As soon as the weather gets colder, and the nights start getting darker, and I know the summer is over, movie nights/afternoons become a regular occurrence in our house. There is nothing better than getting everyone snuggled on the sofa under a blanket – especially after a long day or an outdoor walk. Sunday afternoons in my opinion are made for dog walks and sofa snuggles. Movie Nights become that more exciting towards the end of November when the christmas movies come out.
We have a huge cuddly blanket that my mum bought me last christmas from M&S, and that along with some popcorn, the littlest playing on the floor and a good christmas film is my idea of heaven.
With that in mind I thought I would share my top 5 Christmas films that we love to watch this time of year – some with the kids and some without:
1. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – this is the first christmas film me and Ell sit down to watch together after putting the decorations up with the kids and getting them to bed. Even though we have watched every year since we gotgether in 2005 it never gets old – we still laugh at Clark Griswold trying to find out why his million lights aren’t working, and the general daftness that seems to follow him wherever he goes. I’m sure everyone has seen this at least once, but if you haven’t, do it now!
2. The Santa Claus Trilogy
Disney and Tim Allen are a fab combo – I love these films as they just make me feel so christmassy – I’m fascinated with how Americans spend christmas – they seem to go all out with the decorations and traditions, and this film showcases that perfectly. The Elves in the North Pole are so cute and well thought out too, and it is how I would imagine Santa and his elves to be. I also love that all three films are so funny and watchable – usually they never live up to the first film but all three do in this trilogy. My favourite part is how Santa manages to squeeze up and down the chimneys – all the ideas in it are just so clever.
Photo Credit BB2
3. The Snowman and Father Christmas
I have been watching these every christmas for as long as I can remember. When I was little my parents videotaped it and we watched that same crackly video tape for years. Now my kids love it just as much as me and my brother did – although now they have added the Snowman and the Snowdog too. I love Mel Smith as Father Christmas – his ‘Happy Bloomin Christmas’ is synonymous of my childhood Christmas’s.
Photo Credit Wikipedia
4. Home Alone 1&2
I didn’t watch Home Alone until I was 19 – the first Christmas that me and Ell were together. I couldn’t believe what I had been missing. Since then we have watched them both every Christmas, and the kids love it. I would go as far as to say that the Home Alone films are their favourites. Last Christmas, they watched them both twice, and the sound of the giggles at the antics of Kevin and ‘them robbers’ as Ollie calls them! ‘Merry Christmas ya Filthy Animal’!
Photo Credit Moviefone
5. Mickey’s Once & Twice Upon a Christmas
The kids adore these films – they have been watched every year since Izzie was 2. When she was tiny she used to get really upset at films when something sad happened – when Mickey gets mad at Pluto she used to cry her little eyes out – it was the cutest thing. They are perfect for little ones as they are a bunch of shorter stories making up one film – great for little people with short attention spans!
Photo Credit Disneystore
So thats our favourite films – which knowing Izzie and Ollie will be repeated several times throughout December…I’m so looking forward to snuggly movie afternoons with the littles!