The Hallmark Channel’s highly anticipated Candace Cameron Bure Christmas movie for 2020 — If I Only Had Christmas — premieres worldwide on Sunday, November 29, at 8 p.m. Eastern. The movie will then re-air multiple times throughout the season. The movie, starring Cameron Bure and Warren Christie, was filmed in Canada. Here’s everything you need to know about where it was filmed and the cast involved.
‘If I Only Had Christmas’ Was Filmed in Canada
If I Only Had Christmas was filmed in Canada, including Victoria, British Columbia, according to IMDb, in August. Parts of the movie were also filmed in Abbotsford, B.C. The movie wrapped in August.
Candace Cameron Bure shared this candid moment someone captured on the set of her latest Hallmark Christmas movie, IF I ONLY HAD CHRISTMAS, scheduled to finish filming today in Victoria. (The shoot started in Abbotsford.)
📸 https://t.co/V33C78fqjV pic.twitter.com/SONsUN8zq4
— Ho! Ho! Holiday Viewing! (@SleepyKittyPaw) August 29, 2020
While filming in Victoria at an Oceanfront location, Cameron Bure shared that a seagull pooped on her head and she didn’t realize it until later that night when she smelled something really bad in her room.
Hallmark’s IF I ONLY HAD CHRISTMAS has moved to Victoria for its final week of filming. So far, the new Oceanfront location has proved…umm…interesting…for star Candace Cameron Bure. 🐦🎄🤣
🎥 https://t.co/fwGhHsiwy5 pic.twitter.com/4N6Jn6vRDW
— Ho! Ho! Holiday Viewing! (@SleepyKittyPaw) August 24, 2020
This is the only movie that is not competing with a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries film, and it’s airing in a prime post-Thanksgiving viewing spot. Of course, this is reserved for Candace Cameron Bure, a Hallmark viewer favorite.
IF I ONLY HAD CHRISTMAS not only positioned in the prime, Sunday post-Thanksgiving spot, among the biggest Christmas-movie watching night of any year, but it’s the only Hallmark Channel title not to have a competing movie on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
📸 https://t.co/iQ5vfzGHeG pic.twitter.com/Br2mvATuEz
— Ho! Ho! Holiday Viewing! (@SleepyKittyPaw) September 23, 2020
A lot of precautions were taken while filming this movie. Bure shared in an Instagram video chat that all their work is government-approved and requires quarantining.
First, Cameron Bure quarantined for two weeks with Marilu Henner before Aurora Teagarden Mysteries. After that quarantine, she went straight to work on her Hallmark movie.
Of course, part of the safety procedures includes wearing masks between takes:
Candace Cameron Bure shared this teasing pic from the her latest for Hallmark, IF I ONLY HAD CHRISTMAS, currently in night shoots in Abbotsford, B.C.
📸 https://t.co/V33C78fqjV pic.twitter.com/wWmDHNREup
— Ho! Ho! Holiday Viewing! (@SleepyKittyPaw) August 15, 2020
David Weaver directed the movie. The story is by Jim Head, and Sarah Montana wrote the teleplay. Head shared this photo with Cameron Bure, showing all the luggage they brought.
Prolific Hallmark producer Jim Head working with Cameron Bure on IF I ONLY HAD CHRISTMAS & AURORA TEAGARDEN mystery she movie filmed prior.
Head shared cute pic arriving in 🇨🇦 for quarantine in July, captioned: “When you travel with Candace & Marilu. Only one of these is mine.” pic.twitter.com/gRtvwOn30D
— Ho! Ho! Holiday Viewing! (@SleepyKittyPaw) August 21, 2020
One of the movie’s filming locations was The Empress in Victoria.
Candace Cameron Bure’s latest Hallmark Christmas movie IF I ONLY HAD CHRISTMAS filming this week at The Empress in Victoria. Wonder if Hallmark has a new deal with Fairmont hotels? Earlier this year, CHATEAU CHRISTMAS was shot primarily at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. https://t.co/iO2COvOhuv
— Ho! Ho! Holiday Viewing! (@SleepyKittyPaw) August 26, 2020
In Abbotsford, locations included Shopbureaux and the Bow & Stern restaurant.
