Chick Chat: Christmas Movies

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – the time when we get to watch ALL of the best Christmas movies. The only problem? Deciding which ones to sit down with. There are so many good holiday flicks out there, so to help you narrow your list down, we’ve pulled together some of our very favorites. When we decided to do this post, I told Kyle and Meridith that there was no way I could pick just ONE favorite holiday movie. I mean, who can, honestly? I’m wagering no one. I did, however, force myself to limit my selection to three favorites. It was super hard, y’all! Someone fetch me some eggnog!

Numero Uno for me is and will always be A Christmas StoryI remember the first time I watched it in 1985 when I was in fourth grade. It was a cold Christmas, and although I don’t remember what I asked Santa for that year, I will never forget watching it for the first time. I sat next to my deaf grandmother, and her full body belly laughs when Randy shows mom how piggies eat were contagious. Being deaf, grandma couldn’t understand what was being said (we didn’t have a closed caption machine, it was an actual machine you hooked up to the TV back then), but boy she thought that kid sticking his face in mashed potatoes was the funniest thing ever. My grandma had the best laugh, and I think it was because she was deaf. When you can’t hear yourself to be self-conscious, you let it rip full gusto! It was infectious. This movie is such a staple in my family that we have a tradition of watching it while we decorate our tree. I even have my very own leg lamp.

Number two for me is an old movie, Heidi staring Shirley Temple. It’s colorized so it has a special charm about it that can’t be duplicated. It started my forever unfulfilled wish to travel solely by horse drawn sleigh throughout December. My mother loves this movie and we watched it often growing up. Most folks won’t think of it as a Christmas movie, but Christmas is sprinkled throughout the film with the film’s climax taking place on Christmas Eve. The story is a bit rough, involving kidnapping and child abuse, but it’s a Shirley Temple movie, so you know things aren’t THAT bad and there’s of course a happy ending. It’s hard to find, but look, someone uploaded the entire movie here on Youtube. Yay!

Lastly is my very favorite version of the Dicken’s Classic, Scrooge. Why is this one my favorite? I’m a bit of a sucker for Golden Age musicals, and although this was made in 1970, it has great songs, lush costumes and sets, and superb acting from Albert Finney as Ebenezer. It’s a wonderful traditional telling of the classic holiday story. It also has one of my favorite songs in musicals ever, one that reminds me of the humor of Gaston andLes Poisson, called Thank You Very Much. It’s a sad day when all of London comes out to say “thanks for dying, jerk!” Ebenezer deserves it, though. It’s also a hard one to find. Youtube to the rescue again!

ELF

You guys, any movie that has a NARWAL in it gets an automatic A+ from me.

Elf is one of those current classic movies that just makes me laugh and laugh. My entire immediate family can apply so many great quotes from this movie to every moment in our lives. “YOU DID IT! CONGRATULATIONS! World’s best cup of coffee!” for example, is great any time of year, not just during the holidays.

Plus, blonde Zoey Deschanel singing “It’s Cold Outside” gets me every time.

The Polar Express

I love this one because my kids loved this one when they were younger. We used to watch it over, and over, and over.

Sure, the book is better because the book is always better, but I love the songs in the animated movie like Hot Chocolate and When Christmas Comes to Town. Honestly, it just reminds me of when my boys were little. They’re not super little anymore but they still enjoy watching this one with me, so I can pretend.

Love Actually

I’m sure someone else is going to mention this one but I can’t not say it. Because, to me, it is perfect.

Okay, since I’m the one putting this post together, I had to put myself last, because I didn’t want to repeat a movie that was already mentioned! Meridith and Jenn both talked about a few of my faves, but because I have a lot of favorite Christmas movies, I have plenty more to choose from.

Home Alone
This movie typifies early 90’s everything. From the John Williams soundtrack to John Candy to Macaulay Caulkin, Home Alone is a classic. Far better than its sequels, the first story of “Kevin mouths off, gets sent to the attic and accidentally gets left behind” is implausible in all the best ways. The highly adept 8-year-old buying fabric softener and milk is questionable at best, but the running away from the scary neighbor and accidentally stealing a toothbrush in the process is totally believable. The Wet Bandits are delightfully dimwitted and the booby-trapped house is every kid’s dream. It almost goes without saying that Home Alone was second on my list of Christmas movies watched this year.
The Santa Clause
Another 90’s Christmas classic that far exceeded its sequels (seriously, don’t bother watching them). I will never not love the premise of the clause that ropes Tim Allen’s Scott Calvin into becoming St. Nick after the latter falls off a roof and disappears. Allen – at the peak of his ‘Home Improvement’ fame – is fantastically funny. But what I really love about this movie is the emphasis it places on the idea that “seeing isn’t believing, believing is seeing” – even grown-ups, for whom Santa is just an idea, can believe in the spirit of the season. The juxtaposition of real life with magic is well thought out and this particular imagining of the North Pole may be my favorite of all time. Two thumbs all the way up.
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Twenty-five years ago, the best version of the Dickens classic was brought to life by some of the greatest actors of all time and Michael Caine. Complete with singing and dancing rats, Gonzo as Charles Dickens and Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit. It’s hard not to like the Muppets – except for that abomination of a song (if you know the one to which I am referring, points to you). I think I watched this movie on repeat for most of my childhood Christmases, a tradition that continues to this day. I haven’t yet watched this year, but because I’m 99% sure that Clay hasn’t seen it, I’ll be remedying that soon. After all, there’s only a few more sleeps til Christmas!
Christmas Vacation
“Why is the carpet all wet, Todd?”
“I don’t KNOW, Margo.”
“Merry Christmas. Shitter’s full.”
“HALLELUJAH, HOLY SHIT.”
That’s all I have to say about this one. Thank you, National Lampoon, for gifting us the Griswolds.
What are your favorite Christmas movies? Do you have any family traditions that involve watching the 24-hour ‘A Christmas Story’ marathon? 

