There are two ways of thinking about "A Wish for Christmas," a holiday-themed Hallmark Channel movie that premieres at 7 p.m. Saturday, two days BEFORE Halloween.
One is to cynically accuse the network of horning in on Trick-or-Treat's turf. Isn't this just a crass attempt to get an early start selling Christmas advertising time to retailers?
The other point of view is to accept that Hallmark Channel has a ho-ho-whole lot of holiday cheer.
Lacey Chabert, the leading lady of "A Wish for Christmas," chooses the latter option.
"I guess it does seem a little bit early," she says. "I was quite surprised when I found out that we'd be premiering before Halloween. But with so much negativity in the world, I think it's important to put out positive, feel-good material.
"So yes, maybe it's early. But at the same time, it's not a moment too soon."
A Wish for Christmas is the first of 19 original 'tis-the-season titles that will air on Hallmark Channel this year during its two-month-long, round-the-clock "Countdown to Christmas" movie marathon.
Last year's Countdown brought nearly 80 million viewers to the network in November and December. So for Hallmark, it's the most wonderful time of the year in more ways than one.
Chabert, who's perhaps best known for her six-year run on "Party of Five" (1994-2000), plays a young woman who has been a pushover her whole life. Sara has always been afraid to speak up for herself, but everything changes the moment Santa Claus gives her what she most desires: tell-it-like-it-is confidence.
Sara quickly gets promoted from junior web designer to de facto director of marketing and is sent to pitch her innovative "Christmas 365" marketing campaign to a Scrooge-like client.
But she'll have to work fast. Santa's magic confidence booster will last just 48 hours.
This being a Hallmark movie, it's no spoiler to reveal that there's also a love story.
For Chabert, this is her fifth holiday-themed movie in three years.
"I love Christmas," she explains. "These movies are always special to me, because I am the kind of person who never thinks it's too early to start the Christmas festivity. I look forward to it every year.
"I love all of the traditions: the stockings and decorating and presents and baking and being with family. And now I get the joy of passing all that on to my daughter (who was born in September).
"I was six-and-a-half months pregnant when I did this movie."
Chabert plans to spend her Christmas in Dallas with family.
"This has been a very momentous year in my family," she says. "My brother's baby was born three days before mine. So it will be an incredible celebration of all the blessings that we've had.
"Also, my brother is overcoming cancer. He was diagnosed with leukemia in March, which was just so startling _ it turned everything upside down. But he's in remission and almost finished with his chemo and we're so incredibly thankful that he's doing well.
"It really gave us all perspective."
