25 Days of Christmas (Day 2)

For this installment, I wish to share my favorite Christmas themed movies and television shows. A couple are traditional that all of us as a family (as in myself, my husband and our kids) watch every year.

First up is... "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation".

I don't care how many times I have seen this one, I laugh until I cry EVERY single time that I watch it. You can't get a more dysfunctional and diverse family as the Griswold's. Plus it is nice to see my cousin Mae Questel, who was the ORIGINAL model and voice for Betty Boop as the crazy, "not-all-there" aunt.

Clark really knows how to put on a show of lights for Christmas to!! Especially when it blinds the neighbors and causes a neighborhood-wide power surge.


Next up is... "Home Alone".

This is no ordinary kid. After being left behind when the rest of his family leaves for Christmas vacation, a couple of burglars invade the home in the hopes of getting some goods. Only their enemy, a ten year old boy is proven to be way too smart for the bumbling pair.

Again, no matter how many times that I have watched "Home Alone" (or it's sequel) you just can't NOT laugh at the stupidity of two grown men being outwitted by a little kid with some of the BEST booby traps I have EVER seen made, and not getting killed in the process.


Now, let's move on to... "The Muppet's; A Christmas Carol".

With a kid-friendly twist on the Charles Dickens classic, this would be a family crowd pleaser. If you love the Muppets (I have since they were on the "Muppet Show"), then I can say you will certainly enjoy the antics and comedy that goes in to setting Scrooge straight.


Now for a family tradition.... "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas".

This has been a timeless classic for me to view since I was a small child. Now, I carry along the tradition in my home, with my children. It's one of those times where I share a bit about my mom with my kids and give them a small taste of what my holidays were like with her.

And I swear to you, my youngest, when put in a Santa hat and pink jammies, is a dead ringer for Cindy Lou Who!


Another classic for my time, and more along my enjoyment is... "Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol" (featuring the late George C. Scott).

I'll be the first to admit, I am not the black and white, golden age movies kind of girl. Only a few b&w movies will I watch. And those, I can count on one hand. And as for classics such as Mr. Scott's portrayal of Ebeneezer Scrooge, he ALMOST got ranked with the classics that I really don't care to see.

That is, until my dad forced me to watch it one year as a teen. I loved it from that point on. Sure it started a bit slow. But the acting, the effects (for it's time) and the cast selection, as well as how they screen played the story grabbed me in, and I was hooked for life.

I'm thinking that I am starting to see a trend here...


Last, but most certainly not least, and yet another family show that my kids watch with me every year is... "A Charlie Brown Christmas".

How can you NOT love Charlie Brown's heart, caring and warmth in finding the "perfect" Christmas tree? All of his friends (Linus, Marcy, Peppermint Patty, etc.) all claim that Charlie Brown will do as he always does... screw up.

In the end, yeah, they are kind of correct. He does screw up. He gets the scrawniest, littlest, weakest tree because there were no other "good" trees available on Christmas. But in the end the gang learned a valuable lesson.

Less is more. It's the meaning, not the actual thing that counts. And something ugly can in turn be one of the most beautiful things of all.

So, there ends my Christmas time favorite movies and shows. Feel free to add your list as well to the comments. Or better yet, try jumping in and doing a "25 Days Of Christmas" with me! It's not too late to join in the fun.

See you all tomorrow!