The 12 Days of Christmas Movies

On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me.... 12 of my favorite holiday movies (and specials)!!!

Elf


"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear." How did any of us enjoy the holidays before Buddy the Elf came into our lives??? The way that Buddy sees the world beyond life in the North Pole makes me feel like a kid again, mainly because of the innocent wonder of discovering new things and ideals. Not only is this movie highly entertaining for young adults, but it is also a great family film (especially since they stand by the fact that Santa is real and they "squash" the rumor that the parents put the presents under the tree). If I'm not feeling the Christmas spirit, I just pop this into the DVD player and wait for the movie to fill me with happiness for the season!!!


National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation


When you see "National Lampoon" and "vacation" together in a movie title, expect to see some Griswold's. Unlike the other three Vacation movies, we see how Clark and the family interact while staying at home for the holidays. Whether it's setting up way too many lights outdoors, realizing that the extended family wrapped their cat in a present, or watching as Clark zips faster than the speed of sound when sledding, you WILL crack up (and for me, I still do after watching this movie dozens of times).


A Charlie Brown Christmas


As someone who grew up with Snoopy as her favorite cartoon character, this movie was a MUST watch several times each holiday season. I remember when I was about six or seven and wishing I had the same tree that Charlie Brown had... I saw it's potential to be beautiful. I always loved how everyone danced when practicing for the Christmas program (and what's better is seeing the Hey Ya! Charlie Brown video on YouTube). I loved how Linus quoted scripture from the Bible to help Charlie Brown realize the true spirit of the holiday season... sometimes we just need the reminder of what Christmas is really about.


Home Alone


As a seven year old sitting in the movie theaters, I thought this movie was epic!!! To be left at home by accident and having free reign on whatever food I wanted to eat and to watch movies I wasn't allowed to watch.. that was ideal. I wished I was as smart as Kevin when it came to setting up booby traps against Marv and Harry. My favorite trap was when Marv was stepping on the ornaments when getting in through the window. I felt his pain. John Hughes did a great job portraying the fears and excitement of a child, from the creepy type neighbor to the furnace in the basement. This is one of the funniest family movies I've ever seen.

Oh, and I had a crush on Macaulay Culkin.


Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

Okay, so I couldn't resist having the sequel on here!! For a movie that takes place somewhere completely different than the first one, John Hughes was able to keep the charm we all fell in love with (and believe me, I've seen sequels that were a hot mess... like Sex and the City 2). I absolutely loved seeing New York City at Christmastime; that city is idealistic to have a true holiday themed vacation. The pranks were so much better than the first movie (come on, they had to be!) and a lot more brutal. It's a wonder that Marv and Harry were able to walk (or speak) after several of those! I felt this one was a lot more heartfelt than the first, especially about Mr. Duncan's plan to donate to the Children's Hospital. It touched on one of the best things about the holidays, people helping others that cannot celebrate due to poverty or illness.


How the Grinch Stole Christmas


Ah, a classic holiday special brought to us by Dr. Seuss! I used to watch this several times each year. However, the copy that I watched at my Grandparents got cut off when the Grinch was stuck up the hill with the sled. It wasn't until I was a preteen that I finally got to watch the ending (even though I knew the ending... I mean, it was a book first!). Of course Hollywood had to remake this into a full length feature film when I was in high school. It's a good film on its own, but I will always love the cartoon special more :-)

Bad Santa


If you put Billy Bob Thornton in a Christmas movie, expect it to be dirty... just saying. His character Willie and his partner Marcus have had a great method for conning department stores around the holidays. But this particular year, unforeseen obstacles get in the way, which include a young boy, overintoxication, and a security guard who catches onto their scheme. It was amusing to me to see that Sue was raised Jewish and had always wanted to fulfill her fantasy of having sex with Santa, then getting her wish. Those moments made the movie. This was also the last movie that John Ritter ever made, which made his scenes feel a little bittersweet. Who says all Christmas movies have to be bright and cheerful???


