Lacey Chabert is not only Hallmark’s queen of Christmas, she is a party planner extraordinaire — both on Celebrations With Lacey Chabert and at home.
“I get so many ideas. I’m planning my daughter’s birthday — It’s not for another six months — but I get really excited,” Chabert, 42, exclusively told Us Weekly ahead of the Monday, September 15, premiere of season 2 of her Hallmark Channel unscripted show.
“From every celebration I am, like, stealing ideas, sometimes stealing [or] borrowing actual props,” she continued. “I just returned some of the props I’ve borrowed from last season.”
She told Us that she had “some gingerbread men,” a top hat and “some paper flowers” at home after season 1 concluded.
“I have an entire garage full of it. It was time to return them,” Chabert, who shares daughter Julia, 9, with husband David Nehdar, said with a laugh.
Chabert noted that while she does assist the party planners on the show with creating unique celebrations for worthy “heroes” each episode, at home she is also always thinking about themes for her daughter’s various events.
Her favorites over the years, have ranged from a “Magical Mermaid” bash and a “Unicorn Dream” party to “French Kitty,” the theme for Julia’s sixth birthday in 2022.
“That was really fun. [There were] macarons and she had this incredible cake that my friend made,” Chabert recalled. “Everyone did, like, decorating [their] own berets and making their own little perfumes and that was my favorite one.”
When it comes to season 2 of Celebrations With Lacey Chabert, the host told Us there are equally as imaginative themes to look forward to.
“I end up saying, ‘This is my favorite party,’ every single time. And [the crew is] like, ‘Lacey, stop saying that. You just said that yesterday or three days ago.’ But every time I feel like it gets better and better,” Chabert told Us of the upcoming season. “The attention to detail is so special.”
She shared that there is a “boho brunch” episode, a “holiday luau” and more that viewers will watch unfold.
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Each episode Chabert surprises deserving “heroes,” who have been nominated by family and friends with a once-in-a-lifetime party to thank them for their good work within their respective community.
While it was easy to keep the parties a secret in season 1, she told Us that season 2 included a few more logistical hurdles since some people had seen the show.
“We’re pretty crafty about it. And everyone involved understands that, you know, while the surprise isn’t the centerpiece of this story, it really is fun to be able to surprise our heroes,” Chabert explained. “So everyone is very good about keeping a secret.”
She noted that to keep the surprise authentic, the camera crew does one shot with “multiple” angles to show exactly how excited the hero is in the moment.
“It’s a really sweet moment when I look around and realize that everyone is really affected by these stories,” Chabert said. “I feel like on this show I get to have the best moments of my Hallmark movies come to life. It’s the real-life version of some of my favorite moments from these movies.”
Chabert called Celebrations a “passion project,” which leaves her “inspired” every day.
“Whether it be planning the party or the segments that we get to film … I’m just so moved by the incredible impact that our heroes have on their communities and beyond,” she added. “I go home every day with a full heart.”
Season 2 of Celebrations With Lacey Chabert premieres on Hallmark Channel Monday, September 15, at 8 p.m. ET.