Candace Cameron Bure’s IF I ONLY HAD CHRISTMAS has been filming in downtown Abbotsford, B.C. businesses including Shopbureaux and the Bow & Stern restaurant, which was closed yesterday to accommodate filming of the Hallmark holiday movie. pic.twitter.com/sfUkuzRRm4
— Ho! Ho! Holiday Viewing! (@SleepyKittyPaw) August 21, 2020
A park was turned into a Christmas wonderland.
Crew helping to turn a park into a winter wonderland for Hallmark’s IF I ONLY HAD CHRISTMAS, starring Candace Cameron Bure. pic.twitter.com/jIRR1sFvj4
— Ho! Ho! Holiday Viewing! (@SleepyKittyPaw) August 16, 2020
The movie was filmed in August.
Candace Cameron Bure’s latest Hallmark Christmas movie, IF I ONLY HAD CHRISTMAS, wrapped over the weekend in Victoria. pic.twitter.com/1pXbZOMaqw
— Ho! Ho! Holiday Viewing! (@SleepyKittyPaw) August 31, 2020
Meet the Cast
Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy. She’s starred in A Shoe Addict’s Christmas, Christmas Town, and many other Hallmark movies. Bure is a mother of three, a wife, a New York Times bestselling author, and an actress. She’s best known for playing DJ on Full House and Fuller House. She’s also starred on Make It or Break It, Aurora Teagarden (which she also executive produces), Dancing with the Stars, and many other Hallmark movies including Puppy Love, Moonlight & Mistletoe, Let It Snow, Finding Normal, The Heart of Christmas (for which she got an Emmy nomination), Christmas Detour, Christmas Under Wraps, and Journey Back to Christmas. She and her husband Val Bure (a former NHL star) have been happily married since 1996 and have three children: Natasha, Lev, and Maks.
While quarantining during her busy filming schedule, Cameron Bure shared that she couldn’t stop crying one day while exercising.
Warren Christie stars as Glen. His many previous credits include Hallmark’s The Color of Rain and The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. His other credits include 50 States of Fright, The Village (Nick Porter), The Resident (Jude Silva), Batwoman (Bruce Wayne/Tommy Elliott), Cocaine Godmother, The Exorcist, Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce (Will), The Catch (Ethan Ward), Eyewitness (Ryan), Motive (Sgt. Mark Cross), Zoo, Chicago Fire (Scott Rice), Rush (JP), Castle, Alphas (Cameron Hicks), True Justice (Radner), Happy Town (Greggy), Ties that Bind, House Rules, October Road (Ray “Big Cat” Cataldo), Battlestar Galactica (Tarn), The Days, and more.
Robert Markus stars as Cowan. He was also in A Bard’s Tale, a short movie. He’s performed in many theater productions, including Dear Evan Hansen, Chicago at the Stratford Festival, The Music Man, and much more.
Brenda M. Crichlow is Winona. Her credits include Chateau Christmas, A Martha’s Vineyard Mystery, V.C. Andrew’s Heave, A Christmas Duet, A Taste of Summer, Love and Sunshine, numerous voice roles for animated productions, Hope at Christmas, You Me Her, Christmas Bells Are Ringing, The Gourmet Detective (Erica/Nolan), The Sweetest Christmas, A Wish For Christmas, Santa Hunters, Motive, The L Word, Blade: The Series, Smallville, The Fearing Mind, and much more.
Jordana Largy is Jackie. Her credits include Under Wraps, Darrow & Darrow, Chesapeake Shores (Alexandra), The Age of Adulting, Aurora Teagarden Mysteries, Morning Show Mysteries, All for Love, Come and Find Me, Anything for Love, The Gourmet Detective, Continuum, Love Stinks, Motive, Blackstone, A Bride for Christmas, and much more.
Also starring are:
- Lucia Walters (Bridget)
- Frances Flanagan (Emma)
- Serge Houde (Henry)
- Matt Mazur (Zeke)
- Neil Webb (Huck)
- Steph Chin-Salvo (Jade)
- Chelsea Gill (Clara)
- Alison Araya (Miranda)
- Lydia Campbell (Maggie)
- Jaycie Dotin (Almira)
- Christopher Gauthier (Bryan)
- Craig Hass (Gary)
- Kate Gajdosik (Reporter)
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