Hey everyone! I'm just going to stop apologizing for missing posts because it seems like I do this every week now... Thursday was a bit hectic for me because I had to run a ton of errands and then work late, so I really just wanted to sleep when I got home. That being said, this is a fun, (pointless), post about Christmas, so it's not like you were missing out on anything. Tomorrow is also my birthday, so I'm looking forward to taking advantage of the weekend off. I plan on watching a lot of Christmas movies, since I haven't watched any yet this season because I've been so busy. Here are my go-to Christmas films!
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Rankin Bass Classics: These movies fall under their own category because EVERYONE watches them at Christmastime. The four core films are The Little Drummer Boy, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, and Santa Clause is Coming to Town. I usually don't watch The Little Drummer Boy because I was forced to watch it a lot as a child because I was raised Catholic and I never really liked Frosty, so I usually stick to Rudolph and Santa Clause is Coming to Town. These classics are a staple in our home and frequent the ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas. If you haven't watched these yet or never heard of them, there's something wrong with you.
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The Year Without a Santa Clause: Obviously there are more Rankin Bass films than just the four listed above, but it would take me forever to name them all. There's Rudolph's Shiny New Year, Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July, and then this gem: The Year Without a Santa Clause. This is probably one of my favorite Christmas movies of all time. The main reason my sister and I love this movie so much is because of Heat Miser and Snow Miser, who control the weather in each hemisphere. They do not get along and constantly try to outdo each other to impress their mother, Mother Nature. Their song in this movie is the one that will get stuck in your head FOR DAYS, so tread lightly. I'm more of a Snow Miser person while my sister is all Heat Miser, so pick your side and enjoy this lovely film!
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Elf: Will Ferrell at his best. Most people either love or hate this movie, but I fall within the former. There's nothing about this movie that I don't like. It's hilarious and full of forever quotes. I may start my Christmas marathon with this one. I mean come on...
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How could you not love that? This is my favorite line in the movie, by the way. Yes, out of all of them.
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Home Alone 2: Lost in New York: This is my favorite of all the Home Alone movies. The setting is perfect for Christmas, the shenanigans are on point and the cast is great. Tim Curry is amazing, as always. Who wouldn't want to be stranded in NYC around Christmastime with a wallet full of credit cards? I loved the toy store in this one too. It reminded me of an older FAO Schwartz, back in the day. It's a really well-done film. Very underrated!
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The Santa Clause: This is an oldie, but goodie in my book. Tim Allen is great in this movie! If you don't know the premise already, when Santa comes to Tim Allen's home, he accidentally falls off the roof, leaving his coat behind with a small card of instructions. Scott Calvin, (Tim Allen), dons the suit and becomes the new Santa Clause, unbeknownst to him. He spend almost the entire movie fighting the change and refusing to believe in himself, at the expense of his young son Charlie. The movie also deals with the concept of divorce in a heartbreaking way, so get your tissue ready when you sit down to watch this one. Despite the emotions, this one is a great pick!
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The Muppet Christmas Carol: Last but not least, this classic movie with a Muppet twist. Out of all the remakes and variations of this Christmas story, this one is by far my favorite and, if I may be so bold, the best. You have the talented Michael Caine as Mr. Scrooge, Gonzo and Rizzo are narrating, (there's actually a lot of adult humor in this, which I didn't realize until I became an adult), and the old guys from the balcony as Marley and Marley. It's creepy at times, (because puppets), the songs are amazing, (they will also get stuck in your head), and the cast of Muppets stay true to themselves while also staying in character. IT'S SO GOOD! If you haven't experienced this adaptation, please do so immediately.
Those are all my best Christmas movies! This post got me super excited to watch them all, so I may have to start after dinner tonight. Let me know in the comments below if you love some, (or all), of these as well or which Christmas movies your family watches every year, (my husband's family watches A Wish for Wings That Work). Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.
Welcome to Blogmas Week 3! This week, we will be counting down the best Christmas movies to watch during the holidays. Unfortunately, I'm not well versed in the classics like Miracle on 34th Street or White Christmas and I get sick and tired of the A Christmas Story marathon, so these are just my personal favorites and don't reflect any sort of majority ruling over holiday movies, but I think they're pretty awesome!
