Why This Hallmark Star Loves Christmas: ‘Treasured Childhood Memories’
By Movieguide® Contributor
MEAN GIRLS star Lacey Chabert revealed why Christmas is one of her favorite holidays.
Just like Jesus did with his disciples, Chabert’s “family gatherings always centered around a delicious meal.”
Her father is Cajun, so growing up, they “enjoyed his seafood jambalaya at Thanksgiving and his gumbo with potato salad and rice on Christmas Eve,” the actress told Guideposts.
She revealed a few more of her favorite Christmas memories.
“Dad would read us the Nativity story out of the Bible,” Chabert recalled. “Then my siblings and I would sleep in the same room because we were so excited about Santa coming. We’d wake up at the crack of dawn, but the rule was, you couldn’t look at the presents until Mom and Dad were up too. We’d knock on their door. ‘It’s too early!’ they’d say. ‘Go back to bed.’ Five minutes later, we’d be pounding at their door and they’d get up.”
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During the pandemic in 2020, Chabert’s family couldn’t celebrate like they usually did. But God reminded her of his faithfulness through the Christmas story.
“During quarantine, I did a lot of decluttering, looking through old boxes, emptying a storage unit. In the bottom of one box, I discovered a little pink Bible, my first one. I thumbed through it for the Nativity story, hearing it in my head the way Dad read it,” the actress said. “There it was, the words I was looking for, the message, what the angel said to the shepherds and to Mary: ‘Fear not. I bring you good news of great joy.’ The peace, joy and hope that accompanied the birth of Jesus not only then but now and always.”
Her love of Christmas impacts her career today.
“The holidays hold my most treasured childhood memories — times of togetherness and deep love — so maybe it’s no wonder that stories centered around the holidays would be such a big part of my career now,” she continued.
This year, her Christmas movie A CHRISTMAS QUEST with Kristoffer Polaha marked her 40th movie with Hallmark.
“It’s crazy, right?! I’m so, so proud of it,” she told PEOPLE of the milestone. “It’s really surreal,” adding, “I never would’ve known when I did the first one that it would turn into what it has, and I’m just so proud of it and the journey and the excitement of all that filming 40 movies has brought to my life. It’s just been a beautiful experience.”
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