I LOVE CHRISTMAS!

By now, y’all definitely know that. I’ve actually been known to sneak in a Christmas movie or song here or there in the off season just to keep my Christmas game strong. But when it’s actual Christmas, I’m in Christmas mode the majority of the time. Because of this, I thought we’d do a special #favefive this week and talk about my favorite Christmas movies! And there are some movies that are an absolute must this time of year!

(These top five are not in any particular order- I love them all for different and unique reasons).

1. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

There is nothing that says Christmas more than Aunt Bethany singing The Star Spangled Banner after Uncle Lewis blows up the reindeer.  (And my very favorite part is her little swing to hands on her hips at the end!)

If you aren’t familiar with this one, it follows the Griswold family through the holiday season as hijinks ensue. All Clark wants for his family for Christmas is an in-ground swimming pool, but he gets quite a bit more!

There are so many funny parts in this movie, it’s hard to pinpoint just a few. This is one they still play on TV fairly frequently, so check your local listings to see it this year!

2. Dr. Suess’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas

This is such a classic to me. And in doing research for this, I can’t believe it’s been out for 17 years. I feel SO OLD!

This movie just the best to me. I can’t really describe why, but I just feel like it’s not Christmas until you watch this movie. I watched it while I made our Christmas cookies last weekend and pretty much quoted it word for word… Steven found another place to be… 😉

For those not familiar, this is the classic Dr. Suess story of the Grinch (a green, hairy man, with a deep-seated hatred for Christmas), and Cindy Lou Who, a Who from Whoville who wants to give the Grinch an attitude makeover.

**Bonus tidbit- Also in my research for this, I read that they are planning a CGI-animated remake with the voice of Benedict Cumberbatch as the Grinch to release in late 2018. I don’t even know how I feel about that…

3. Home Alone 

This is actually one of Steven’s favorites, and mine, too. I know we have a copy of it (a box set of Home Alone 1-4, actually, but Steven refuses to acknowledge anything but the original), but I haven’t been able to find it this year. But we will figure out some way to watch it! I am a total John Hughes junkie!

Basic info: Kevin’s family is all going on a major trip for the holidays, but he is unfortunately forgotten and left home alone. He must survive on his own, while fending off two burglars trying to take advantage of the family being gone.

4. The Santa Clause

We are big Tim Allen fans (back from Home Improvement, and now Last Man Standing is one of our favorites). This is just one of those great perfect mixes of humor and Christmas magic. And I will always love Santa and the elves walking down the hall to “Sharp Dressed Man”.

Basic Info: Scott Calvin works for a toy company, but when Santa falls off his roof and he puts on his suit, he suddenly becomes the new Santa!

5. Eloise at Christmastime

So, this one is probably lesser known. I adore the Eloise books, which are all about a precocious child who lives in the Plaza Hotel with her live-in nanny. They have all sorts of adventures, particularly with all the Plaza staff. And her nanny is played by the one and only Julie Andrews, one of my life role models.

In the Christmas version, Eloise finds out her best friend Bill the Bell Hop once dated the Plaza manager’s daughter- and she’s back for Christmas. Eloise will stop at nothing to help “true love”!

Here is Bill and Eloise with the most adorable Christmas carol…

And here is Bill and Rachel, performing an old classic together. I think it is “true love”! 😉

And here’s a bonus: 5 movies that are not really Christmas movies, but movies I love to watch at Christmas time! (There’s really no reason they make me think of Christmas (well, some of them have Christmas scenes), but they do!) Good for now, and good for later! (and yes, I have a Julie Andrews obsession. 😉 )

Little Women- Talk about a tear jerker. But sooooo good!

Uncle Buck- So, we may or may not walk around our house sometimes saying to each other “a-he-he-he-he-he”… We love this movie!

Harry Potter- Any of them. They are all perfect. 🙂

The Sound of Music– Fun fact: my first theatre role was as the youngest Von Trapp child, Gretl, in the high school production when I was in fourth grade. I’ve been in love with this story every since.

Mary Poppins– Practically perfect in every way! 🙂

 

So– if you are looking for a movie to watch this holiday season, I think we’ve got you covered! Leave a comment with your favorite movies to watch this time of year! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!

 

And here’s a little look at our life this week!