We have an extensive collection of Christmas music. Our playlist runs the gamut from Julie Andrews to Weezer. So, technically we don't have Weezer's Christmas album, but just for fun their song "Holiday" is included on our playlist, too. Yeah, we're awesome like that. We've got so much Christmas music we could listen to it nonstop for over 24 hours and never repeat a single track. This time of year the soundtrack of our lives is exclusively Christmas themed and we're all humming and singing our favorites everywhere we go. I'm especially fond of "Do You Hear What I Hear." The boys love "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." And, none of us can ever get enough of "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas," -- who can?
We love Christmas movies, too. But, I'm embarrassed to admit our collection is pretty pathetic. Of course we have
White Christmas,
Elf,
the obligatory collection of animated Christmas classics
and...well, that's about it. Pretty sad, I know. So loyal readers, I'm soliciting suggestions. What are your favorite and must have Christmas movies? We need to expand our collection posthaste and all recommendations are welcome. Can't wait to watch what you come up with.
7 comments:
Sandra and I have a standard set of "Christmas" movies that we watch each Christmas. These are:
(1) "Scrooge" with Albert Finney. A musical version of "A Christmas Carol" with songs that have stood the test of time enough that the MoTabs regularly perform them over 40 years later. My favorite Christmas movie of all time.
(2) "Sleepless in Seattle". No, really. If Sandra and I are driving together in Nov/Dec and pass horses in a field (pretty much 100% certainty here in Colorado), one of us almost always breaks out with "Harses, Harses, Harses, Harses." Also, my favorite RomCom of all time.
(3) "A Christmas Story." 'Nuff said. Just gets more brilliant with time.
(4) "Meet Me in St. Louis" with Judy Garland. Garland's original performance of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is the best ever. Also, Garland's little sister in the movie reminds me of myself as a child.
(5) "While You Were Sleeping". My favorite Sandra Bullock movie and my second-favorite RomCom of all time.
(6) "About a Boy". My favorite Hugh Grant movie, my favorite Toni Collette movie, and one of my favorite movies ever. Brilliantly written, acted, and directed; in a certain way, a sort of post-modern Scrooge.
Sandra throws in "Mirror, Mirror", not because of any Christmas themes, but because we first watched it at Christmas time.
Claymation Christmas and The Snowman
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase is the Kesler family favorite. Not quite age-appropriate for the kids, though. Home Alone was my brother's favorite, but it may give your boys all sorts of mischevious ideas. My kids adore the Christmas Classics and How the Grinch Stole Christmas (in both book and movie form). I think The Santa Clause is funny, if you like Tim Allen (with the caveat that it's been awhile since I've seen it). I love Christmas movies!
Mr. Krueger's Christmas
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (cartoon)
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Ummmmmm....no Christmas is complete without "Home Alone" 1,2 and 3. I also concur that "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" is necessary. And how can a family live without "A Christmas Story"? I can't comprehend! My husband likes the "Muppet's Christmas Carol". All of these are family friendly (for the most part...Christmas Vacation may be less appropriate than the others) and will add to your joy and silliness. Of course there are touchy feely movies, too. And there are many great movies about the birth of our Savior, but for fun, this is my list:-)
The Bishop's Wife (Cary Grant version of course), The Shop Around the Corner, Muppet Christmas Carol, and of course It's a Wonderful Life.
I love LOVE Disney's A Christmas Carol. It's on Netflix this year as part of "Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mickey Mouse." There are several Disney Christmas cartoons in this collection, lamely tied together with some weakly animated inanity. But my kids like all of it, and I love the one part. Worth it!
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