By The Wiz
I think this might make me a communist or something, but I don’t really enjoy the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life.” I find it depressing. George’s life kind of sucks, and it’s not fun to watch. And I always hated the fact that Mary never married in the world where George didn’t exist. She was a wonderful, beautiful, strong woman - she totally would have married, or at least been more interesting than a sad, lonely librarian. (Also, I would totally love to be a librarian! Why is it always portrayed as a sad profession?)
I do love other Christmas movies, though. Here are some of my favorites, in no particular order.
1. “A Christmas Story” - “I double dog dare you.” “You’ll shoot your eye out!”
2.”Charlie Brown Christmas” - kid show, I know, but when they all start loo-loo-looing to Hark, the Herald, Angels Sing, it gets me every time.
3.”The Family Guy” - a movie about how it’s better to live on a budget with small kids in a suburb than be wealthy and single in New York City. Amazing.
4.”Elf.” Will Ferrell is very genuine and sweet in this movie.
And my all time favorite….”White Christmas” with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. The music is beautiful, the dancing is fabulous, and it even makes me like snow, just a little bit. When it’s fictional, and in Vermont.
I know there are some I’ve missed, what are your favorites? Let’s have a movie night!




Because it can be. Those long, lonely hours I spent shelving books when I worked at the university library are some of the worst of my life. When I was happy it was okay (if boring; I wished for an Ipod) but when I was sad (like when my boyfriend and I were fighting about religion) it was horrible. The isolation… no reprieve from myself… *shudder*
Which is not to say that librarians are always lonely. But there is a lot of scope for them to be.
Comment #1 by Proud Daughter of EveNovember 28th, 2006 at 8:32 pmI adore “It’s A Wonderful Life.” Also: “White Christmas,” “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” “The Bishop’s Wife,” “Desk Set,” “Elf,” “Die Hard.”
Comment #2 by CylNovember 28th, 2006 at 8:39 pmMy sis just did a poll about this on our myfamily site….here are some that you did not mention, that she remembered:
Scrooge
The Santa Clause
Miracle on 34th Street
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Muppets’ Christmas Carol
The Shop around the corner
The Bishop’s Wife
Christmas with the Kranks
Jingle all the Way
Jack Frost
Deck the Halls
Home Alone
The Nativity Story
Of this list, I have to say that I did enjoy Home Alone as a kid, and probably would like seeing it again. Also LOVE Muppet’s Christmas Carol. I like the scene in Meet Me in St. Louis with the christmas tree, but can’t remember if that is officially a Christmas movie. Anyway, there area few more to chew on, and I am with you on Wonderful Life, but I want to give it a second chance this season….especially since it came in my double pack dvd set (with White christmas) from Costco.
Comment #3 by KageNovember 28th, 2006 at 10:24 pmActually, “It’s a Wonderful Life” was never intended by Frank Capra to be a “Christmas” film. It was the first film he made after World War II, and wanted something challenging for audiences, yet still reaffirming his populist views on the decency and goodness of small-town American life. It bombed when it first came out in 1946. Only in the mid-70’s when it fell out of copyright and in to the public domain did it become a hit: TV stations could air it endlessly without paying any license fees.
It can be painful to watch as George Bailey’s world falls apart. But the redemption that comes at the end makes the struggle more meaningful. The line that always chokes me up is the gentleman in the mob of people donating money to George and his family…”I wouldn’t have a roof over my head if it wasn’t for you, George”. Cut to George realizing how his life touched this man, as well as all the people in his town. I can think of no better message in this season: that everybody matters to somebody.
Comment #4 by PhouchgNovember 29th, 2006 at 12:49 amKage - go watch Home Alone again as an adult. It’s actually quite appalling, the language that comes out of this eight year old’s mouth, and the violence is too extreme. You will probably see (as I recently saw it again)an entirely different movie than the one you remember. And by the way, I hate it when that happens!