South Park Season One, Episode 10: Mr. Hankey the Christmas Poo

Mr. Hankey the Christmas Poo
Tags: SOUTH
PARKmore...

I've been a fan of South Park since its debut in 1997. When the first Christmas special aired that same year, I was entertained... and kind of disturbed. I enjoyed the parody of A Charlie Brown Christmas and how the town attempted to make the holiday season non-offensive (even though that ended up in a total disaster). But the most disturbing thing of all??? That a piece of crap (literally) helped everyone get into the holiday spirit. Oh, and you have to admit, when Mr. Hankey says "Howdy Ho!!!" it puts a smile on your face. :-)

"Hankey, the Christmas poo. I love him and he loves you...."


A Christmas Story


Look! It's a Christmas cult film... so much that TBS plays it for 24 hours straight!!! I'll never have to own it since I can get my fill of the movie each year. Everyone can relate to Ralphie. We all have that dream gift that we want SO BAD! We all have that crazy relative that gives you some strange clothes (although mine were never Pink Bunny suit embarrassing... just underwear, lol). Someone we know has had been "triple dog dared" into doing something. This movie, in all its eccentricities and misadventures, is universal to everyone (and why it will remain as a classic during the holiday season).


The Polar Express


My generation grew up with this book. I remember having it read to my classmates and I in elementary school. Now that I have a kid of my own, I get to watch him experience this classic tale as a movie. This is one of the few instances where the film has exact same charm, innocence, and wonder as the book. The movie not only keeps the attention of children, but it is entertaining enough for the adults to enjoy (and if anyone else is like me, it brings back a sense of nostalgia).


The Nightmare Before Christmas (presented with the Fall Out Boy version of "What's This)


Wow... it seems like I was just talking about this movie on my Halloween list. Oh, wait, I did!!! To see Jack Skellington discover the world of Christmas and then to figure it out through scientific experimentation was fun to watch! Although things didn't turn out as planned for Jack (or Santa, for that matter), it was one of those movies where you realize that you appreciate the world that you live in, even if you have moments of monotony. Oh, and that it's good to explore beyond your own place in the world, because you never know what you will find (in that fun, exciting way)!


Christmas Eve on Sesame Street


This is one of those specials that I can actually remember watching when I was 3 or 4 years old. Cookie Monster's attempt to contact Santa always made me laugh. Bert and Ernie exchanging their favorite possessions for gifts made me a little sad, but I also noticed how good of friends they were to each other (Hey, this was before I was old enough to hear of the gay lover jokes, so get your mind out of the gutter!). I also had hopes that Big Bird would see Santa, even though he fell asleep. The suspense of seeing Santa myself got to me as a kid, I always wanted to see more than just his shadow. I found a DVD copy of this special when working at Cargo Largo and wanted to share this with my son. He loves it as much as I did!!

Happy Holidays everyone!!!

Bring on the Thanksgiving Traditions... Pop Culture Style

Oh, Thanksgiving... the holiday that gathers family together to stuff their faces with home cooked food... also the holiday that lives in Christmas's shadow. With all the Christmas hoopla out there, Thanksgiving doesn't stand a chance to get the exposure that it deserves. I have decided to come up with a list of television shows that help promote this holiday, all in their own unique ways. For your reading (and viewing) pleasure... here are my favorite Thanksgiving moments.



Adam Sandler's Thanksgiving Song



As much as I enjoy his Hanukkah songs, I was very pleased with his take on Turkey Day. The song always puts a smile on my face and makes me laugh. If you find yourself in a situation this Thanksgiving where you are in the middle of family bickering, run to the nearest CD player/DVD player/Mp3 player and blast this song. It will change the mood significantly!


A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving



When I was about 6 or 7, I dreamed that I would have a Thanksgiving dinner like this: with my friends, with a unique assortment of food, and eating on a ping pong table. I would go for eating outdoors, but being a resident of the Midwest, it's generally cold on Turkey Day. I can save myself  from getting sick by staying indoors.

