Lots of folks are making Christmas movies these days, but for Danica McKellar — who's got two new films in November for Great American Family and its streamer, Great American Pure Flix — the holiday has taken on a deeper meaning.
The actress, bestselling author, and accomplished mathematician says that discovering her faith four years ago changed the way she hears Christmas music and, ultimately, how she approaches the holiday stories she brings to life on screen.
“My idea of a meaningful Christmas has definitely evolved over the years,” McKellar shares. “Mostly because of me finding my faith journey four years ago and listening to every Christmas song with different ears and a different heart!”
This November, McKellar invites audiences to experience that spirit through two new Great American Family Christmas movies, The Christmas Yes List (streaming on Great American Pure Flix on Nov. 12, then airing on Great American Family on Nov. 14), and The Greatest Christmas Gift (both streaming and airing on Nov. 29).
Both explore the unexpected turns that can lead us toward love, the importance of community, and the enduring power of putting others first. For McKellar, these are more than feel-good holiday romances. They are opportunities to model the goodness people can bring into one another's lives.
"Many people call these movies an escape from the crazy world we live in,” she says. “I find the greater gift these movies offer audiences is modeling good behavior and showing the potential for human nature when we put in real effort and challenge ourselves to do the right thing.”
It's a philosophy that connects McKellar's entertainment career with her longstanding commitment to education and her desire to encourage children and families.
In The Christmas Yes List, McKellar plays Chloe, an ambitious professional disappointed when she doesn't receive the promotion she wants. Returning home for Christmas, Chloe takes on an unusual challenge: getting ten strangers to tell her no.
The exercise forces her to confront her fear of rejection, reconsider her people-pleasing habits, and become more open to life's possibilities. Along the way, she meets James, played by Sam Page.
For McKellar, Chloe's disappointment ultimately becomes an unexpected gift.
“Like many of life's disappointments, it points her in a direction that she needs to grow in, and her life is much better off for it. In fact, she meets the love of her life!”
It's a reminder that setbacks don't necessarily mean we're on the wrong path. Sometimes, the plans that fall apart make room for opportunities we couldn't have anticipated. Chloe's journey encourages viewers to embrace growth, recognize their worth, and remain open to the blessings that can emerge from uncertainty.
Again, The Christmas Yes List streams November 12 on Great American Pure Flix, and airs on November 14 on Great American Family.
McKellar's November 29 premiere, The Greatest Christmas Gift, takes that message into more explicitly faith-centered territory.
She plays a gifted music teacher preparing for a Christmas wedding with her fiancé, Caleb, when an unexpected setback threatens their carefully laid plans. As their community rallies around them, the couple discovers that love is not about having everything turn out perfectly. It's about remaining faithful to one another through life's challenges.
McKellar especially loves the story's connection to The Gift of the Magi, O. Henry's beloved tale of a couple willing to sacrifice their most treasured possessions to give each other meaningful Christmas gifts.
“My favorite part is where Hannah and Caleb reflect the story of The Gift of the Magi: they both want to make each other's dreams come true even if it means giving up their own dreams,” she explains.
“It's such a beautiful love story, and their acts of sacrificial love are perfect for the season as we celebrate the birth of Christ and His sacrificial love for us all.”
That connection gives the film a particularly meaningful Christmas message. The Nativity celebrates a love that gives freely, without demanding something in return. Through the couple's willingness to put each other first, the story reflects that same spirit of generosity on a personal scale.
McKellar also hopes the film reaches viewers who may be facing difficult circumstances of their own during the holidays.
“The story reminds us to consult with God when we are sad, and reminds us of the importance of community, inspiring us to actively make community a real part of our lives!”
For her, community isn't simply something we hope to find when trouble arrives. It's something we build through everyday choices to care for others.
“When you reach out to someone, you're strengthening your community, and it will be there for you when you need it as well,” she says.
It's a timely reminder that an act of kindness can have a ripple effect, creating connections that sustain us long after the Christmas decorations come down.
Audiences may know McKellar best from her acting career, including her beloved early role on The Wonder Years. But her accomplishments extend well beyond Hollywood.
She graduated summa cum laude from UCLA with a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and co-authored a scientific paper that led to the Chayes–McKellar–Winn theorem. She went on to write bestselling books including Math Doesn't Suck and Kiss My Math, helping young readers, particularly girls, approach mathematics with confidence rather than fear.
Her dedication to education reflects the same desire to encourage and uplift that she brings to her Christmas movies.
“I've always taken my responsibility as a role model to heart, from when I was a kid on The Wonder Years,” McKellar says. “As I've gotten older, it's become more and more important to me to create uplifting content, whether teaching kids math so they don't feel afraid of it anymore, or beautiful Christmas stories like the ones I do these days on Great American Family.”
She considers it an honor to be part of projects that help families find entertainment that encourages them to reflect on their own values.
McKellar's commitment to children's education also connects her to a special holiday initiative supporting Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.
A Totally Awesome Radical Christmas reimagines classic Christmas songs as '80s pop anthems. The album was written by McKellar's former husband, Mike Verta, with their son, Draco, contributing keyboards to some of the songs.
McKellar is quick to credit them for the musical work. Her contribution is a personal commitment to match proceeds from album purchases with donations to the Imagination Library.
The organization provides free books to children from birth through age five, helping nurture a love of reading during their earliest years. McKellar's connection to the charity is especially meaningful because one of her own mathematics books was included in its program for several years.
“That's how I met Dolly Parton for the first time,” she says. “She and I share a passion for kids' literacy, whether reading or math, and I am so happy to continue to donate to her charity.”
For McKellar, the two films and the charitable album project share a common thread: the belief that what we give matters more than what we receive.
Her faith journey has also changed how she views the holiday films themselves.
"Of course the Christmas movies themselves have evolved now that I'm on Great American Family Channel; we are leaning more and more into faith,” she says. “I'm so grateful!”
That gratitude comes through in her hope that audiences will find more than an enjoyable escape in these stories. She wants them to see examples of people choosing kindness, turning to God in difficult moments, and making sacrifices for those they love.
As families gather this Christmas, McKellar's films offer reminders that disappointment can lead to growth, community begins with reaching out, and love is most powerful when expressed through selfless action.
And perhaps that is the greatest gift of all: remembering that Christmas isn't about creating a perfect holiday. It's about opening our hearts to God, showing up for one another, and sharing the hope and love that make the season sacred.
Here's a peek at the full GAC Christmas lineup:
Image: Great American Family
April Neale is a mother of two and grandmother of five. She is a career journalist whose articles have been published in national and international publications. She is a longtime member of the Critics Choice and Television Critics Association.
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