Everyone has them. Those films that you break out only during a certain special time of year. Once we turn that calendar page to December, the onslaught begins. Holiday movies are everywhere.
There are those classic kid ones: Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, The Year without a Santa Claus, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Frosty the Snowman, The Grinch
The actual classics: White Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, It’s a Wonderful Life, Holiday Affair, Babes in Toyland, A Christmas Carol
The “new” classics: Home Alone, A Christmas Story, Polar Express, Elf, National Lampoon, The Santa Clause
Those movies that portray themselves as Christmas movies for some reason, even though they really have very little to do with the Christmas spirit: Die Hard, Gremlins, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, Eyes Wide Shut
The romantic Christmas movies we’ve all come to love more recently: The Holiday, Love Actually, Noel, Serendipity, Bridget Jones’ Diary
And then of course the never-ending string of Lifetime, Hallmark, and Freeform made for TV Christmas movies, of which there are actually some true gems, IMO.
And who knows, your family may have their own movies that don’t fit into any of the above categories. (In our family, we watch Meet Me in St.Louis.) But no matter your preference, the bottom line is, it comes back to tradition. The Christmas season can be stressful and jammed with too many events, too much food and drink, too much money spent on gifts. JUST. TOO. MUCH. Yet we hold fast to our traditions. They ground us. They call to us. They force us to slow down for a minute. They help us to remember what is truly important. Family. Spending time with loved ones. Taking a minute to appreciate how fortunate we are.
So grab some popcorn, a blanket and someone you love, and cuddle up on the couch. For whether it’s A Muppet’s Christmas, or Lethal Weapon, as long as it means time spent together, the spirit is the same.
love & kisses,
Mika Jolie
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