Our family's Christmas Even tradition, as of 5 years ago, is to watch Elf together. Last year, I was a wee bit too intoxicated to enjoy it and passed out after accidentally moaning when Zooey Deschanel started singing. It was an awkward moment when the entire family looked at me. I celebrate with other movies, though, leading up to Christmas. I make a point to watch these movies every year, as I did in college.
1. Just Friends
Chris Brander is home for the holidays, and he hasn't been in 10 years. Revolving this film around the holidays made it better, as there was so much more to deal with for physical comedy. Anna Faris brightens my holiday spirit when she sings, "Mall people come and go, mall people they just don't know." The brotherly relationship and motherly advice and friendships, that when you return, are still there, like you never left. This is a classic that I've quoted every line of Anna Faris' with Auddie P during our college years.
2. Mean Girls
There's really nothing Christmasy in this, save for "Jingle Bell Rock", but its inclusion is just an excuse for me to regularly watch this. Let's face it: Mean Girls is downright amazing. This should get more recognition for being absolutely hilarious.
3. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Santa appears, and it's wintery! So I make a point to watch this as well. It's not a great movie, but it's fun, and the beavers are a delight, as is the Ice Queen's dwarf ("It's sooo warm out...").
4. Running with Scissors
I'm not even sure this had any Christmas in it, but there is definitely a Christmas tree, as the family leaves it up all year 'round. Gwyneth Paltrow was stellar in this. It's a great mix of family relations, hilarious insanity, and utter horror.
5. Love Actually
Who doesn't watch this classic every holiday season? It's a feel-good rom com. Everyone needs that once in a while!
6. Little Women
Though Little Women is set over a long period of time, the core of the movie takes place during winter while the Civil War (Gasp! I'm in!) continues, hitting home. I love the strength of the women in their various ways, each contributing to their own version of feminism, and we all know how much I love feminism. Each sister has her individual personality, which the creators of the film had a wealth of character depth to go off with it being a book, solely about character. Beth's death gets me. Every time!
What are your personal traditions every year at this time?
I watch Jim Carey's The Grinch while wrapping presents, It's a Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve and Home Alone Christmas Day.
ReplyDeleteWhich version of Little Women?
ReplyDeleteI usually watch Love Actually and The Family Stone, which has a very similar vibe to it in my mind.
The version of Little Women with Claire Danes as...Beth :( and the ever-lovely Susan Sarandon as "Marmee". Am I in the taboo area for this? Should I be liking an older version?
ReplyDelete