Hallmark has been coming out with many great festive films lately revolving around romance, friendship, and harmony. The Secret Gift of Christmas is the brand-new addition that will be joining the long list of Christmas favorites this season.
Directed by Christie Will Wolf, The Secret Gift of Christmas takes us through the lives of Bonnie Parker, a personal shopper, and Patrick Armstrong, a hardworking single dad. After having no time for himself or his daughter, Patrick feels that he hasn’t been the best father to Phebe.
Now, with Christmas right around the corner, Patrick’s assistant hires a personal shopper, Bonnie, who will be guiding him in finding the best present for his daughter while also helping him understand his daughter better and close the gap between them.
Bonnie’s bubbly personality and eye for good stuff have brought her far in her personal shopper career. These talented shoppers are people who know just the right gift, clothes, or other things that could be given to someone. Since Patrick barely ever has time for himself, Bonnie decides to do the gift shopping for Phebe on Patrick’s behalf.
Although the connection between them starts in the form of a personal shopper and client relationship, Bonnie and Patrick eventually start falling for each other. Bonnie becomes the reason Patrick and Phebe can have a healthy parent-child relationship.
Besides Meghan Ory and Christopher Russell in the roles of Bonnie and Patrick, the rest of the cast of The Secret Gift of Christmas consists of Aria Publicover playing Samantha Parker, Jenn Grant in the role of Fiona Appleby, and Ellie Cluett portraying Phebe Armstrong.
The Secret Gift Of Christmas: Filming Locations
Hallmark is known for featuring stunning locations in all of its movies, and for The Secret Gift of Christmas, the crew traveled to Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia. One of the largest places in all of Atlantic Canada, Halifax is known for its picturesque natural landscapes and beaches.
Halifax isn’t new to being a filming location at all because other well-known TV shows and films that were shot here include Titanic, The Lighthouse, Ghost Ship, Outlander, and Sullivan’s Crossing. Although it isn’t that frequently used when compared to other places in Canada, Halifax offers a variety of locations for those looking to film any horror movie or holiday film.
The Pacifico Bar, located at 5171 George Street, Halifax, can be spotted in scenes from The Secret Gift of Christmas. This upscale dance club is known for hosting some of the liveliest night parties in this region of Halifax.
George Street itself can be recognized from many of the shopping scenes from the Hallmark film. Countless entertainment spots, restaurants, and other facilities can be found near or on this street. Another similar location is Granville Street, which has been an important location in Halifax ever since the 19th century.
Since these areas haven’t made it to any popular film or TV series, locals of these streets in Halifax were excited to see the Hallmark crew arrive in their town for the shooting.
With the financial center being located in Downtown Halifax, most of the urban atmosphere shots were filmed in this area. Diverse cuisines, attractions, and all kinds of entertainment spots are spread throughout this downtown area.
Besides Halifax, The Secret Gift of Christmas crew filmed a few scenes in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia too. Now considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this place is the perfect holiday spot for those looking to spend their time in a charming and cozy town with everything within a walkable distance.
The fishing village has been the major filming spot for productions like Christmas Island, Haven, The Covenant, Moby Dick, and Locke & Key.
Christie, the director of the film, recalls spending time in locations around Canada like Dartmouth and Evangeline Beach. Filming this exciting Hallmark film gave the crew a chance to witness the beauty of Halifax and Nova Scotia firsthand.
Most of the interior scenes from The Secret Gift of Christmas were shot in a local studio in Halifax. This sums up all of the known locations from the 2023 Hallmark film, which is now available to stream on the Hallmark Channel.