10. A Wish For Wings That Work- This one is hard to explain, but it has become an important part of my new family tradition. My husband's family watches this movie every year on Christmas day, all huddled together around some cinnamon rolls. It is hilarious and you should definitely give it a shot!
9. The Polar Express- Everyone knows about The Polar Express, and if you don't I feel bad for you. It's another book turned to film story about a boy taken on a joyous train ride to the North Pole. Definitely a feel-good family movie for those of you who'd like to sit together for almost two hours listening to Tom Hanks speak. My idea of a good time.
8. The Nightmare Before Christmas- A definite classic, if you can't get over the fact that Halloween is over, but you still love Christmas, this movie is for you. It's not one of my main picks, but it's on the list because when I am in the mood to watch it, nothing can stop me. I enjoy it more during the Halloween season solely because it's one of the only "scary" movies I can handle, but still a great Christmas film with an awesome soundtrack to boot!
7. A Charlie Brown Christmas- Always on TV anyway, Charlie Brown always meant Christmas to me. Although he has amounted a plethora of escapades, some of which involving him with an unfortunately encounter with a football, Charlie Brown's Christmas special is still my all-time favorite and really sings through the meaning of the holiday season. No one can forget the musical styling of Schroeder!
6. How The Grinch Stole Christmas- Jim Carrey is a God among men for these miraculous acting skills. He personifies the Grinch in every aspect of the word and commits to the character flawlessly. I will always like the original Dr. Seuss cartoon, however, this live-action movie blew me away with it's wit, satire and moving performances all around. Always a crowd favorite. Cindy Lou Who is a gem!
5. The Muppet Christmas Carol- I am not ashamed to say that I actually watched this today because I FINALLY found it online somewhere and I fell in love all over again! This is the Charles Dickens's version, obviously with a twist. The muppets brings the light-hearted hilarity in this classic story. Michael Caine isn't too bad as Scrooge either. If you've never seen it or even heard of it, GO FIND IT and watch it right now! You'll be glad you did. How could you say no to muppets?!
4. The Santa Clause- This movie has always been one of my favorites. The originals are usually the best, and this is no exception. It's the kind of movie you'll wait around for until Christmas comes along. The story between the father and son make this movie family-friendly, (and a bit tear-jerky...). Tim Allen's not bad as Santa either, but you'll have to watch to find out! Another great classic.
3. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York- Again, I couldn't help myself, so I watched this yesterday. Another great family film, but different from the original in the sense that he ends up in New York, the best city in the world to be in at Christmas time. Who wouldn't want to do what Kevin does? Tim Curry and Rob Schneider give rousing performances as well. This one will always be my favorite out of the three existing Home Alone movies.
2. Elf- Obviously this has become a cult classic Christmas movie among the holiday elite. The strangers you meet every day out in public know this movie and can, (and probably will), quote it with you. It has become almost everybody's favorite Christmas movie of all time and remains the top pick in my house for next week's Christmas movie marathon. The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear...
*1. Rankin Bass Trifecta (plus The Year Without A Santa Claus)-
If some of you are confused, I lumped these movies together into one category for two reasons. The first is that they usually come in a boxed set anyway, so listing them as separate movies just seemed wrong. The second is that they are the epitome of Christmas classics and I couldn't choose just one. If some of you are still confused, these movies are Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, The Little Drummer Boy, and Santa Claus is Comin' to Town. I included The Year Without a Santa Claus because it's still a Rankin Bass production and it's one of my favorites, (plus nobody really watches The Little Drummer Boy anyway). All the movies are filmed in stop-motion animation, which require a great deal of skill, time and effort. These were TV specials, first introduced in the 1960s, have become some of the most recognizable characters of Christmas and have melted the hearts of many viewers. You can find most of these films on YouTube, so if you're unfamiliar with them I suggest you make yourself familiar before Christmas. These are what classics should be.
So there you have it, my Top 10 favorite Christmas movies of all time. I have already gotten through half of this list by now, so I plan on finishing strong within the next week. If your favorite movie didn't make my own list, leave it in the comments! Only 6 more days until Christmas!! And it's my birthday today!!! (which is why I posted early). Next Tuesday is Christmas Eve, so I'll be talking about family traditions and tips for Yankee Swap! Until next time, I remain your faithful Christmas correspondent.