Also, Miracle on 34th Street should have made my original list. I love that movie.
PDoE - I never thought of it that way. I just thought being surrounded by books all day sounded nice and peaceful. Still does, in fact. But I can see how when you are going through a hard time it would be horrible to be so isolated. Maybe I should be a children’s librarian…..
Phouchg - I know the message is there, I am just impatient to wade through all the crap to get to it. And yes, it probably makes me very shallow, but I’m OK with that.:) I’m probably the only person who doesn’t like the movie, and I’m OK with that, too. You go ahead and enjoy it enough for both of us. Also, how do you pronounce phouchg?
Comment #5 by The WizNovember 29th, 2006 at 12:59 amNo, you’re not the only one!
Comment #6 by Tracy MNovember 29th, 2006 at 1:06 amI love the tv movie of “The Greatest Christmas Pagent Ever”,and I love Miracle on 34th Street(the original best but I like the remake too) and most of the others mentioned. I love the cartoon version of The Grinch but I hated the Jim Carrey movie. I too love White Christmas. Better stop as I’m getting sad realizing that I won’t get to watch any of them this year.
Comment #7 by alaskagrandmaNovember 29th, 2006 at 2:07 amIt’s a Wonderful Life is the only movie I MUST watch every year. It’s one of our only tradiations. I know not everyone loves it like I do, and that’s cool. The message that resonates so much with me is the idea that the most noble thing a person can do is not travel the world or become a successful big shot. . . but to live a simple life of integrity and love and to make a difference to those closest to you–your family and friends. I get teary just thinking about it. (sidenote–the American Film association named it the number 1 most inspiring movie of all time . . . but don’t let that stop y
Comment #8 by MiggyNovember 29th, 2006 at 8:09 amyoufrom disliking it.)
Comment #9 by MiggyNovember 29th, 2006 at 8:10 amIts a Wonderful Life has always seemed kinda lame to me. Maybe its because I’ve never actually watched the whole things from beginning to end. Or maybe I’ve never watched the whole thing because it seemed lame when I tried to watch it.
Comment #10 by JKSNovember 29th, 2006 at 10:34 amOooo I LOVE It’s a Wonderful Life. It’s one of my Top Ten Favourite Films EVER. Ever!
My very very very favourite part is the part when she’s on the phone and then he is, and their faces are so close together, because the acting (when nothing is being ’said’ as it were) is completely spellbindingly fantastically amazing. That film is chock full of one line beauties as well… so quotable - “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets their wings” (can you just hear Zu Zu’s voice saying that? LOL)
I also love Miracle on 34th Street (both versions), and White Christmas, and what about The Snowman (animation by Raymond Briggs)? It’s FANTASTIC…particularly as there is not a word spoken in it, and always has me blubbing by the end.
Comment #11 by ChrissieNovember 29th, 2006 at 10:58 amOh, and of course the music in The Snowman is just gorgeous as well.
Comment #12 by ChrissieNovember 29th, 2006 at 11:00 amI like the Rankin/Bass productions…Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Clause is Coming to Town, Rudolph’s Shiny New Year, etc. I also love the Nightmare Before Christmas. The Santa Clause movies with Tim Allen are pretty cute too. I thought the third one was a little cheezy, but Martin Short was really funny as Jack Frost.
Comment #13 by fluffychickyNovember 29th, 2006 at 11:28 amThe Christmas Gift, made in 1986 John Denver was in it.
Comment #14 by JSNovember 29th, 2006 at 12:53 pmA widowed New York City architect and his young daughter take a Christmas vacation and end up in a small mystical town in Colorado where everyone believes in Santa Claus. Cute movie, did anyone else see it? We had it on vhs growing up…maybe when I go home for Christmas this year, I’ll watch it.
