In 2018 when Netflix released The Christmas Chronicles it was streamed in 20 million households in the first week. On November 25, the adventure continues with The Christmas Chronicles 2; Kurt Russell reprises his role as Santa Claus, but this time he is joined by his real-life partner, Goldie Hawn, as Mrs. Claus.
The first Christmas Chronicles movie follows siblings Kate and Teddy Pierce as they attempt to catch Santa Claus; instead, they are pulled into an unexpected and magical journey. The Christmas Chronicles 2 begins two years later. Kate (Darby Camp), now a cynical teenager, doesn’t want to spend her Christmas in Cancun with her mom’s new boyfriend Bob (Tyrese Gibson) and his son, Jack (Jahzir Bruno). Unhappy with this new version of her family, Kate decides to run away. She’s met by Belsnickel, a naughty elf who plans to destroy the North Pole. Now Kate and Jack must set aside their differences and work together as a family to help Santa and Mrs. Claus save Christmas.
Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn are no strangers to blended families. The couple has been together since 1983 and have four children, three of them from previous marriages. “The film has a lot to do with understanding and how we forgive each other,” says Hawn. “And how we learn over time about what really matters and what we really want in life. And that’s family.”
The kids in the movie echo the sentiments about the importance of family. “I hope that other kids learn how important family is,” Camp told us, “and how we shouldn’t take that for granted.” Added Bruno: “You should never switch up on your family no matter how different they are from you. They’re always going to be the ones that support you.”
The Christmas Chronicles 2 also delves deeper into the story of Santa Claus. Russell points out that the person we know as Santa, or as Father Christmas, is loosely based on Saint Nicholas of Myra (270 A.D. – 343 A.D.) the patron saint of children and gift-giving. “It’s important to remember that this is a real man. He’s no Superman, he’s not a comic book figure. He was a bishop. He was an important man back in his time who discovered his love of giving. This all began with one person who had a vision.”
Believing in Santa is an important part of The Christmas Chronicles. As we learned in the first film, Kate Pierce comes from a long line of “true believers,” or people who deeply believe in Santa and the importance of Christmas spirit. Hawn says this sense of belief can go even further than that.
“Believing in Santa is the iconic way of looking at belief,” says Hawn. “It’s wonderful, but it doesn’t always last because Santa is an allegory. But the idea of being a true believer— of believing in something bigger than we are—is very important for the human condition. I think believing is a huge part of being happy.”
That happiness is something director Chris Columbus (Home Alone, Harry Potter) hopes to bring to the audience, especially during a holiday season when the coronavirus pandemic means many will not be able to see family and friends. “I just hope that this movie gives people some joy and comfort,” he says. “The movie is all about bringing families and people together. We’re not really experiencing a lot of that right now. So however many people you are able to have at your house, I hope they can watch together.”
