Two days before the start of Hanukkah 2018, Hallmark delivered some exciting news to Jewish kids (and adults) everywhere: A Hallmark Hanukkah movie is on its way. Actually, make that two Hanukkah movies, according to Forbes.
The business publication says Hallmark is in the early stages of developing the movies for 2019. One is called Holiday Date, and per a Hallmark spokesperson, will have Hanukkah elements because the holiday falls over Christmas next year (December 22-30, to be exact). Further details on Holiday Date, as well as the second Hanukkah movie, weren’t immediately available.
The announcement comes in line with what Hallmark executives Bill Abbott and Michelle Vicary told Glamour.com recently: that their plans are to be “completely inclusive” in regards to both their holiday content and the viewers that tune in every day. When asked specifically about a Hanukkah movie, Vicary revealed that back in October, one of her development executives brought her a really exciting Hanukkah script. “I said, ‘Great! Let’s meet about it and talk about it for 2019.'”
While it remains to be seen if that same script is one of the two Hanukkah movies planned for 2019, it is in line with the network’s plan to go even bigger for Countdown to Christmas next year (and 2018 was already a record-breaking year with 37 Christmas movies across Hallmark’s two networks). In fact, Vicary said that 90 movies were produced for both networks in 2018, and they’ll “produce 100 movies next year.”
If that sounds like a lot (and it is), Vicary wants to make one thing clear: “We do not just make movies to throw them on and have a volume play. We make movies for an experience. So in terms of doing more [movies], we want to do more because our audience keeps asking for more.”
As a singular member of that audience (and I’m one of many: Vicary says 85 million viewers tuned into the networks between Halloween and New Years last year), I’ve been asking for a Hanukkah movie for years. (In fact, one of my colleagues wrote about this just two years ago.) So from brainstorming the idea of a #HallmarkHanukkah on social media to actually bringing it up to Hallmark execs over the years, it’s an announcement that I couldn’t be more thrilled about.
I am a holiday fanatic, and I love the Christmas spirit (and decorations—lots of decorations). But I don’t celebrate Christmas. I’m Jewish, and I celebrate Hanukkah with nearly the same amount of decorations (menorahs, dreidels, lots of blue and white lights) that I see on Hallmark Christmas movies each year. Ever since I was a little kid, though, I remember being very aware that I was in the minority. So to have Hallmark say, “Hey, we’re going to release two Hanukkah movies next year”…well, it truly feels like you’re being seen.
And, at a time when antisemitism is on the rise, it’s more important than ever for viewers who may not live in cities with large Jewish populations—or even know someone that is Jewish—be exposed to people of a different faith. The movies on Hallmark are never particularly religious—nor do they need to be—but they are about kindness, love, and family. And that message—no matter what religion you are—is exactly what the holidays are about.
It’s been a stressful year, but at least you can count on Hallmark, Lifetime, and Netflix to come through with the holiday cheer. After all, what’s more relaxing than watching an overworked woman fall in love with a Christmas tree farmer? So decompress with all of our delightful holiday content right here.