ‘The Christmas Ring,’ ‘A Winter Getaway,’ and ‘The Perfect Pairing.’ Mykee Selkin, on the other hand, features in quite a few filming projects other than commercials and ad campaigns. He stars in ‘A Chance for Christmas’ and ‘Twenties.’
‘Kim’s Convenience’ fame actor Sugith Varughese portrays the character of Ellie’s father, Jamar. Interestingly, director Robert Vaughn’s wife, Jennifer Gibson (‘Secret Santa’), appears in the film as Mindee. Other supporting cast members are Robin Dunne (Andrew), Samantha Helt (Nastia), Michael Gordin Shore (Elijah), and Richard Waugh (Raymond). In addition, Arcade Riley (Jack), Jill Frappier (Betsy), Vickie Papavs (Renee), Brandon Ludwig (Eric), and Micah Kalisch (Waitress) feature in pivotal roles as well.
Read More: Where Was Lifetime’s It Takes a Christmas Village Filmed? Who is in the Cast?
