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DEL.ICIO.USWhat’s your favorite Christmas movie?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s that time of year, when we cozy up near the fireplace to watch our favorite holiday movies. I’ve realized over the years, that my favorite Christmas movies are as about memories and traditions as about the movie themselves. So it’s no surprise then that my top five list has not changed much in the past 15 years except for one movie that came out in 2004.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas. This is a movie that I watch every year. In fact, for years, I didn’t get in the Christmas spirit until I’d seen that little doggie trying to pull that humongous sled of stolen toys up the mountain. But watching the Grinch’s heart grow three times bigger just before he returns the items to Whoville is what Christmas is all about.
The Year Without Santa Claus. “I’m Mr. Heat Miser, I’m Mr. Sun. I’m Mr. Green Christmas. I’m Mr. Heat Blister. I’m Mr. Hundred and One. They call me Heat Miser. Whatever I touch starts to melt in my clutch. I’m too much.” Okay, I watch just to hear the Snow Miser Heat Miser song….
It’s A Wonderful Life. This is a movie that’s on most people’s list, and how can it not be? An angel comes to earth to save a suicidal man on Christmas Eve. In the end, a husband and father who thought he’d be better off dead realizes just how important the small things he did during his life were to others.
The Polar Express. Several children board a magical steam locomotive for a trip to the North Pole on the night before Christmas. Along the way, they learn about friendship, trusting others and the true spirit of Christmas. My daughter was 6 years old when this movie was released in 2004. For years, the story of the bell helped me to explain why some kids believed in Santa, while others didn’t. “At one time, most of my friends could hear the bell,” says the lead character in the movie. “Though I’ve grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe.”
The Sound of Music. Okay, this 1965 movie musical about the Von Trapp family really has nothing to do with Christmas except that it seemed to come on television every year during the holidays. In my mind, it was always a Christmas movie for that reason and it’s now a movie that I watch with my family every Christmas. Its theme of love, family and helping others sounds Christmasy to me…
That’s my favorite list, what’s yours? Do you like the classics such as “Christmas Carol” and Miracle on 34th or prefer the comical ones such as “Bad Santa” and “Home Alone” or horror flicks like “Gremlins” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas?”
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Comments
By DJ
December 3, 2008 12:51 PM | Link to this
A Christman Story!!!!
By Stacey
December 3, 2008 1:03 PM | Link to this
I love most Christmas movies but if I have name an absolute favorite, I would have to choose “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer”. I also love “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” (the cartoon, not the movie), “Frosty The Snowman” (the original only - hate the sequels), any version of “A Christmas Carol” (especially Disney & Muppets), “Charlie Brown”, “Miracle on 34th Street”, “It’s A Wonderful Life”, “Polar Express”.
By Stacey
December 3, 2008 1:10 PM | Link to this
I forgot “A Christmas Story”! I guess I should have said everything except…LOL. For some reason I still haven’t seen any of the “Santa Clause” movies nor “Elf”. I’m going to have to make a point of watching them this year. “Rudolph” is coming on CBS tonight at 8:00 and ABC Family channel airs different Christmas movie every night from Dec 1st - 25th. My coworkers tease me by saying that there is a new invention called DVD’s that will allow me to watch them whenever I want to but for whatever reason I still prefer to watch them when the come on TV.
I also LOVE Christmas commercials! To me, they are better than the Super Bowl commercials!
By Lisa
December 4, 2008 9:57 AM | Link to this
Boy this is a tough one! The one’s that rank the highest are: White Christmas (with Bing Crosby), It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, A Christmas Carol (the original and Patrick Stewart’s version), It’s a Charlie Brown Christmas, The Year without Santa Clause, and Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer.
By kay
December 5, 2008 11:11 AM | Link to this
A Christmas Story- I was born in the early 1930s & the houses, cars, clothes, schools, how the characters dressed, etc. all are so very accurate to that time in life. All little boys coveted a Red Ryder gun, too - - it is a trip back in time for me to watch that movie and the simpleness of it all is really appealing.
By Kris
December 15, 2008 1:32 PM | Link to this
Elf would have to be my favorite! Every year my friends and I get together and bake cookies while watching Elf. It’s become a tradition!