These Top Christmas Movies were filmed in Canada
It is not hard to imagine that perfect Christmas setting can be found in Canada. Winter weather: tons of snow, iced over lakes, gorgeous ski resorts and classic homes in Canada makes Hollywood North a Christmas wonderland! Everyone loves Christmas comedies, from young to all, we all watch it and rewatch it every Christmas season. Many of those Christmas traditions were indeed filmed in Canada.
Here are 10 Christmas movies filmed in Canada:
One of the most iconic Christmas movies of all time was partially filmed in Canada! While the actual house exterior is located just outside Cleveland, Toronto and the surrounding regions were used for many other scenes. The most important of them? A former school in St. Catharines that served as the setting for the ‘triple dog dare’.
Elf (2003)
Will Ferrell’s modern classic Elf, which used soundstages and even the PNE Coliseum to create the North Pole workshops as well as New York’s Central Park. So, while you won’t actually see any of Vancouver while watching, this is a fun little bit of movie trivia.
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The Christmas Chronicles (2018)
Nothing like seeing a former action hero transform into jolly ol’ St. Nick. The movie follows a lot of Christmas tropes (kids see Santa’s real, and get mixed up in an adventure) but has enough modern twists and turns to have the whole family liking it. Plus, the movie was filmed entirely in the GTA, acting as a stand-in for Chicago, Illinois and Lowell, Massachusetts.
The Santa Clause (1994)
Remember when Tim Allen was a huge deal? Neither do we, but we do remember seeing The Santa Clause for the first time and loving it. Mainly filmed in the Greater Toronto Area, Tim Allen’s character Scott’s house is actually located in Oakville, just outside of Mississauga.
Love Hard (2021)
One of the most recent releases on this list also heavily features Metro Vancouver. This Christmas rom-com starring Nina Dobrev includes everything from residential homes to Stanley Park to even the Boundary Bay airport. While it’s set in Lake Placid, this movie undoubtedly looks like BC.
Noelle (2019)
Netflix isn’t the only streaming giant to hop on the holiday train! This more grown-up storyline follows the adult children of Santa Claus, played by Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader, as they try to follow in their father’s footsteps. The movie heavily features both Metro Vancouver and Whistler, and includes a quick shot of Vancouver’s relatively unique art-deco church.
One Magic Christmas (1985)
Filmed around Ontario in places like Scarborough and Collingwood, this movie is about an angel who’s sent to help a mother discover the true meaning of Christmas.
The Holiday Calendar (2018)
A photographer comes into possession of an advent calendar that seems to predict the future. IMDb lists Niagara-on-the-Lake as one of the filming locations.
Fatman (2020)
Mel Gibson plays an unorthodox Santa Claus who is fighting his declining business. Not a classical family Christmas movie, but more of an adult version involving crime, guns and blood. This very interesting movie was filmed in Ottawa.
The Knight before Christmas (2019)
A knight is thrown into the present day and after meeting a science teacher (Vanessa Hudgens) the two begin to fall in love, just in time for Christmas. This Romantic Christmas movie was filmed in Bracebridge, Ontario.
Shelby – The Dog who saved Christmas (2014)
Who doesn’t like Chevy Chase, especially in a Christmas movie? It is like a dream come true! An orphaned dog (Rob Schneider) is taken in by Jake on Christmas Eve, and has to hide from a dogcatcher, Jake’s parents, and a nasty great dame. Shelby – The Dog who saved Christmas was filmed in Parry Sound.
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