Christmas in July 2022 continues this weekend with the premiere of the Hallmark movie Christmas in Toyland.
“Excited to share with you all a Christmas in July special called: Christmas in Toyland,” wrote actor Jesse Hutch in a post to promote the movie on Instagram. “Everyone worked hard to bring you what I believe will be a fun-filled festive adventure that will tug on your heart strings… and yes! You will laugh. You know me… I always like to bring some comedy to the table. I play the character Grant: who is a kid at heart. Is there a slide in the film? Yes. I’ll see ya out there.”
The Hallmark movie Christmas in Toyland
Vanessa Lengies also stars in the romantic comedy, playing Charlie, a data analyst at a large toy store chain. When company executives decide to shift to an online-only model, Lengies becomes concerned about the hundreds of employees who will lose their jobs. Lengies gets permission from her boss to visit one location that has strong sales to see if there’s any way she can save the current business model.
But Grant, the manager at the store in question (played by Hutch), is less-than-receptive to her presence. It turns out he has a distrust of anyone from the corporate office and is reluctant to help her out.
But as the two spend time together, they bond over their love of toys. Charlie finds out Grant designs his own Christmas-themed toys. Together, they try to find a way to save the business using his designs.
According to a synopsis from Hallmark, “As their feelings for each other grow, they are reminded that growing up doesn’t mean losing your dreams.”
About the stars
Vanessa Lengies got her start as a child actress, performing on shows such as Caillou and 8 Simple Rules. After roles in the movies Stick It, The Substance of Things Hoped For, and The Perfect Man, she landed the role of Sugar Motta on the series Glee. She made her Hallmark debut in the 2019 movie Heart of the Holidays.
Jesse Hutch has had roles in the TV shows Heartland and Hallmark’s Cedar Cove. He also starred in the romantic comedy Snowmance, which has recently been airing on GAC Family (soon-to-be called the Great American Family network), as well as Hallmark’s Chateau Christmas.
Christmas in Toyland will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, July 23 at 8/7c.