Mystic, CT, knows how to celebrate the holidays, and a media giant has noticed. In October, the Hallmark Channel began rolling out their highly anticipated holiday movies, and local eagle-eyed viewers may have noticed a surprise in this season’s lineup. On October 28, 2023, Mystic Christmas hit TV screens. A cheerful homage to Conn’s neighbor, Mystic Christmas will join twenty-two other Hallmark holiday movies filmed or set in Connecticut, along with the cult classic Mystic Pizza, starring Julia Roberts.
While Hallmark Holiday movies do not boast the most star-studded casts, there are often a few recognizable faces. Jessy Schram, known for Chicago Med, stars in Mystic Christmas alongside Days of Our Lives actor Chandler Massey. Schram plays Juniper, an introverted marine veterinarian significantly more adept at communicating with sea creatures than humans. Sawyer, played by Massey, owns Mangoes Pizza and is the local golden boy known for helping anyone and everyone except himself. The two meet one fateful weekend, spark a romantic connection, and lose contact for over a decade when Juniper moves to Alaska. They meet again when Juniper returns to nurse a sick seal to health at the renowned Mystic Aquarium. In quintessential Hallmark fashion, the magic of the season, along with several baked goods from Sift Bake Shop, help them rekindle their relationship. With aerial shots of a wintery Mystic and many local small businesses featured, Mystic Christmas will have everyone coming to town. Correction: everyone will be visiting the village in a census-designated place—rolls right off the tongue, right?—as Mystic is neither a town nor a municipality.
Year after year, Hallmark produces more holiday movies than one person can watch. Believe me, I’ve tried. In 2021, I embarked on a mission to watch every new release, downloading the Hallmark Movie Checklist App. Long story short, I failed miserably after becoming overwhelmed by the 40 new films. Yes, you read that right, 40. Hallmark releases enough content yearly to keep you entertained long after you’ve packed your festive lights away. This year, there are 42 shiny new movies for everyone’s enjoyment. I’ve never quite been able to crack the case on how they produce so many, but I imagine the true secrets lie hidden in a high-security vault in Hallmark headquarters.
In many ways, this movie is a love letter to Mystic’s photo-worthy locations and heartwarming traditions. I reached out to the movie’s producer, Andrew Gernhard of Synthetic Cinema, to learn why Mystic was chosen as the primary filming location. A Connecticut native himself, he believes that the “Hallmark audience loves the classic Christmas “look” of New England.” As for the Aquarium where many scenes are filmed, Gernhard initially wanted to promote its wildlife rehabilitation program and all it does for the community. In the end, he says the Aquarium became a main character and “helped this movie become the little gem it is!”
Dr. Allison Tuttle, Chief Zoological Officer and Director of the Animal Rescue Program at the Mystic Aquarium was delighted to be involved in the film. She is passionate about their program, which has cared for thousands of animals since its founding in 1973, and its mission to “protect our ocean planet through conservation, education, and research.” When I asked her how she sees the movie impacting the Aquarium in the long run, she said she hopes it will “encourage people to visit our beautiful community” and be “inspired by [Mystic Aquarium’s] mission to make a difference!”
Bruce Flax, president of Mystics Chamber of Commerce, mentioned the community’s past success with major films like Mystic Pizza and its positive impacts on tourism. After that experience, he says it was “only natural that everyone welcomed the filming with open arms.”
Whether you’re in the festive mood or just want to learn more about everyone’s favorite village in a census-designated place, tune in to Mystic Christmas, playing on the Hallmark Channel and Peacock all season long.
