The two schools shown are named after the families in popular Christmas movies. McAllister Elementary is named after the McAlister family of Home Alone (1990) and Griswold Middle School is named after the Griswold family in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989).
This is the first Disney Channel Original Movie to premiere in November since Geek Charming (2011) 12 years prior.
This is the first Disney Channel Original Movie to premiere on a Wednesday.
This is only the 2nd Christmas themed DCOM to premiere less then 10 years after the previous.