Friends- Thanksgiving Episodes





Friends had so many great Thanksgiving Episodes. I would like to post clips from all of them, but since a lot of the clips are restricted from embedding I have to make do with what I can. My absolute favorite Thanksgiving scene is when everyone is at Monica and Chandler's apartment, with Monica and Ross' parents, and the dinner leads to a huge revelation of information, like how Rachel wasn't supposed to put meat in the trifle, and Monica and Chandler were living together. After the burst out, Mrs. Gellar replies with "That's a lot of information to get in 30 seconds." Moments like that on the show were always a favorite to me (which I will blog about my favorite moments/episodes from Friends someday soon).

Roseanne- Thanksgiving episodes



Roseanne was big with scenes at the dinner table. I always thought that was very cool that no matter what happened to them on a day to day basis, they would all make a point to sit together at mealtime. The Thanksgiving dinners were never a disappointment, especially with the clip that I posted. Revealing lifestyle choices have seem to become a new found Thanksgiving tradition, and this episode honed in on that. I don't think Roseanne could have responded any better than she did to her mother.

Grey's Anatomy Thanksgiving Episodes



Treating Thanksgiving dinner like a surgical procedure... EPIC!!! I loved the chaotic feel to this episode: Izzie and Burke cooking for everyone, but not knowing who will all show up, Christina's restlessness that drives her back to working at the hospital, and how, in the end, basically everyone shows up to enjoy the meal. It just goes to show that even the busiest of professions can still find time to get together and celebrate the holiday.

Now that you're read/watched this... you are craving turkey, aren't you??? I know I am!!!

Happy Birthday!

On November 19, 1983, at 8:57 am... a little girl was born, weighing 6 pounds, 8 ounces.

27 years later... and a lifetime's amount of trials, tribulations and excitement... I am here today and ready to have a great birthday!

I must give a shout out to others who share my birthday.... Nancy Caldwell, Leslie Sanford, Bruce Stimpson, and Elizabeth Robertson. Also, celebrities... Meg Ryan, Jodi Foster, Calvin Klein, and former Chiefs player Larry Johnson.

And now.... birthday songs!!!









Yes, I had to be a dork, didn't I??? LOL

My "Must Watch" Halloween Movies and Specials

Last night, I really got into the Halloween mood. It was clouding up outside, the temps were dropping, and I popped in a horror movie. Today, I was going to go outside and decorate the front of the house with Halloween stuff, but it's been raining all morning (and part of the afternoon). So instead, I decided to come up with several of the movies and specials that I try to watch each year to keep myself in the Halloween mood for the rest of the month. Maybe I can get a few others to get bitten by the "Halloween spirit," hehe.

Michael Jackson's Thriller


You can't have a proper Halloween without Thriller. Seriously. Words cannot even come close to the love and bond I have with this song and video. I listen to it all year round just for it's pure awesomeness. Oh, and you have to love Vincent Price's rap. Bravo for MJ for getting him involved in this song... it wouldn't be the same without him.

Garfield Halloween


As a kid, this was the scariest Halloween program ever. Even today, I still get a little bit of a chill when watching it. You can't get programs like this nowadays (believe me, I know... I am a parent after all). This is why I feel blessed to be a child of the 80's.

The Nightmare Before Christmas


Wow... a movie you can watch at Halloween and at Christmas (not to mention one of the few Tim Burton films WITHOUT Johnny Depp). I just love the beauty of this film; it mesmerizes me every time I see it. I do catch myself humming or singing the songs from time to time (and recently fell in love with the Fall Out Boy version of "What's This"). I also had the opportunity to meet Ken Page (the man who voiced the Oogie Boogie Man) when going to college in St. Louis. He was an alumnus of Fontbonne and came back to direct Godspell that fall. Very cool guy.

Beetlejuice


Ok, I know. Another Tim Burton film. But come on! It's an awesome one... one that I catch myself watching every time it's on television. I can't look at minature models of towns without referring to this film, lol. I honestly wish Tim Burton would go back to the late 80's/ early 90's and realize that his films had a lot more quality back then, and then get back there (except that Big Fish and Sweeney Todd were excellent recent films of his). Oh, sorry I got the Banana Boat song stuck in your head...