A little ‘Chick on Chick’ action – Part 3

Ready for the third installment of Chick-on-Chick interviews? Join us as we ask questions and sing “Getting To Know You” – but not at the same time. Missed the first two interviews? Just click here and here to get to know Meri and Bec!

Jess on Brooke

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Brooke and I met a few years ago and hit it off right away. We have a ton in common: we are mega girly-girls, huge readers, love to shop, and our adorable boys were born within weeks of each other. Needless to say, it’s probably a good thing that we are on separate coasts or I’d be at her house every day wanting to hang out! She is sweet, funny, has a killer smile and is basically just all-around fabulous.

Want to get to know her better? Of course you do. Read on!

Jess: You’ve got some of the cutest kids in the world. What’s your favorite thing to do with them?

Brooke: Awww, thanks! I think they’re pretty cool too. I love to do art projects with them. We have an art cart that is loaded with paints, pencils, crayons, markers, oil pastels-you name it, we’ve got it. They love to draw and paint, and it’s neat to see what they create when they have free art time. Of course, I organize projects for them too. A friend and I co-hosted “Messy Art Mondays” this summer, and we had a lot of fun with that. 

Jess: And what’s your favorite thing to do when you have that oh-so-coveted “me time”?

Brooke: Sleep! Go to yoga (which I get to do this weekend). Read. It’s hard with the baby- he’s still nursing frequently and sleeping on me. We do attachment parenting, so I don’t get a lot of alone time, and if I do, it isn’t a very long amount of time! That’s why hot yoga is difficult to schedule; the class itself is 80 minutes long, plus a 35 minute drive there, and then home, at which point I have to shower because I’m literally drenched. 

Jess: Ah yes, I love trying to time activities between nursing sessions and/or naps! It’s the ultimate ticking clock.

Jess: Do you have a favorite tradition from childhood? Is it something you’ve implemented with your own kiddos, or have you made new traditions as a family?

Brooke: My childhood traditions were centered around holidays. We always went to sunrise service on Easter, which we started doing two years ago (before that it was way too hard to make a 6am church service). We watched “A Christmas Story” on Christmas Eve, which we don’t do yet because the kids are a little young. My husband’s family always had an Easter egg hunt, and we do that still, with my in-laws (and we grown-ups hunt for eggs with money in them!). 

One of our new traditions is a holiday party the day before Christmas Eve; we have a group of friends and family who come over for tacos and margaritas. 

Jess: Christmas Eve would be one of the times you’d find me on your doorstep. Tacos and margaritas are two of my favorite things.

Jess: We’re both big shoppers. It’s one of the first thing we did together when we hung out, and I adore your style! What do you have your eye on these days (so I can add it to my own list)?

Brooke: I love your style! That was before we had talked a lot online, and we clicked right away, over shoes and make-up at Nordstrom. I can’t wait to go back to SF so I can see you again. 

I really want these boots: http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/search/28752921.jsp?cm_vc=SEARCH_RESULTS. Anthro has some pretty shoes this season! 

Jess: You need to come back soon! My wallet would disagree, but what does it know? I love those boots, by the way. I always think of you when I go to Anthro.

Jess: You can only watch one movie for the rest of your life. What is it?

Brooke: Oh geez, that’s a tough question. Probably Sleepless in Seattle or maybe Clueless or Mean Girls. Those are movies I’ve watched over and over again and they never get old. 

Jess: Tell me about your best date ever.

Brooke: Ever?! Hmmm. You know, I dated a very romantic boy in high school who took me for a picnic on the beach. He came up with the idea all on his own, and that was the first time I felt really wooed, you know? Of course, my first date with Josh would have to be labeled the “best ever” since he became my husband and my best friend and the love of my life. We met to hear some live music at a local bar- ten years ago this month, actually. 

Jess: Awww. You two are adorable. A beach picnic in high school is pretty romantic, too, especially for high school!

Jess: When it comes to fitness, what’s something you’ve achieved that you’re really proud of?

Brooke: My PR half, definitely. (1:57:52) I hope I have a faster time in me but if not, I know I worked really hard to achieve that time. 

Jess: You are a rock star, B!

Jess: This interview wouldn’t be complete without a book-related question. It’s how most of us Scoot chicks met, after all! So, tell me: what’s a book you could read over and over again?

Brooke: Any of the Pigeon books by Mo Willems, haha. I do read those over and over already. Probably Pride and Prejudice. I adore Mr. Darcy!

There you have it, the fabulosity that is Chick Brooke! Did I miss any questions? Anything you want to know for future Chick interviews? If so, let us know in the comments!