"Every time a bell rings, an Angel gets his wings"Not that we particularly needed encouragement, but the festive spirit is smothering Pocket Queens HQ like a warm, cozy blanket and a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter’s day. Praha only added to this abundance of festive spirit.
Chez Bromley is all decorated, the tree is up, the lovely christmas cards that people have been kind enough to send (I am clinging onto this tradition … I love cards) are displayed and the tree stands tall and regal in our dining room.
And this also means that "Christmas Movie Season" is in full swing! Action, comedy, smushy, festive or just plain naff; I love them all! Christmas movies also conjure up plenty a debate as to which are the “best”. I absolutely believe that your favourite christmas movies have nothing to do with cinematographic creditability (let’s face it, they aren’t competing for an Oscar), but more the power of the childhood/family memory that it invokes. Here is my top ten:
Prologue:
Honorary mentions must firstly go out to Love Actually and Polar Express in 11th and 12th positions. Both very good movies, but just not quite good enough to get into my top 10. I have also excluded Die Hard from selection, on account of the fact that Die Hard is not (I repeat NOT) a Christmas movie.
10 Charlie Brown Christmas
What’s not to love about the Peanuts gang. I always wanted a dog like Snoopy. Still waiting.
9 The Snowman
My Gran’s favourite movie. I haven’t yet mustered up the courage to watch this since we lost her. Still a classic and still captivates children when they see it.
8 Miracle on 34th Street
The modern one. This is a new entry into my top ten, on account of the fact that I have only recently watched this for the first time. I sobbed like a girl.
7 Arthur Christmas
It’s not often that new movies make it into a “greatest” list, but this one is really wonderful. The Boy took me to the cinema to see this in my first year as a trainee lawyer, on account of the fact that I was feeling the pressure at work and wasn’t getting in the festive spirit. We shamelessly didn’t even borrow a child to go and see it with! Very clever modern take on the Santa Clause story.
6 Elf
Utterly wonderful movie. And brilliantly hilarious. If you haven’t seen this, please do.
5 Santa Claus the Movie
This is an old movie now, but is one that I watched relentlessly as a child. My Gran played it to my sister and I when she was babysitting for us and we loved it. One Christmas she bought us a talking book version of the movie and I recall falling asleep listening to it practically every night in December. To this day, when I think of Father Christmas, I visualise the actor in this movie.
4 Gremlins
Love love LOVE this movie. My youngest cat (Branston) looks like a Mogwai (and sings like one). I like the second one too, but this one is a classic. I would put money on the fact that most people, when challenged, could name the three rules about keeping a Mogwai off the top of their head.
3 Home Alone
This is where the list gets interesting. And contentious! Many many people have this as their number one, and to be honest, there is not a huge amount in the top three for me. They are all pretty close. This is a classic and has delighted audiences for years. I still see shirts in stores at this time of year bearing the logo
“Keep the change, you filthy animal” and the popularity of this brilliant movie shows no signs of slowing down.
2 A wonderful life
Again, slightly contentious, given that this is pretty much always at the top. An incredible movie that is well worth the accolades it has been receiving throughout the years. Apparently, it’s the only movie in history to have originated from a greetings card and has been ranked as the most powerful movie of all time by the American Film Institute. Another of my Gran’s favourites, I will be watching this on Christmas Eve with a glass of champagne and a box of tissues!
1 Muppet Christmas Carol
Here it is. my number one. Influenced by the fact that I have been obsessed with the Muppets since I was a child, this surely has to be the greatest adaptation of the tale of Scrooge in history?? Superbly cast, brilliantly acted and perfectly directed, this movie is charming and amazing and funny all in one dose. For me, the greatest Christmas movie of all time. Come on, sing it with me;
"Here comes Mr Humbug ..."Would you have included any I have missed?
B