Fröhliche Weihnachten!

This is a post I wrote in 2010 about my Top 10 Christmas Films-- I figured I'd share it with all of you since it hasn't changed!!! What do you think of these?! What's your favorite holiday film?

As of this afternoon, I have decided that I need to spend one Christmas in Germany before I die.  It's something I've considered off and on for a while, and even though I love Christmas at home with family, I would also love to see how other cultures celebrate the holiday season.  And although we Germans have a reputation for sternness and a lack of humor (though in the case of my family the latter has never been true), Deutschland knows how to do it up for Christmas.  Visiting Germany for Christmas will definitely be a highlight in my limited existence.

Top 10 Favorite Christmas Movies--

1.  Disney's A Christmas Carol - Using motion capture and some of the best talent in "The Business" today, Disney's version of Dickens's classic tale opens the world of 19th century England, creating a bigger and more beautiful story of hope and redemption than all of the other adaptations yet.

2.  A Muppet's Christmas Carol - "We're Marley and Marley. Ooooooooooo" It has Muppets. It has Michael Caine.  It has great Christmas songs you love to sing-- this is definitely a classic film to watch every year.

3.  White Christmas - The quintessential Christmas film starring Bing Crosby.  It's a must.

4.  Miracle on 34th Street - Watch the one with Natalie Wood, all others are subpar.  That is all.

5. The Bishop's Wife - Cary Grant plays an angel sent to help a Bishop struggling between godly choices and earthly concerns.  This film is clever, well-written, and has a good message sprinkled with a little fantasy.
Side Note:  There is a fairly good remake of this film called "The Preacher's Wife" with Whitney Houston and Denzel Washington-- I suggest you pop that in for viewing as well.

6. Holiday Inn - Not just for Christmas, Holiday Inn covers every major American celebration with Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire's style.  This is also the film that debuted the song "White Christmas."

7. Elf - "Buddy the Elf, what's your favorite color?"  "I like to whisper too." "I'm singing/I'm in a store/and I'm siiiiiingiiiiing!/I'm in a store/and I'm siiiiiingiiiiing!"  Need I say more?


8. Love Actually - Because it's British and the cast is made up of most of my favorite British actors/actresses, I fell in love with this film as soon as I saw the trailer.  Thankfully, it's an adorable Christmas film with a lot of heart and a little sadness, like most holidays. 


9.  The Thin Man - Nick and Nora Charles are chic yet down to earth newlyweds spending Christmas in New York when a murder happens. Luckily, Nick Charles is an incredible P.I. who can solve complicated cases while sipping dry martinis.  It's more of a mystery that takes place during Christmas than a Christmas mystery, but it's definitely a fantastic seasonal tradition.


10. The Year Without a Santa Claus (and other such children's Christmas specials) - Yes, this is a clay-mation Christmas special and that's what makes it completely amazing.  My favorites are the Snow and Heat Misers, their song, and Mother Nature putting them in their place.  It rocks.


Honorable Mention goes to "Santa Claus: The Movie," "A Charlie Brown Christmas," and "Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Christmas."  And no, I did not forget "A Christmas Story," I think it's a terrible movie and will never recommend it.  If you like it, good for you.


Stay tuned for my "Movies-to-watch-at-Christmastime-that-aren't-actually-about-Christmas" post......