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Good Housekeeping

40 Fascinating Secrets Behind Your Most Favorite Holiday Movies

Good Housekeeping

November 27, 2021 at 11:00 AM

40 Fascinating Secrets Behind Your Most Favorite Holiday Movies

'Home Alone' could've starred Chris Farley.

Some 'Home Alone' pranks were very much real.

Catherine O'Hara and John Candy improvised their 'Home Alone' scenes.

'A Christmas Story' is based on short stories published in 'Playboy.'

The department store in 'A Christmas Story' cleaned up the script.

'Elf' didn't use any CGI except for some snowing.

'Elf' almost filmed at Macy's.

'Elf' added songs specifically for Zooey Deschanel.

'It's a Wonderful Life' almost had a completely different plot.

Set designers created a four-acre town for 'It's a Wonderful Life'.

'It's a Wonderful Life' created a new kind of snow.

Tim Allen had stiff competition for 'The Santa Clause'.

'The Santa Clause' featured real reindeer from the Toronto Zoo.

'The Nightmare Before Christmas' was originally pitched as a TV special.

'The Nightmare Before Christmas' used a total of 227 puppets.

Coca-Cola made 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' possible.

Producers picked slightly off-key music for 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' on purpose.

The network thought 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' would be a disaster.

John Candy nearly starred in 'Last Holiday' instead of Queen Latifah.

Food Network chefs prepared the gourmet menu seen in 'Last Holiday'.

Tom Hanks played five characters in 'The Polar Express'.

'Miracle on 34th Street' filmed during an actual Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.

'Miracle on 34th Street' came out in June.

Clea Duvall wrote 'Happiest Season' based on her own experiences.

'Love Actually' started as two different movies.

The director's daughter appeared in 'Love Actually' on one condition.

A real music video inspired Billy Mack's 'Love Actually' video.

Dr. Seuss's widow would only let certain actors play the Grinch.

Jim Carrey's Grinch makeup took up to eight hours to apply.

Kate Winslet's house in 'The Holiday' was built just for the movie.

But Cameron Diaz's mansion in 'The Holiday' is real.

All of the shops in 'Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey' were named after famous Black inventors.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was voiced by a woman.

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" had even sadder lyrics.

'A Christmas Prince' filmed at a real castle.

'White Christmas' features a number of soon-to-be celebrities.

'The Muppet Christmas Carol' used plenty of visual trickery.

Macaulay Culkin made bank on 'Home Alone 2: Lost in New York'.

The cassette recorder in 'Home Alone 2' was a marketing-tie-in.

'The Princess Switch' is based on a Mark Twain book.

40 Fascinating Secrets Behind Your Most Favorite Holiday Movies

They may not have a workshop of elves at their disposal, but Hollywood movie directors, writers and actors have found some creative ways to create Christmas magic without any help from the North Pole. From elaborate sets and puppetry to clever trompe l'oeil, here's how your favorite holiday movies got from script to screen — and the interesting tricks that make up your favorite scenes of the season.

ABC Photo Archives - Getty Images

Here's how your favorite Christmas movies like 'Elf' and 'Home Alone' got from script to screen — and the secret tricks that made these holiday movies look real.

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