Jana Kramer and Karen Kingsbury Bring Heart and Hope to ‘The Christmas Ring’ This Holiday Season (EXCLUSIVE)
The bestselling author’s new film blends hope, faith, and the magic of Christmas
Filmmaker and New York Times bestselling author Karen Kingsbury brings warmth, faith, and hope to the big screen once again with her latest film, The Christmas Ring, opening in theaters on November 6. The heartfelt holiday story stars Jana Kramer as a military widow who embarks on a journey to find her family’s lost Christmas heirloom — a ring that dates back to D-Day — and Greyston Holt as the poetic antiques dealer who helps her along the way. Featuring Kelsey Grammer and Jessie James Decker, the film weaves together themes of love, loss, and the healing magic of the season.
For Kingsbury, the timing and message of the movie couldn’t be more fitting. “I think that people have hearts that are more tender during Christmas,” she says. “Faith is on the rise. Bible sales are on the rise. Like there’s lots of hope.”
The story, she explains, reflects the season’s invitation to reflect and renew: “All of it kind of comes together at Christmas time, when there’s an open heart toward forgiveness, reconciliation, life, and love.” Above all, Kingsbury hopes audiences will “go into the movie theaters as strangers and come out as a community.”
Here, Karen Kingsbury and Jana Kramer open up to Woman’s World about what it was like on set, how they stay stress-free during the busy holiday season, and the wholesome nature of their new film.
Redemption and forgiveness in ‘The Christmas Ring’
Karen is hopeful that the film will spark reconciliation and redemption in all relationships. “It’s a beautiful love story, and it brings in the truth about ‘For unto us, a Savior is born.’ That’s the whole point of Christmas. The message in it is so rich. But I didn’t realize how much there’s a message of reconciliation in this movie and in the book until I watched it come to life with the actors,” Karen says. “They’re so talented. Jana Kramer, Benjamin Hollingsworth, Kelsey Grammer — they had big, meaty problems to work through in terms of relationships.
“I was watching one scene between Ben and Kelsey, and it’s a father-son moment. I literally just had tears streaming down my face because it was a moment of reconciliation. I had a vision of people finding healing in their relationships because of this movie. And it was just like a moment, realizing this is bigger than me. It’s bigger than anything we could do. God is calling us to love and forgive, and it’s going to happen with this movie.”
Karen Kingsbury on writing the movie before the book
“This was a story that came kind of out of nowhere,” Karen says. “I am a big plotter and planner for the year ahead, and the Lord laughs at that. But in January, February, March, I had no idea that we were doing a movie in 2025. Then a conversation with a friend led to a conversation with a streamer, and I pulled out an outline that I’d had that I loved, but I just didn’t have the time or the bandwidth to do. And it was really received well.
“So I was like, ‘Okay, well, The Christmas Ring. Let’s do it.’ And then it kind of morphed into, ‘Let’s make it theatrical!’ Jenna Kramer is a gift. She’s amazing.
“My screenwriting partner, Tyler Russell and I wrote the script, but I’m such a reader first. So I loved the script, and I could see it on the screen in my mind, but I was missing details. I wanted more that we couldn’t put in a movie. So I thought, ‘Well, if I want more, other people are going to want more too.’ So I took eight days and just blocked everything off and I wrote the book. I had to! I needed to know more about what happened!”
On set of ‘The Christmas Ring’
As a mother with sweet southern hospitality, Karen was on set each day ensuring the cast and crew were well taken care of. “Karen was passing out food, and asking me and Ben, ‘Do you need your smoothies today or your shakes? How is the dinner? How is the lunch? Do you want me to get you anything?’ and I was just like, ‘Karen, you are the most brilliant set mom ever!’ says Jana.
“She just poured her whole heart and soul into — not only the script — but the energy on that set. I was so sad to wrap because she just made the energy on the set so full of family, life, and love. This is not how it normally is, but it should be always like this!”
But for Karen, it was all about making the set a comfortable and homey place. “You’re going to watch the film and think it’s cold because of how we filmed it, but it was so hot,” laughs Karen. “My number one concern was the cast and the crew because some of them are wearing heavy coats. We provided an air-conditioned car for the cast that they could just run to real quick between takes, and whatever snacks and food they wanted.
“If I had them over to my house, I would do that, and even though it’s a lot of them, and we’re on the move constantly, it still felt like they were family.”
Karen and Jana’s tips for a stress-free holidays
“In the big picture, you’re going to look back on this time in five years, and you’re going to want to smile about it. Whatever you’re stressed about, first of all, it’s not going to last forever,” says Karen. “Learn to laugh about it now. Set time to pray. I also choosing to not let stress take away from the bubble of peace that I get with Jesus. He’s on the throne of my life. Take the burden off yourself, and make the moments more important than the gifts.”
Similarly, Jana is deciding to be less stressed this year too. “I’ve got three kids, and there’s so many traditions I feel like we have to do to watch all the movies and go see lights. So I try to just remember to be grateful that I get to do all these things with my kids because there’s a time when I’m not going to be able to,” Jana says.
“For the empty nesters, do something that fills your cup that you’re grateful for around this time of year. Find that peace and remember just why we celebrate Christmas, and have gratitude that we’re alive, breathing, and able to celebrate with family and friends. When it becomes stressful, then it becomes a job, and it shouldn’t be. It shouldn’t feel that way. It should feel exciting!”
How the duo keeps the faith year-round
“One of the quotes that Kelsey says in the movie is: Hope abounds. My character was a widow, and she’s had a big loss. In my personal life, I’ve had divorce, I’ve had loss, and it’s easy to lose hope that there is love out there,” Jana says.
“I think the message is that in the season that you’re in, it might be really hard and it might be challenging, but that you know with God, you’re not alone. There is hope, and to hold on to that. I’m a big believer that He turns ashes into beauty.”
Karen shares that simply making a movie and doing what God calls her to do helps her learn to trust in Him more. “When I write a book, God gives me a story, and I put it on the page. Then I step back. On release day, it’s also me releasing it to God for Him to do what only He can do,” Karen says.
“But making movies is so hard. I can control everything about a book, right? The weather, the casting, everything. But in a movie, anything could go wrong, so it’s very hard. So it’s about stepping out of the boat like Peter to walk on some waves. You have to keep your eyes on Jesus. And for me, that is a thrill because it is truly a faith walk, and God has been continually meeting us there to where everything that could go right.”
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