Tis the Season For Santa and Scrooge

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OK. So I'm going to let you in on my guilty little pleasure ... at least the one I enjoy at Christmas time.  Once we hit December on the calendar, the TV stations start running Christmas movies.  Yep.  That's right, Christmas movies.  Believe it or not, I love to watch these movies, no matter how sappy or corny they may be, I love them.

Of course, there are some great classics out there - A Christmas Carol, Miracle on 34th Street, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, It's a Wonderful Life - but the movie doesn't have to be a classic for me to watch it.  What can I say?  I just love to watch these movies.

A few years ago, I spent a large portion of December fighting off a nasty virus that laid me low for several weeks.  During that time, I discovered not only how many Christmas movies there are, but, also, the limited number of themes present in the made-for-TV Christmas movie.  There are two main types.  One category focuses on a Santa Claus replacement or relative.  The other finds its roots in A Christmas Carol, following a peron who doesn't realize how miserable their life is until someone or something divine interrupts their normal life.  All of these movies end with a feel-good, happily ever after kind of ending.  I'm embarrassed to admit that I often shed a tear during those touching moments.

If you've missed out on these amazing offerings, then just tune into Lifetime, Hallmark, or ABCFamily to find them.  I rarely watch these channels the rest of the year, but that's where the Christmas movies live.  And never fear, if you miss one, it will repeat, often immediately after it ends.  Right now, I'm watching one of those Scrooge knock-off movies with Nancy McKeon. It's not great, but I'm still watching. 

So, in December, I turn off my corny TV censor and let all of the sappy, feel good movies in.  That's my guilty Christmas pleasure.  What's yours?

Comments

Tanks for the Memories said…
I love the children Christmas movies...claymation and "real" like Elf w Will Farrell. I also have a hallmark ornament fettish and buy 3 new ones every year to add to my collection (one for each child) Its an expensive habit but I have had worse. Lastly, we have attended the Nutcracker Suite every Christmas of my life and my children have too. I hope they never tire of it like I never have!
December 12, 2010 at 7:06 PM
Bob Strother said…
We watch them, too, but more recent ones: Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, the Muppet's Christmas Carol, and our new find that we can hardly wait for Thanksgiving for...so that we can start the season--Love, Actually. If you haven't seen it, try it; you'll like it.
December 12, 2010 at 7:25 PM
Rebecca said…
LOL I guess mine would be the holiday music channel on cable. Something about hearing those cheesy Christmas songs and remakes and re-remakes... love 'em!
December 13, 2010 at 9:29 AM
Henry said…
It's not Christmas until I watch George C. Scott as Scrooge in the wonderful, 1980s TV version of A Christmas Carol. We also almost always find time for A Christmas Story. I've only seen Love, Actually one time, but it's a good 'un, too.
December 13, 2010 at 10:46 AM
Lisa Pickens said…
Besides watching all of our Christmas movies, I love listening to the Christmas music on the radio. In early November two radio stations in town start playing Christmas music and I am one of their biggest fans. Christmas music makes me very happy but has been known to cause a tear or two. Not just any Christmas music though. It has to be the old classics with the likes of Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Perry Como, Andy Williams, Frank Sinatra, Burl Ives, etc.
December 13, 2010 at 5:43 PM
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