When you talk to Hallmark’s John Brotherton, there are a few things that you automatically think of – bold characters, an intimidating stature, great actor, diverse roles, and well when we think of him, we also now think ultimate girl Dad. Yes, that is a thing and honestly, it is one of the most important roles a person can have.
When we spoke to him last week, we talked about a lot of things concerning his latest Countdown to Christmas movie, Christmas on Cherry Lane. While the actor had so much to say about his movie and so much praise for his co-stars, it was when he talked about Christmas with his family that the actor seemed the most excited.
In the movie, his character, and his wife settle in for an easy Christmas but end up having a Christmas filled with a lot of chaos. I wondered, did he like a chaotic Christmas or something more planned out. But the actor embraces it all.
“I am a sucker for Christmas, especially now that I have children. It’s like the whole magic of Christmas is back. Now I’m hanging onto them tight because my girls are 11 and 13, so we’re at the very edge of the magic. The magic never goes away, but the real magic of what children experience during Christmas. I’m a sucker for going and getting a tree and putting up the lights and the whole thing. I just absolutely love it. I grew up with a small family, and so the Christmases I was used to was usually either just my mom or my mom and my sister, but my wife has a massive family,” he said when speaking about the joy he feels for Christmas.
He continued, “I’ve experienced now both kinds of holidays, and I love the chaos. I love the moment in the morning. We do a whole thing. We basically make our kids come into our room first. We rope off the living room so they can’t cheat, and then it’s like a little camera. We get them all excited. We all go out there together for the big surprise, but I love it all. I love Elf on the Shelf. I love making a prime rib on Christmas Day. I love football in the background. I’m a sucker for all of it. I love playing Santa.”
He circled back to talking about his career and his movie, “It’s such an honor to be able to do that and to have kids is such a blessing. You just get to relive the magic of Christmas all over again. Then on top of it, to be a part of Hallmark where I get to live that joy through what I love to do for work. It’s a total pinch-me scenario. I’ve been so fortunate in my career to go from Fuller House, which brought so much joy to people, then to move into the Hallmark universe that brings so much joy to people.”
He sounded so excited to go to Christmas Con (which hey, has passed, but it’s ok), “This weekend we’re going into Christmas Con, and it’s such an incredible experience to see the people. They’re so truly touched. The Hallmark has become such a tradition in their homes around the holidays. It’s such a safe place and safe space for them. The messages I get from people, they’re so uplifting. I just feel so honored to be in the position that I am getting to do, what my dream was, moving to LA, and here I am. It’s a true pinch-me scenario for sure.”
I had to tell him that he sounds like the ultimate girl dad. He talks about how he spent time on the plane editing videos for them, and talks about his pride over what they are into. He then says, “Being a girl dad is honestly the coolest thing. It’s the joy of my life for sure.”
We talk about how one of the through lines of Christmas on Cherry Lane is an ornament that passes through the story. I wondered if there was a tradition – a favorite ornament – that was important to add to his tree every year.
He said, “We have a few. I can tell you the cool tradition that we started in my family, that with just my wife and my two daughters, the four of us, we’ve been doing it for, I don’t know, maybe now five or six years since they were really could do it, is we draw names. In fact, we did it last night before I left. We do a Secret Santa ornament every year for each other. We don’t know who you get each year, but we each pick out an ornament for that person within the family.”
He continued, “On Christmas morning, we open them and then now they’ve become part of the tree as the years go on. It’s cool because it’s like now we look back and we’re like, “Oh, yes, I remember that’s the one daddy got me,” or “That’s what I got for Sailor. That’s the one that mommy got Shia”. I would say it’s a handful of favorite ornaments that we put up on the tree and that grows. It’s been growing every year, obviously. We keep adding to it.”
I tell him that I am going to steal that tradition. It’s just too good. He tells me that it’s now a must for them and something that they do every year.
He’s got me even thinking positive about Christmas.
Be sure to catch his Countdown to Christmas movie, Christmas on Cherry Lane. If you get a chance, tell us – what are your Christmas traditions?