My Favorite Christmas Movies!

    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.

BLOGMAS Week 4: Christmas Eve Traditions

   

    It's Christmas Eve!  I hope everyone is off having a great time with family today and tonight:)  I've been baking, wrapping and watching Elf all afternoon so far.  Today I want to talk about traditions and how much they impact our lives and the lives of those around us.

    For as long as I can remember, my family has done a huge fish fry for Christmas Eve dinner.  Apparently in Italian-American tradition, the Festa dei sette pesci, or the Feast of Seven Fishes, is customary Christmas Eve dinner and includes the consumption of at least seven different types of seafood.  This tradition originated with the Roman Catholics, who refrained from eating meat or dairy for Lent and instead fried fish in oil.
    For my family, we usually have calamari, which is raw or fried squid, fried shrimp and haddock, shrimp scampi, something we call "pizza fish," and chicken nuggets with french fries...for the kids, (although I've been known to sneak a plate full...no judgment).  "Pizza fish" is simply a white fish with bread crumbs, tomato sauce and parmesan cheese placed on a baking sheet and cooked in the oven.  It is to die for!  I love everything about this meal and it's something I've looked forward to every year for Christmas since I was little.  Getting together with my Italian family makes my heart soar:)

    Since getting married, I have had to alter my traditions ever so slightly to accommodate my husband, who also has a family, (I know, right?).  This year is his year, so we will be going to his aunt and uncle's house for chop suey and a movie-themed Yankee Swap.  I had never done a Yankee Swap before I met my husband, so the concept is still a little new to me.  I guess usually the hosts of the party pick a theme, (Alphabet, color, etc.), and each guest has a price limit to spend on a gift for the swap.  Once the swap has started, each person draws a number and they pick presents at random in the number order.  Depending on where each person falls on the number line, whenever they pick up a gift they have the opportunity to swap with another person who has already gone.  The person who has picked the number one spot has his or her choice of any of the presents.

    We had a tough enough time last time we went thinking of a gift with a movie theme...so this year was just as difficult.  Luckily we found something perfect!  We have only been to his family's gathering a couple of times since being together, but it's always fun to see everyone and it's so warm and inviting.  I'm still getting used to not being with my family every year, but it's been a lot easier this year and I haven't cried yet!  So I'm keeping my spirits high and looking forward to eating and spending time with the Lapierre clan:)
    Another thing about tonight is that we have to bring a dessert or an appetizer.  I probably should have gone with an appetizer, because the brownies I made look less than satisfactory...  I tried a new recipe, without testing it first, and doubled the ingredients so it would feed everyone at least once.  Unfortunately I think my plan backfired because I definitely used too much of something, (I'm guessing brown sugar, since that's basically all it is at this point).  I'm hoping they still taste good, but I'll have to cut them up and taste test before packaging them up for tonight.

    That's all I have for today!  I have to get back to wrapping, but if you have a cool family tradition for Christmas Eve or for Christmas day, let me know in the comments!  I can't wait for tomorrow, I am so excited!!  All the joy and happiness makes me feel great and it's what Christmas should be about.  The real spirit of Christmas is alive and well inside of me, so I hope my good vibes rub off on you today!  Enjoy your family, enjoy the food and enjoy Christmas!  I'll be back Thursday for the woes of after-Christmas retail returns and tips to survive the after-holiday blues.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

    MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!