the delphic expanse

Are there movies that are traditional for the holidays in your house? What are they? It doesn't have to be Christmas themed.


We always watch A Christmas Story once. We also watch Auntie Mame and one of the old A Christmas Carol in Black & White that my father liked. I also enjoy Christmas In Connecticut.

We also would always go see a TOS Trek movie if it was out during the holidays. I can remember being a little girl and seeing The Search for Spock.

"A Christmas Story" is a yearly tradition in this home too. We kept quoting the movie the year we actually had to have a Chinese restaurant Christmas dinner. Then there are the movies that seem to pop up during this time of year that we watch when we can catch them on TV:

"Scrooged"
"Trading Places"
"Gremlins"

We always have to watch The Muppet Christmas Carol and the original How The Grinch Stole Christmas with narration by Boris Karloff. If I can catch it, I'll watch It's A Wonderful Life.

I think I'm going to look and see if there is a DVD for Gian-Carlo Menotti's opera Amahl and the Night Visitors. One of the few operas I loved as a kid, probably because it was in English and I liked the story. I have the records (but no way to play them anymore).

Otherwise, George C. Scott in A Christmas Carol. Patton makes a great Scrooge! Although now I wonder if there is a DVD of Sir Patrick Stewart's 1-man show version. I had that on audiotape (and no way to play it anymore, either). Umm, technology is really ticking me off this morning, isn't it?

WTTW always used to run the Joffre Ballet's Nutcracker, but I don't know if they're going to be doing that anymore. Maybe just as well since watching that inspired my fic A Christmas Classic.

I kind of got burned out on It's a Wonderful Life because for so many years you couldn't turn the TV on this time of year without it being on every channel, but I really liked it when it was rare and something to look forward to.

My Step-dad was a WWII vet, and he loved musicals, so White Christmas was one we always watched every year while I was growing up. A Miracle on 34th Street always seems to make it in there too at some point.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas I probably have that whole song memorized by now.

"A Charlie Brown Christmas"

In particular, I have an affinity for Lucy Van Pelt.

Not a film but we always make a point of watching the Cbeebies Christmas Panto.

For my non UK friends, Cbeebies is a TV channel dedicated to 5's and under, it's covered by our licence fee so no advertising at all is permitted on this channel so it's our favourite channel for the little ones.

We have a few.... Christmas in Connecticut is great, and I love the fact that my technology driven kids eagerly and happily sit through this one and quote it to each other.

White Christmas unless I have to watch it with people, it always make me cry.

A Muppet Christmas Carol - which the husband and I quote back and forth to each other. This year we're getting take out to eat as we watch it.

And last but not least - Merry Madagascar. We still have small kids and despite it's corniness, we watch this one every year. This one has given our family a line we quote all year at random times.... the king lemur just gave a present to someone and he says, "It makes me feel all warm and tingly inside... like PINWORMS!"