Christmas Movies

If I started this post with something like, "I'm so happy that Thanksgiving is over because now, I get to start watching Christmas movies" I'd be lying.  Not because I don't watch them rather, because I don't really stop watching them throughout the year.  I dearly LOVE Christmas movies.  Nearly all of them--contemporary, classic, cheery, cheesy, traditional, remakes, B&W, color...you name it, I am probably not only familiar with it but love it!  I just like the way these movies make me feel all 'Christmasy' inside.  And, yes, I DO shed a few tears at the happy parts as well as any sad parts-even if I've seen the movie one hundred times.

I enjoy the animated specials, the Hallmark movies, other 'made-for-television' movies, the big screen movies, and all the oldies.  I do have my favorites, such as any and all versions of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol--the traditional telling with Alastair Sim or the one with George C. Scott or An American Christmas Carol or any other 'traditional' version except the musical one--don't really like that one.  Of course, there are the more contemporary versions such as Scrooged; A Carol Christmas; A Diva's Christmas Carol; Ebby; Ms. Scrooge...this list could go on forever!  Then there are the ever popular, more contemporary movies including A Christmas Story; Elf; Christmas Vacation; The Santa Clause; The Family Stone, The Preacher's Wife, etc.  And the classics?  Oh my goodness!  White Christmas; Holiday Inn; It's a Wonderful Life; Christmas in Connecticut; The Bishop's Wife..  With all the holiday movies out there, it's a wonder I get anything accomplished for the season at all!

If I had to narrow down my favorites to a TOP TEN, I probably could.  With great effort (if all versions of A Christmas Carol counted as only one).  However, I do know which one would be NUMBER 1- even above all versions of A Christmas Carol-- LOVE ACTUALLY.  And not just because Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, and Alan Rickman are in it (excuse me while I fan myself for a moment- it suddenly became quite warm in here).  I love the individual stories and the way the interconnectedness between them is shown.  I love the situations, conflicts, and resolutions of each story as it attempts to deal with new love; forbidden love; lost love; confused love; tormented love; love between friends... I run the gamut on emotions when I watch this movie---tears, anger, happiness, sadness, laughter, lust, drooling...  While I find myself watching some Christmas movies by myself, this is one of the movies that everyone in the family enjoys- even Hubs and BestSonInLawEVER.  Although I doubt anyone else would enjoy watching with us.  We've seen it so many times we tend to recite lines with the characters!   

So, while decorating and baking, I won't really be alone as I will continue the tradition of watching all of the Christmas movies that I possibly can.  Then, when the girls come home to help, they will watch with me.  Hubs will join in when he can.  And we won't miss any of our favorites because, well, we own them on DVD.  For now, I leave you with my favorite quotes from my top 4 Christmas movies:

Love Actually:  
"Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaking suspicion... love actually is all around."

The Bishop's Wife:

"Tonight I want to tell you the story of an empty stocking. Once upon a midnight clear, there was a child's cry, a blazing star hung over a stable, and wise men came with birthday gifts. We haven't forgotten that night down the centuries. We celebrate it with stars on Christmas trees, with the sound of bells, and with gifts. But especially with gifts. You give me a book, I give you a tie. Aunt Martha has always wanted an orange squeezer and Uncle Henry can do with a new pipe. For we forget nobody, adult or child. All the stockings are filled, all that is, except one. And we have even forgotten to hang it up. The stocking for the child born in a manger. Its his birthday we're celebrating. Don't let us ever forget that. Let us ask ourselves what He would wish for most. And then, let each put in his share, loving kindness, warm hearts, and a stretched out hand of tolerance. All the shinning gifts that make peace on earth."

A Christmas Carol:

"Scrooge was better than his word.  He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father.  He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world.  Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have the malady in less attractive forms.  His own heart laughed: and that was quite enough for him.
He had no further intercourse with Spirits, but lived upon the Total Abstinence Principle, ever afterwards; and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge.  May that be truly said of us, and all of us!  And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!"

And, on a lighter note:

Christmas Vacation:
"Where do you think you're going? Nobody's leaving. Nobody's walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. We're all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here. We're gonna press on, and we're gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny fucking Kaye. And when Santa squeezes his fat white ass down that chimney tonight, he's gonna find the jolliest bunch of assholes this side of the nuthouse."