Roseanne: Halloween Edition


A couple birthdays ago, my Mom gave me a Roseanne DVD with all of the Halloween episodes. I love it! This is what you call a creative family! Watching these always inspire me to go all out when decorating for Halloween. Whenever I become a homeowner, I will have my dining room and living room completely decked out for the entire month of October. I also try to "think outside the box" with costumes like they do. I can never get a good enough idea, but one of these days I will.

Casper


I still remember sitting in the movie theater watching this for the first time. I wanted to live in a house like that (and would probably jump at the opportunity even today). I was a preteen then, and Devon Sawa was one of my first celebrity crushes. The dancing scene still makes me smile. You also have to appreciate the Ghostbuster's cameo in the beginning :-)

It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown



Ah, the Peanuts gang. You cant have a holiday without them having a special. This one isn't my favorite Peanut's special but still enjoyable for the season. Poor Charlie Brown, he got a lot of rocks in his bag. And seriously... who has rock lying around for kids??? Strange people....

Everybody (Backstreet's Back)


This one should not be a suprise to anyone that's known me since I was in junior high. The Backstreet Boys were my boys back then... and seeing this for the first time was one of the most exciting things for me as a teen. I can still do (almost) all the dance moves in the video, hehe. *As I am typing this, I am putting my copy of the CD single in my DVD player to blast loudly*


I know there are some of you reading this wondering "Where are all the slasher flicks and horror movies? There are none on here!" That list I am saving for another rainy day....

September 11, 2001

I will never forget where I was when I first heard the news that changed America.

I was a senior in high school. It was between 1st and 2nd hour. I ran into my friend Amarisa while we were heading toward our classes. She said she was in the nurse's office when they saw the breaking news on the television. It was right after the first plane hit the World Trade Center.

As soon as I walked into my newspaper class, I find my friend Bazigha, who was one of the few Muslim students in the school, not to mention a very sweet girl. After I wish her a Happy Birthday, I tell her about the breaking news. We ask Mr. Russell to turn on the television so we can watch, but he declines, since we were on deadline for Friday's publication. So Bazigha and I sat on the yearbook side of the journalism lab, since Mrs. Thompson had her tv on. We couldn't hear it, but was able to watch through the windows and try to break down what was happening. We had no idea what was being speculated about who was behind this attack.

After newspaper.... all normal classroom activities ceased.

Yes, we went from one class to another like we did every day, but our agenda was either watching the footage on tv (yes, my school had a television in every classroom, with cable) or we were all discussing the events that happened. I loved how my Spanish teacher, Mrs. Urquilla, made sure we knew the facts about the events. She was very smart in making sure that the biases and judgements were avoided.

When I got home from school that afternoon, I immediately turned on the television. Having missed the footage from when both towers of the World Trade Center was hit, I was finally able to catch it. It made my entire body chill (and still does today). I continued to watch my tv until at least midnight, maybe one in the morning. I didn't care about sleeping for school the next day.... this was more important.

The following couple weeks were interesting, to say the least. My friend Bazigha had to be escorted to her classes because some of the students were showing hatrid and anger toward her. The football team had a very touching tribute before the September 14th game. A few of the student groups had decided to sell t-shirts honoring 9/11/01, also setting up boxes for donating clothes, food, and medical supplies. I started saving magazines that featured the events: People, Entertainment Weekly. I started watching the news on a daily basis (which I've heard that tragedies usually trigger non news watchers to convert... and I continue to watch the news every day).

The following semester, the end of my senior year, I was in my Current Events class and our teacher had us watch a documentary. It was supposed to be about how a rookie becomes a firefighter. It ended up becoming a very touching piece about the events of September 11 as they were happening. I proudly own this documentary and I watch it every year. Of all the videos, tributes, and compilations out there... THIS is the best one. There are no biases, no political agendas behind it. It's just real.

I will never forget what happened on September 11, 2001