For years, Benjamin Hollingsworth has been a familiar face in holiday romances filled with snow-dusted meet-cutes and last-minute declarations of love.

From festive favorites like Christmas with the Singhs and The Santa Summit to his latest seasonal release, The Christmas Ring, the Canadian actor has perfected

the art of delivering heartwarming, chaotic, and irresistibly cozy Christmas stories. But this year, life is imitating art in the most magical way.

Fresh off wrapping Season 7 of Virgin River—set to premiere in 2026—Hollingsworth is trading camera lights for twinkle lights as he prepares for what may be his most cinematic Christmas yet. And this time, there’s no script.

After months immersed in the emotional intensity of playing Brady on the beloved Netflix drama, Hollingsworth is stepping into a real-life holiday gathering that sounds like it was plucked straight from a feel-good screenplay. He and his wife of 13 years, Nila, are packing up their three children—Hemingway, nine, Gatsby, seven, and five-year-old Juniper—for a full-scale family reunion.

“This year, we’re getting my whole family together,” Hollingsworth revealed in a recent interview. And by “whole family,” he means everyone.

With three siblings—each now parents themselves—the actor explained that the growing clan has decided to rent a massive house to host Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the festivities beyond. His sister has two children, while his younger sister and brother have both recently welcomed newborns. The result? A bustling, laughter-filled, potentially chaotic celebration under one roof.

“It should be a lot of fun,” he said, with the kind of understated enthusiasm that suggests he’s bracing for joyful mayhem.

The timing couldn’t be better. After an emotionally demanding year balancing television drama and holiday film promotions—including the theatrical and on-demand release of The Christmas Ring—Hollingsworth is more than ready to embrace a slower pace. Yet, as fans of Virgin River know, even his downtime tends to carry a cinematic glow.

The actor’s own childhood Christmas memories read like scenes from a nostalgic winter montage. Growing up in Canada, white Christmases weren’t just a dream—they were a guarantee. Snow blanketed the landscape, creating the perfect setting for family traditions that were equal parts heartfelt and hilariously risky.

One standout memory? A Christmas Eve fondue tradition that nearly ended in disaster.

“It was very ambitious of my parents,” Hollingsworth admitted, laughing. Anyone who has attempted fondue knows the combination of open flames and enthusiastic children can spell trouble. In one particularly memorable moment, a placemat caught fire—an incident Hollingsworth jokingly suggests may have been his fault.

“There was a moment where it looked like it might happen,” he recalled, referring to the possibility of the house burning down. Thankfully, catastrophe was avoided, but the story has clearly earned a permanent place in family lore.

Then there was his father’s dedication to keeping the magic alive. In true movie-dad fashion, Hollingsworth’s father once climbed onto the roof to create sleigh marks in the snow, convincing his children that Santa had truly landed there. Another year may have involved a generous helping of eggnog, Hollingsworth teased—but the commitment to wonder was undeniable.

Now, as a father himself, he understands that devotion on an entirely new level.

“Reliving it through their eyes brings back memories from when I was a kid,” he said. “That’s something I wasn’t expecting.”

Parenthood has transformed the holiday season from a time of simple enjoyment into one of intricate preparation. There’s gift wrapping, coordination, and the delicate art of preserving Santa’s mystique. Yet Hollingsworth insists the effort is worth it.

His children are at what he calls the “perfect age”—old enough to revel in the magic, young enough to believe wholeheartedly in it. Watching them light up on Christmas morning has unlocked memories he didn’t even realize were stored away.

“I never considered how many memories are hidden in your brain,” he reflected. “As you’re doing all these things—whether it’s Christmas morning or going to hockey practice—it triggers those memories and brings them back to life.”

That emotional undercurrent feels strikingly aligned with the themes that have made Virgin River such a global hit. The series thrives on connection, family bonds, and the healing power of community—values Hollingsworth appears to cherish deeply off-screen.

As anticipation builds for Season 7, fans are eager to see what lies ahead for Brady, whose journey has been marked by redemption, heartbreak, and hard-won growth. Hollingsworth has navigated the character’s turbulence with layered vulnerability, making him one of the show’s most compelling figures.

Yet beyond the dramatic arcs and romantic entanglements, it’s clear that Hollingsworth’s real-life priorities are firmly rooted at home.

This Christmas, there will be no dramatic cliffhangers—just cousins meeting for the first time, siblings reconnecting, and a house full of children likely racing down hallways in festive pajamas. It may not involve scripted plot twists, but it promises something even more meaningful: shared memories in the making.

And if history is any indication, there might even be a fondue pot involved—though perhaps kept safely away from placemats this time.

For a star who has built a career bringing holiday magic to audiences worldwide, Benjamin Hollingsworth’s upcoming celebration feels beautifully full circle. Off-screen, away from the cameras and the fictional snowfalls, he’s creating the kind of Christmas story fans adore—one defined by laughter, nostalgia, and the quiet realization that sometimes, the most powerful moments don’t need a script at all.