<P> The film draws inspiration from the high demand for Christmas toys such as the Cabbage Patch Kids and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers in the late 1980s and early 1990s, which often led to intense searching and occasional violence amongst shoppers . Randy Kornfield wrote the film's original screenplay after witnessing his in - laws go to a Santa Monica toy store at dawn in order to get his son a Power Ranger . While admitting to missing the clamor for the Cabbage Patch Kids and Power Rangers, producer Chris Columbus experienced a similar situation in 1995 when he attempted to obtain a Buzz Lightyear action figure from the film Toy Story, released that year . As a result, he rewrote Kornfield's script, which was accepted by 20th Century Fox . Columbus was always "attracted to the dark side of the happiest holiday of the year", so wrote elements of the film as a satire of the commercialization of Christmas . Brian Levant was hired to direct the film . Columbus said Levant "underst (ood) the humor in the material" and "was very animated and excited, and he had a vision of what he wanted to do". Levant said "The story that was important to me was between the father and son...it's a story about love, and a father's journey to deliver it in the form of a Turbo Man doll . The fact that I got to design a toy line and do the commercials and make pajamas and comic books was fun for me as a filmmaker . But at its root, the movie's about something really sweet . It's about love and building a better family . I think that's consistent with everything I've done ." </P> <P> Arnold Schwarzenegger was quickly cast . He became available in February 1996 after Fox's remake of Planet of the Apes was held up again; Columbus also exited that project to work on Jingle All the Way . The film marks Schwarzenegger's fourth appearance as the lead in a comedy film, following Twins (1988), Kindergarten Cop (1990) and Junior (1994). Schwarzenegger was paid a reported $20 million for the role . He enjoyed the film, having experienced last - minute Christmas shopping himself, and was attracted to playing an "ordinary" character in a family film . Columbus initially wanted Joe Pesci to play Myron . Comedian Sinbad was chosen instead, partly due to his similar height and size to Schwarzenegger . Sinbad was suggested for the part by Schwarzenegger's agent, but the producers felt he was unsuited to the role of a villain as it could harm his clean, family - oriented comedy act and reputation, although Sinbad felt the character would generate the audience's sympathy rather than hate . Furthermore, he missed the audition due to his appearance with First Lady Hillary Clinton and musician Sheryl Crow on the USO tour of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but Columbus waited for him to return to allow him to audition and, although Sinbad felt he had "messed" it up, he was given the part . He improvised the majority of his lines in the film; Schwarzenegger also improvised many of his responses in his conversations with Sinbad's character . </P> <P> Filming took place in Minnesota for five weeks from April 15, 1996; at the time, it was the largest film production to ever take place in the state . Jingle All the Way was set and filmed in the Twin Cities metropolitan area of Minnesota at locations such as Bloomington's Mall of America, Mickey's Diner, downtown Minneapolis, Linden Hills, residential areas of Edina and primarily downtown Saint Paul . Unused shops in the Seventh Place Mall area were redecorated to resemble Christmas decorated stores, while the Energy Park Studios were used for much of the filming and the Christmas lights stayed up at Rice Park for use in the film . The Mall of America and the state's "semi-wintry weather" proved attractive for the studio . Although Schwarzenegger stated that the locals were "well - behaved" and "cooperative", Levant often found filming "impossible" due to the scale and noise of the crowds who came to watch production, especially in the Mall of America, but overall found the locals to be "respectful" and "lovely people ." Levant spent several months in the area before filming in order to prepare . The film uses artistic license by treating Minneapolis and Saint Paul as one city, as this was logistically easier; the police are labeled "Twin Cities Police" in the film . Additionally, the city's Holidazzle Parade is renamed the Wintertainment Parade and takes place on 2nd Avenue during the day, rather than Nicollet Mall at night . Levant wanted to film the parade at night but was overruled for practical reasons . </P> <P> The parade was filmed at Universal Studios Hollywood in California on the New York Street set, due to safety concerns . The set was designed to resemble 2nd Avenue; the parade was shot from above by helicopters and stitched into matte shots of the real - life street . It took three weeks to film, with 1,500 extras being used in the scene, along with three custom designed floats . Other parts of the film to be shot in Los Angeles, California included store interiors, and the warehouse fight scene between Howard and the criminal Santas, for which a Pasadena furniture warehouse was used . Turbo - Man was created and designed for the film . This meant the commercials and scenes from the Turbo - Man TV series were all shot by Levant, while all of the Turbo - Man merchandise, packaging and props shown in the film were custom made one - offs and designed to look "authentic, as if they all sprang from the same well ." Along with Columbus and Levant, production designer Leslie McDonald and character designer Tim Flattery crafted Turbo - Man, Booster and Dementor and helped make the full - size Turbo - Man suit for the film's climax . Principal production finished in August; Columbus "fine - tun (ed) the picture until the last possible minute," using multiple test audiences "to see where the big laughs actually lie ." </P>

Where was the movie jingle all the way filmed