Have you ever heard bells jingle in July? Seen a man in a red suit fall off a roof in September? Watched a happy couple dance under faux snow in June? These sights are not uncommon in these parts. In any given month, film crews flock to our charming neighbourhoods to make movie magic in time for Christmas.
In the 1994 Walt Disney feature film The Santa Clause, fictional character Scott Calvin of fictional town Lakeside, Illinois, is played by the real Tim Allen and filmed in the very real town of Oakville, Ontario, Canada. He accidentally kills a man in a Santa suit, and then finds himself filling in for the real Santa Claus one Christmas Eve. Scenes feature Lakeshore Road, as well as 17 Chisholm Street — Scott’s house in the movie — and the storefront of Swiss Interiors, a long-time business in Oakville’s downtown.
The film’s creators built a convincing small-town USA setting, but we know better!
Hallmark Holiday Dundas
The town of Dundas is so legitimately historic and quaint, its downtown sometimes finds itself festooned with holly and fake snow in the middle of summer. That’s because the town has caught the attention of Hallmark moviemakers.
Parts of Inn Love by Christmas were filmed in Dundas. This 2020 Hallmark film has it all: a visit to Grandma for the holidays, a good-looking, strong-willed woman and her rival, a good-looking, strong-willed man. Both want to purchase the same inn. Sparks fly, romance ensues, and all is merry!
The Christmas Cure uses the 19th-Century architecture of Dundas as a backdrop for some of its scenes. An ER doctor comes home for the holidays and reconnects with her high school sweetheart. Her father, also a doctor, is retiring. Should she take over his practice, move back home and let love into her life? Or is a big-city career her true calling? (Hint: Snow is prettier in small towns.) Scenes were shot in early autumn, so viewers might spot some green leaves on trees.
We locals are fortunate to get that picture-postcard atmosphere close to home, but it’s fun to spot something familiar on screen. So, the next time you get a sense of deja-vu while streaming a holiday flick, press pause. That just might be your street under styrofoam snow.
By: Michelle Morra
