Utah is the real Christmas Town for filmmakers
By mbrooks on December 13, 2019
Utah is far from the North Pole, but it is the center of film making for Christmas.
For your quick reference, this list is alphabetical.
“12 Gifts of Christmas”
A business executive learns the real meaning of Christmas when he enlists a young, single woman to help him as personal shopper. The filming locations include a Provo ice rink and a Salt Lake City bakery standing in as a NYC bakery. TV-G
“A Christmas Wish” (2011)
A woman with her two children look for a place to stay during the Christmas season after leaving a bad situation. Filming locations include the Model A Cafe in Mapleton and the Valley Inn motel in Provo. TV-G
“Christmas Land” (2015)
A successful business woman leaves the big city to handle her late grandmother’s estate in small city. There, she meets a small town lawyer who is managing the estate. Filming locations include Salt Lake City, Farmington, and Riverton. TV-G
Christmas Made to Order (2018)
An architect enlists the help of a holiday specialist to bring more Christmas into his home. Romance ensues. TV-G
“Christmas Under Wraps” (2014)
A doctor moves from the big city to small, remote town in Alaska (but it’s actually Utah). There, she discovers a Christmas secret and love. This is one of two movies on this list starring Candace Cameron Bure. Salt Lake City, Payson and Heber City are a stand in for more northern locations. TV-G
“Christmas Wonderland” (2018)
An artist returns to her small town home. A local handsome man enlists her help to organize a Christmas dance. She faces the question of staying in the quaint town. This film stars Emily Osment, sister of “Sixth Sense” star Haley Joel Osment. Filming locations include Bountiful, Farmington and downtown Salt Lake City. TV-G
“Good Luck Charlie, It’s Christmas!” (2001)
A mother and daughter embark on a road trip to visit family. Meanwhile, other members of the family take a plane to get there. Some of this movie’s scenes take place in Salt Lake City and St. George. TV-G
“Enchanted Christmas” (2017)
This holiday movie has the distinction of using Utah locations to portray Utah locations. A woman returns to her Utah hometown to help put together a Christmas dance that has charitable purposes. TV-G
“Jingle Belle” (2018)
A woman rekindles old flames when she leaves the big town to return home to help out with Christmas pageant. Filming locations include Brigham City and Ogden.
“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000)
An animated Jim Carrey brings the titular book to life in this tale of anger, greed, and ultimately redemption. Solitude Mountain Resort stands in a for snowy mountaintop.
Mr. Krueger’s Christmas” (1980)
A lonely man, played by Jimmy Stewart, pictures himself celebrating the holidays in more he film includes the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.
“My Broken Horse Christmas” (2017)
A young boy anticipates receiving a horse for Christmas. To his surprise, his dad gives him a unruly horse. Filmed in Lehi.
“My Christmas Inn” (2018)
An up-and-coming business woman may have found Mr. Right when she leaves the big city and meets a small town lawyer. The film portrays locations in Payson and Provo. TV-G
“My Christmas Love” (2016)
A woman begins to receive the elaborate set of gifts as described in the song, “The 12 Days of Christmas.” She begins to search for the sender, a secret admirer. This film was made in Park City.
“Shoelaces for Christmas” (2018)
A young woman learns the true meaning of Christmas while she volunteers at a homeless shelter. This Christmas movie debuted on BYUTV. It was filmed in Draper, Utah.
“Switched for Christmas” (2017)
A Candace Cameron Bure film about twin sisters who swap lives for Christmas. The locations include Salt Lake City, Federal Heights and the Utah State Fair Park.
“The Mistle-Tones” (2012)
A woman learns the true meaning of Christmas when she participates in a singing competition. Filmed in Pleasant Grove.
“Wrapped Up in Christmas” (2017)
A mall manager must foreclose on underperforming stores in the mall. The manager finds love as a result of the closures. Filmed in Utah County.
Other made-in-Utah movies are not primarily about Christmas, but it has moments centered around Christmas:
Better Off Dead (1985)
Dumb and Dumber (1994)
Little Women (2018)
The Utah Film Commission says more than 1,400 productions have been filmed in Utah.
