This Christmas season, the King Street Chronicle explores locally-filmed Christmas movies in Fairfield County, Mystic Seaport Village, and New York City. Locally-produced films such as Elf, The Noel Diary, and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York capture the spirit of Christmas and establish a connection between the enchanting world on screen and the tangible landscapes of reality. As audiences engage in Buddy the Elf’s amusing misadventures or immerse themselves in the heartwarming journey narrated in The Noel Diary, the familiarity of the settings adds an extra layer of joy and resonance to the holiday experience.
These Christmas movies capture unique traditions exclusive to the area in which the movie takes place. In the movie Elf, for instance, over ten of the featured locations are open to the public, capturing the distinct holiday traditions of New York City with iconic buildings, landmarks, and traditions, according to yourbrooklynguide.com. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York also takes place in New York City, highlighting multiple iconic landmarks within the area, such as The Plaza Hotel and Central Park Manhattan. These productions bring a sense of familiarity to viewers living in New York City, according to imdb.com.
The film The Noel Diary showcases familiar areas in Fairfield County on screen, including Griswold Inn in Essex, Connecticut, and the town hall in New Canaan, Connecticut, according to womenshealth.mag. Senior Ellenor (Ella) Breitenbach, film festival co-chair, spoke about how seeing local traditions on screen fosters a sense of community within these towns during the holiday season.
“It is always fun to see Christmas movies explore small towns and their holiday traditions,” Ella said. “I think that people enjoy seeing their holiday traditions reflected in movies, and this brings the community together through the joy of the season.”
Although Christmas movies can be enjoyable without a local aspect, proximity to the locations where these movies take place is a unique way to celebrate the holidays, making productions more relatable and special. People who do not live near the locations of these iconic holiday films may travel to see the distinct landmarks that these films capture on screen. In fact, the states of New York and Connecticut attract over 6.58 million visitors during the holidays, with 6.5 million tourists visiting New York, according to pix11.com. Connecticut receives 80,000 seasonal visitors each year, according to nbcconnecticut.com. These numbers spike during the late fall and early winter months due to the holiday attractions that these places offer. Ella elaborated upon how familiarity with holiday movie locations enhances the overall viewer experience.
“Local movie settings add a sense of familiarity and personality for viewers that know the location,” Ella said. “Even viewers who are not familiar with the location are able to sense the charm and individuality of the local area during the holidays.”
Featured Image by Sofia Latrille ’25