Oh, my favorite subject. Christmas movies, and Christmas CD’s. I’m working on my Christmas movies collection so that I can have a Christmas movie every day of December until Christmas. My all time favorite~ White Christmas. “Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters.” That always starts my season. My next favorite, The Year Without a Santa Claus. “I’m Mr. Heatmeister, I’m Mr. Sun.” So fun! I have most of the other ones mentioned too. My two daughters favorite is Christmas Shoes. Yuck. Now that one is truly depressing. I mean, come on, the mom dies. Is there a subliminal message in that? I’m just ignoring it.
Just enjoy them all!
Comment #15 by Susan PNovember 29th, 2006 at 12:56 pmOoo Ooo…just thought of another. I love the animation of Beatrix Potter’s ‘The Tailor of Gloucester’. Completely lovely. Wish I had it on DVD!
Comment #16 by ChrissieNovember 29th, 2006 at 4:58 pm1. I used to watch “Holiday Inn” every Christmas Eve at my parents’ house–it also stars Bing Crosby (and Fred Astaire) and the song “White Christmas” has a prominent part in it. (Bing Crosby’s character writes the song and his love interest hears him singing it after a long estrangement, and comes back to him. And the inn.) I need to get my own copy. It’s a very cute and funny movie.
LOVE “The Snowman”–loved it as a kid too and had the soundtrack on record. I recently found a VHS copy at a thrift store. Linus’s recitation of Luke 2 in “Charlie Brown” is what gets me. “…That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.” Speaking of which, “The Nativity,” put out by the Church (used to be called “Luke II”) is short but SO good. “Mr. Krueger’s Christmas,” on the other hand, that one makes me sad.
Love “Family Man,” love “Elf,” love “Grinch,” love “Miracle on 34th” (old one). I also like watching Christmas/New Year’s _scenes_ from movies, specifically my very favorite “When Harry Met Sally.” (Not with kids, though.)
2. Being a librarian, I can’t resist saying: there are lots of aspects to library work that are incredibly boring/lonely/etc. if they’re not your “thing.” Most of the really boring stuff is stuff that librarians themselves (at least at larger libraries) don’t actually do. I don’t shelve books, although I did as a student library worker in college and it was boring and could be lonely. Cataloging (assigning numbers to items)–also boring and lonely to me and not my thing, fortunately for me, another librarian does that. Being in charge of acquisitions and outreach, I select the books for the library and think of ways to promote the library to students and faculty at the college where I work. I also work at the reference desk and teach library courses, both of which are sometimes frustrating but never lonely.
Just had to put in my 2c…okay, 50c. Librarians can be sensitive about that whole “image” thing
Comment #17 by ElizaNovember 29th, 2006 at 5:33 pm“Image thing”? What “image thing”? Now take off your glasses Eliza. And shake down the bun in your hair…
Ooo you’re such a gorgeous, sexy woman
LOL!
Comment #18 by ChrissieNovember 29th, 2006 at 8:06 pmWhite Christmas, hands down. I watch it all the time. We watched it Turkey day night- to introduce teh season to our home. We have others- but that’s my favorite.
Comment #19 by MelissaNovember 29th, 2006 at 9:17 pmWell, I’ll be on the I-LOVE-It’s-A-Wonderful-Life side of the controversy. We just watched it the other day.
Comment #20 by meemsDecember 1st, 2006 at 12:24 amnext, the original Miracle on 34th Street.
I’m with Chrissie and Eliza on The Snowman, too!
I guess others would include The Bishop’s Wife, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and yeah, okay, Die Hard.
Hooray, I’m not the only person who doesn’t really like “It’s A Wonderful Life”! I think it’s depressing too. I didn’t see it until I was an adult, so I don’t have any childhood memories wrapped around it — maybe that’s part of it.
I am fond of “A Christmas Story” and the animated “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”
Comment #21 by Pam W.December 1st, 2006 at 1:05 amNo one ever mentions
WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING in these lists, although I’ve gone through the posts and will look up some of the ones I haven’t seen to see this year
Comment #22 by EmilySDecember 10th, 2006 at 10:39 pm