I think you can tell by now how excited I am about Christmas! It is absolutely my favourite holiday and it’s not just for the shopping and the presents (okay, I have to admit, I do love that part incredibly) but for all the wonderful opportunity to spend time with friends and family.
On this first day of Hanukkah, it makes me nostalgic about my childhood during the holidays. Growing up, Christmas was a sweet big pause, no work, no school, all things merry and bright. We have a number of traditions as a Filipino Spanish Catholic family that I would really hate to see disappear as everyone grows older, gets more ‘practical’ and dismiss Christmas as just another retail-driven holiday. It is such a special occasion for us that we never failed to observe childhood traditions like going to special Christmas mass – the Simbang Gabi or Misa de Gallo, Noche Buena (midnight feast after the mass) and of course, watching Christmas movies!
As odd as this seems, me and my sister and my cousins would stay up to watch Gremlins (what’s Christmas without a little scare, a little gore?). It was something I really looked forward to. I mean don’t you want to know what happens when you don’t follow this rule: “no matter how much he begs, never feed him after midnight.”
Over the years, I’ve added some new favourites and held on to the all-time greats! So without further ado, here are Twenty York Street’s TOP 5 Christmas movies – ever:
1. THE FAMILY STONE
As much as we all wish for a postcard perfect home decorated with all the Christmas trimmings, delightful dinners with well-behaved family members, the reality is, that’s just not true all the time. The Family Stone depicts a more real (as real as Hollywood can get) story of Christmas with the family, with all its squabbling and dysfunction. Hey, you can’t put everyone together, drink and be merry and not have a little too much fun and drama, can you?
2. ELF
I started watching ELF again in October, what’s not to love about a human elf raised in the North Pole on a quest to find his Dad in New York City? Plus it has an endearing rendition of ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’ between Will Farrell and Zooey Deschanel in the bathroom stall.
3. LOVE ACTUALLY
Yes, it’s an absolute fiction in a world of purely utopian love where stereotypes and pop culture blends together to create an unbelievably romantic story! Where the Prime Minister falls in love with the intern, like that would ever happen, yes?
4. SERENDIPITY
Because if you can’t find love at Christmas, when can you? I know I’m not supposed to start a sentence with because but blog apparently defies rules! As do Serendipity.
5. HOME ALONE
Aside from the Gremlins, Home Alone with Macaulay Caulkin is the other movie we grew up with.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Five movies really doesn’t do justice, here’s more Holiday movies you can enjoy while opening presents on Christmas: Eight Crazy Nights (love that it celebrates Hanukkah), The Holiday, Four Christmases, Arthur Christmas, Bridget Jones, The Last Guardians, Bad Santa, Die Hard, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, A Charlie Brown Christmas and though I haven’t seen it, It’s A Wonderful Life!
Follow @20YS HOLIDAY GUUDE 2013 for more tips on how to be fabulous this holiday!
As a side note, a whole lot of Christmas movies are shot in New York City, aren’t they?
What about you, what’s your favourite holiday movie?
Images via Google.
