It's after Halloween, which means it's the season of unapologetic Christmas movie watching!
Purists, including my Puritanical father (hi Dad!) will insist that you have to wait until after Thanksgiving before engaging in any Christmas-related activity. To that I say: How arbitrary. American Thanksgiving happens only in America, hence Christmas season everywhere else begins earlier. Also, it is called the Holiday season for a reason: many holidays! Also, it is America, so do what you want. Also-also, in one of the opening scenes of Love Actually, the countdown says "6 Weeks Until Christmas", which is NOW! Ergo, it's totally okay to watch Christmas movies now. Did I move too fast with that math for you?
Quick look over here!
The point, really, is that you should do what makes you happy. And fall leading into the holidays is the time of year that makes me happiest. It centers around food, presents, family, downtime, parties, sentimental music and movies, and pretty much all the things I like most in life. Christmas movies are my favorites. In no particular order (well, after the first three), here are some of mine. I hope you'll share yours with me! I am always looking for good new movies.
1. It's a Wonderful Life (Tradition! One of my most favorite movies. And I love this specific DVD set because it has both the black and white, and colorized versions.)
2. Love Actually (Probably my favorite movie.)
3. Elf (Best.)
4. The Santa Clause
5. The Family Stone. (Kills me every time.)
6. Family Man
7. While You Were Sleeping (It's a year-round movie, but feels Christmassy.) (Christmas-y?)
8. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (I used to hate this movie. Now I love it.)
9. A Christmas Carol. I like it in all its forms, but I'm especially partial to the George C. Scott version.
10. And the Muppet version. I watched it for the first time, mmm, last year? And it's just so, so great.
11. Home Alone. Still one of my favorite movies, I'm not ashamed to admit. It would've been higher on the list, if I were going in order.
12. Home Alone 2
13. Die Hard. Combining a couple of my favorite genres: Christmas and Action.
This year I also want to watch some classics. I just watched White Christmas for the first time, and I'd also like to see Meet Me In St. Louis, Miracle on 34th Street (I know I have seen it, in pieces, but I don't know that I've seen the whole thing. In any version. Do you have a favorite version?), Holiday Inn, and Christmas in Connecticut. We'll see if I get to them all.
Also on my list this year: The Holiday.
What are your favorite holiday movies? Any that you've been meaning to watch?
(All image credits: Amazon.com.)