“Every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings.” - Zuzu Bailey, It’s a Wonderful Life
It’s a Wonderful Life is my favorite Christmas movie of all time (the black and white version; not a fan of the digitally-restored one in color). It’s the one movie I looked forward to on cable every year (I was well into adulthood before it dawned on me to purchase the DVD), and as my dad’s favorite Christmas movie, too, we’d watch it together. It was our thing. The first year I didn’t live with my parents for Christmas, my dad called me to let me know what night it was slated for cable so I didn’t miss it.
As a kid, my parents made the nights Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, and Frosty the Snowman family movie nights. As a slightly older kid, we enjoyed The Santa Clause and The Santa Clause 2 (we never did get in to The Santa Clause 3). Home Alone was another family favorite.
As I got older, I found an appreciation for Miracle on 34th Street, and loved Love Actually (controversial opinion, I know). Christmas Vacation and Elf are great for the laughs, and A Charlie Brown Christmas is a mainstay.
Currently, I am loving the made for TV Christmas movies (think Lifetime & Hallmark). They are so cheesy and happy and just wonderful for the holiday season. They may all have (roughly) the same plot, but it’s a formula that works. At the end of the day, I just want to put my toddler to bed, make a mug of hot chocolate, and wrap Christmas gifts while a city girl returns to her small hometown and finds love during the holidays.
What about you? What are some of your favorite Christmas movies? What are you watching to get you in the spirit of the season?
- Stephanie McCord, Marketing