The Jersey girls from Thats4Entertainment, who organize an annual Christmas movie convention in Edison, gave us an early Christmas present: the dates for 2025 have been announced (December 12-14) and tickets go on sale tomorrow!
Christmas Con 2024Â took place last weekend at the New Jersey Convention & Expo Center, welcoming thousands of fans of movies, Christmas and both. Every year since 2019 has been a fan’s dream, with the biggest attraction being the meet-and-greets with celebrities. The actors have appeared in various movies across Hallmark Channel, Great American Family, Lifetime and UPtv.
The selfie line is the way to go if you want to chat for a minute or two with your favorite celeb. Note for next year: if you didn’t meet new star B.J. Britt from “The Groomsmen,” he gives the best hugs! Make sure you have cash on hand and be prepared to wait, possibly for hours – the line for Tyler Hynes typically goes up to 6 hours (but totally worth it – he is our must-see every year). The bonus is that you can get personal with each actor, ask for an autograph, bring your whole crew, and fully immerse yourself in the experience.
The other option is buying a timed, professional photo op; this can be done online in advance or at the show, if there is availability. The downside is that photo op lines breeze through without a chance to say more than “hi” to your favorite star – but the upside is you have a set time to get in line, you don’t wait as long as on the selfie lines, and you have a beautifully printed photo with your celebrity crush. It’s perfect for a picture frame on the mantel. Or head back to the selfie line to get it autographed.
You can only bring up to four people for the picture, but a lot of the professional photos include groups of actors from their movies or shows – for example, this year the cast from “The Good Witch” was available all together. And the most popular group was Hynes, Andrew Walker and Paul Campbell who wore their elf costumes from “Three Wise Men and a Baby” two years ago but came dressed as candy canes from the sequel “Three Wiser Men and a Boy” this year.
There are many more ways to get into the Christmas spirit. The event kicks off with a Christmas tree lighting on Friday and a gathering of celebs in front of the tree each morning. There is a kids’ corner, a collection site for Toys for Tots, and this year a virtual reality arena for a techie snowball fight. Look for The Village Carolers, who stop to sing quite often throughout the convention floor.
There are celebrity panels scheduled all weekend, where you can hear actors talk about their lives and careers, judge an ugly sweater contest or play Minute to Win It. It’s a great opportunity to see your faves up close while hearing behind-the-scenes stories and watching them have fun as regular people.
There are also special events, like after-hours movie screenings and concerts; this year, stars from “Three Wiser Men and a Boy” walked the White Carpet before a Q&A and screening of the movie on Friday, and several actors put on a concert for VIP ticketholders on Saturday night.
When it comes time to shop, there are dozens of vendors selling everything from artisan chocolates and baked goods to alcohol-infused gummy bears to skincare to home decor and ornaments. Authors sell their Christmas themed books, artists from Disney and The Muppets showcase their work, and there’s a hair design center so you can prep for your photo. The convention center has a small food court, plus there is an empanada stand, snacks like gingerbread cookies and popcorn – or pack your own lunch if you’re staying the day. Insider’s tip: Harold’s New York Deli is just 5 minutes away, and is an institution for its gigantic deli sandwiches.
Make sure to stop by all the selfie stations. Stand in front of Santa’s sleigh (you can take pictures with Santa, too), sit in a winter wonderland, step inside a larger-than-life toy box, and check out several Christmas Con-themed backdrops.
Whether you go for a few hours on one day or the entire weekend, it’s perfect for anyone who loves Christmas, especially holiday movies. Grab your girlfriends and make it the perfect Christmas gift IOU.
Christmas Con is produced by That’s 4 Entertainment and is held at the New Jersey Convention and Expo Center, 97 Sunfield Ave., Edison. The dates for 2025 are December 12-14, and tickets go on sale at 12 pm on Friday, January 3. The VIP options – which grant you early admission, separate line entrance, access to exclusive events and a cool swag bag – sell out super quickly.
Check out our Instagram feed for a recap of the 2023 convention and the best of 2024!
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