New Christmas Movie Planned for CBS
Hallmark Hall of Fame has started production on its next presentation for CBS, “A Dog Named Christmas.”
Bruce Greenwood (“Star Trek”), Noel Fisher (“The Riches”) and Linda Emond (“Julie & Julia”) are set to star in the holiday movie based on Greg Kincaid’s novel.
“Christmas” centers on Todd (Fisher), a developmentally challenged young man with a penchant for caring for animals in need. He sets out to convince his parents (Greenwood, Emond) and their rural community to participate in a local shelter’s Adopt a Dog for Christmas program, which entails caring for a dog during Christmas week, with the option of keeping the dog for good.
Todd eventually brings home a yellow Labrador he names “Christmas” and bonds with immediately.
Peter Werner (“Front of the Class”) is directing “Christmas” from a script by Jenny Wingfield (“The Man in the Moon”). Brent Shields (“The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler”) is executive producing the telefilm, which is filming in Saskatchewan.
National Christmas Tree Coming from Arizona
Christmas is already on Ted Bechtol’s mind. He’s now picked the tree that will stand outside the US Capitol this holiday season. Bechtol is superintendent of grounds for the Capitol. He reviewed ten final candidates for the tree and chose an 85-foot blue spruce from Arizona’s White Mountains.
Bechtol didn’t spend too long making up his mind. He says the selected tree is nice and tall and has good color. But it has a trunk 27-inches across. Bechtol says that could be a problem when it’s time to cut the tree and move it to Washington in November.
Christmas Store Planned for Santa Claus, Indiana
SANTA CLAUS, IN — A new attraction in Santa Claus, Indiana is under construction and is scheduled for an August opening. The Santa Claus Christmas Store will be located in the Kringle Place Shopping Center. Owned and operated by Philip Koch and his Santa Claus based company HO HO HOldings, LLC, the store features over 6,500 sq. ft. of retail space including gifts, indoor and outdoor Christmas lights, wreaths, tree trimmings, nativities, Christmas yard art, home décor and collectibles.
Commercial decorations and lighting will also be offered along with an online store currently under development. Within the store is a magical place called Santa’s House. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, children can visit with and have their photos taken with Santa. In 2010, Santa will be available May through December. Candy, fudge, cookies and other items will also be sold in the store.
“We’re creating a magical place that families can experience year-round,†said Koch. “This will be the largest Christmas store of its kind in the region, similar to attractions found in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee or Frankenmuth, Michigan. For now, it won’t be as big as those attractions, but we have plans to expand in the future. We have lots of tourists during the summer. Our goal is to attract people from all over the world to Santa Claus, Indiana, no matter the season.â€
The Santa Claus Christmas Store will occupy the combined spaces of 3 former tenants in the shopping center, including World Class Travel which continues to operate out of the home of Julie Korn. Korn has also been hired as the manager of the new Christmas Store. Other plans include a huge Santa in lights peaking over the roof of Kringle Place and a giant LED Christmas tree in the parking lot.
