The Snowman – Clairey Sweetie

Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without these Christmas movies –

Elf

It’s the obvious Christmas movie at the top of everyone’s favourite Christmas movies list, but shamefully I have only in the last couple of years got on-board.

Elf is a very naive way of looking at the world and highlights subconsciously so much we take for granted, like the power of smiling has on others for example.

One of my favourite parts of the film is when Buddy has just arrived in New York City and he sees a cafe selling ‘the world’s best coffee’ and he goes in to congratulate them. Fundamentally the film is about belonging, and the power a bit of optimism and belief has in the world to make things happen.

Elf grows on me after every watch.

The Muppet Christmas Carol

The Muppet Christmas Carol was introduced into the family mix of Christmas films in my mid-late teens and it’s a bit like Disney animations; despite being nearly thirty years’ old I still find an enormous amount of pleasure and comfort in them, and the same for the Muppets.

The Muppet Christmas Carol is a simple retelling of Charles Dickens’ Christmas Carol for a younger (Muppet-loving) audience and I love it!

Love Actually

Love Actually is a brilliantly written and executed film with an incredible cast and an incredible script that just brings each character’s story to life.

I get that some people will watch Love Actually and not really see the genius in some of the humour, such as when John head-butts Judy’s nipple, or the pain staking attention Rufus (the jewelry salesman) takes in gift wrapping, or even really see the pain in the storyline between Sarah and Karl owing to her mentally ill brother… and I kinda’ feel for those people.

The Snowman (and Snow dog)

Every single Christmas Eve throughout my childhood consisted of being read three stories and watching three films before lights out to await Santa’s arrival. The Snowman was of course one of the three films and while I still adore the original version, the newer release involving the Snow Dog is just brilliant.

I always forget how much it makes me cry so I silently sit on the sofa trying to hide my tears. I think anyone who has experienced the pain of losing a family pet, as well as the joy they bring, totally gets the emotion behind this film.

Christmas television

My favourite Christmas TV always begins with the Gavin & Stacey Christmas Special (because it’s just excellent and I’m a huge G&S fan!); Call the Midwife on Christmas Day; and I always look forward to getting the TV guide a week or so in advance and highlighting everything I want to watch and/or record.

What are your favourite Christmas movies and TV to watch?

Until tomorrow x

Christmas holiday memories, we all have them and it’s one of the most prominent times in our childhood that we remember most fondly. In this post I share some of mine.

I find the build up to Christmas can be quite exhausting, but it is lovely to hear Christmas songs, see decorations (especially in London), and look forward to some quality family time as the Christmas spirit sets in.

Christmas holiday memories

Christmas as a child is the most exciting time of year, not to mention magical. Now I’m older, Christmas is so much more than the presents, and I find it sad that this aspect drives so many people’s total obsession with this time of year.

For me –as cheesy as it sounds- it’s about people coming together around the table, sharing a meal and making memories, particularly if you don’t see each other all that often.

I love the idea of putting together the ultimate holiday nostalgia time capsule filled with all the things that remind me of my favourite Christmas memories. Here is what I would include and why:

Christmas Eve films

On Christmas Eve growing up, we would watch three Christmas movies: Mickey’s Christmas Carol, The Snowman, and Father Christmas. In later years we added The Muppets Christmas Carol and probably Love Actually into the mix.

Christmas Eve stories

After watching the three videos we got ready for bed and Dad would read my two brothers and me three stories: The Night Before Christmas; Frog and Toad (Christmas Eve); and Wake Up Bear…It’s Christmas.

We would then be expected to fall asleep before Father Christmas arrived, and I remember always getting a bit anxious that my excitement was preventing me from sleep.

The Radio Times & a pack of highlighter pens

Every year since I can remember I have always had a copy of the Radio Times (later replaced with cheaper TV guides) and gone through it meticulously and highlighted everything I want to watch over Christmas.

Until moving out of the family nest nearly 9 years ago, I drove my parents mad doing it. Now that I am the controller of my own TV and schedule, I can still be found in the run up to Christmas furiously scouring and highlighting the TV guide.

There are also a whole bunch of memories I have that aren’t necessarily associated or can be associated to a gift, things like being Mary, the Angel Gabriel and a Shepherd for my Nativity acting credits; always being woken up far too early by my brothers on Christmas morning but when you’re awake, you’re awake (you can’t fight sleep when there’s a stocking full of gifts at the end of your bed!).

I also remember one year being out at church on Christmas eve and getting really anxious that we wouldn’t be home in time for Santa’s arrival, ha!

If you had to build your own crate full of Christmas holiday memories, what would you put in it?

Until next time x

Christmas movies & television: my favourite things to watch

Elf