“The Christmas Checklist” Is a Rare Seasonal Film About Holiday Grief

By Lisa Hepner’s estimation, 150 to 200 new Christmas movies coat the marketplace like a fresh powder each winter.

She would know. The longtime screenwriter (and former Portlander) has penned four Christmas romance features for television—most recently The Christmas Checklist—and has observed both the insatiable appetite of the genre’s fandom and how tough it is to stand out.

That’s partly why The Christmas Checklist takes a different approach from the all-out sap of Hepner’s prior films (like last year’s Sappy Holiday). Her latest film, inspired by her experience leaving Portland after 20 years to care for her dying mother in Albuquerque, dares to strike a chord with the grieving inherent in the holiday season.

The Christmas Checklist centers on Emily (Sarah Power), who plans to spend the holidays home alone in her pajamas. Immediately, though, she discovers a posthumous gift from her mom: a 12-days-of-Christmas checklist of self-healing holiday activities. This embodiment of the Christmas spirit catches the eye of handsome local journalist Noah (Jarod Joseph), who’s been promised a staff writer job if he can find a viral human interest story for Christmas.

With The Christmas Checklist now streaming, we caught up with Hepner to discuss her favorite Portland holiday traditions, how Christmas romances became her niche, and the challenges of putting a twist on the genre.

WW: Assuming your mom did not leave you an actual Christmas checklist when she passed, is the checklist coming from that place of badly wanting direction when you’re grieving?

Lisa Hepner: Exactly. I didn’t have a road map for grief. We ask for signs from our loved ones. I did that one night. I was lying in bed and was kind of like, “If you’re with me [Mom], give me a sign,” and then the words “the Christmas checklist” popped into my head. I think she gave me that title.

The Christmas romance has become your screenwriting stock and trade. How did that happen?

That was also kind of inspired by my mom. When she got sick and we moved back to take care of her, my mom and I would just go upstairs and watch a Hallmark Christmas movie. We’d lie in bed and watch these movies and forget about her chemotherapy just for two hours. And then I was like, “Damn, I’m a screenwriter. Maybe I should try to write one.” We would joke while I was lying in bed, “One of these days I’m gonna have a Christmas romance you can watch.” She didn’t make it for that [Hepner’s mom passed in 2017], but hopefully she knows.

How do you balance romance and grief in a genre that people go to for escapism?

I was fortunate that I had developed relationships and had a producer willing to take a chance on this one. Yes, it covers grief, but the items on the checklist give it this inspirational aspect. Sprinkle in some romance! Throw in a rescue dog! [Laughs.] I’ve had some people email me, “I also lost my mom, and I just needed a good cry.” That’s really what touches me.

How does a straight-to-streaming Christmas movie find its audience?

It’s an uphill battle to get the word out, but I think there’s such a specific niche. I’ve been trying to put out the hashtag #HolidayGrief on all my stuff. I believe there’s a specific subset of people that maybe love those Hallmark movies and everything but happen to be grieving this Christmas. Where do they go?

I’ve also been teaching online classes through a group called Roadmap Writers. I tell people to go into a smaller niche. Would you rather be a big fish in a little pond or a little fish in this big pond of other fish? Lifetime thrillers are another niche that screenwriters can break into a little easier [than blockbusters], and faith-based movies.

Favorite Portland-specific holiday traditions?

We loved to go to the Grotto. It’s amazing with the lights and the caroling and the hot chocolate.

SEE IT: The Christmas Checklist, not rated, streams on Amazon Prime, Peacock, Roku and Tubi.