For your Holiday Viewing Pleasure...

I had fully intended at the start of the month to do a separate blog post about each of my favorite Christmas movies, but that fell by the wayside quickly. Given my affinity for lists, I have decided the best course of action would be to simply make a list of the remaining Christmas movies. Some you may agree with, some you may not. Some you may have never heard of, but I highly recommend you check them out.

1. Holiday Inn
 Bing Crosby strikes again--this time with costar Fred Astaire--as he sings through the holidays in yet another of Irving Berlin's masterpieces. (Fun fact:  the idea for the songs in this film and later the entire production started after Irving Berlin wrote Easter Parade. Without that song, there would be no White Christmas.)
2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
 The original cartoon starring Boris Karloff. I don't feel the need to say much more because if you haven't watched it, you must have been raised in the woods by wolves.

3. Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage
 This is one you have likely never heard of, but it is a great film!  Starring Jared Padalecki, Marcia Gay Harden, and the late Peter O'Toole, this is a fantastic story of a small-town Christmas.

4. Miracle on 34th Street
Doesn't require much commentary from me, though I will say that I prefer the original to the updated version released in the '90s.
5. A Christmas Carol
I don't care if it's the Muppets, Mickey, or the Reginald Owens version from 1938--it's a classic.
6. The Polar Express
People have different opinions about this one, but I personally like the message behind this story--that all you need to do is believe.
7. Love's Christmas Journey
Another one you've probably never heard of. A Hallmark Channel Original film loosely based on the Love Comes Softly book series by Janette Oke. And stars Ernest Borgnine! This touching Western Christmas story remembers the true meaning of Christmas in a much simpler time.
8. Elf
Is there a better modern Christmas movie? I don't think so. Will Ferrell is fantastic, and Ed Asner is a great Santa, and come on--Bob Newhart? I love this movie!

9. A Christmas Story
This is a Fink family standby. My brother's favorite movie--he even went to the house where they filmed it for vacation one year. If you don't enjoy the antics of Ralphie Parker and his quest for the Red Ryder beebee gun, then I'm sorry, but you have no Christmas spirit.
10. Various TV Specials
I'm talking about Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the animated Frosty the Snowman, and Garfield's Christmas. These were staples when I was a kid.



And I haven't even included some other family favorites:  Home Alone, Christmas Vacation, Meet me in St. Louis...If for some reason we get snowed in this year, I encourage you to check out one (or all!) of these films, especially those you haven't seen.

And a very Merry Christmas to you all!

Stay Gold.

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