Holiday Favorites...


Today's post is going to get you THINKING, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with exercising one's mind now and then...is there?
Aside from the sales...AND the parking...AND the shoppers...and even MORE sales, we always attempt to find the time to enjoy those things that make "our" holiday season just a tad brighter. Whether it's Christmas or Hanukkah, there are certain special things that we always look forward to at this time of year.

And I've got my favorites, just like everyone else.
I've got my Christmas shows I always watch like A Charlie Brown Christmas (excellent soundtrack by Vince Guaraldi) and my newly-acquired DVD of Garfield's Christmas (that they never show in Jim Davis's home state of Indiana).
And I have my "big screen" productions I make sure to never miss.
My short list of favorite movies:
1) Scrooge: A Christmas Carol (Alistair Sim 1951) - Best Scrooge there ever was (imho), and the streets where they filmed in London make it all the more real. They have a DVD out with a COLORIZED version on it.
2) White Christmas (have this on BETA & VHS tape..I've got to get the DVD) Good singing, good comedy, and a slam-bang finish!
3) A Christmas Carol (Patrick Stewart) -2nd best Scrooge AND he's captain of the Enterprise!
4) A New England Christmas Carol (Henry Winkler) - A fine made-for-TV movie that they never seem to show anymore...wonder why?
5) The Polar Express - I'm hooked on this movie - Good story, great animation...what's there NOT to like?
(and a tip of the hat to Christmas Vacation, a modern classic, as well as It's A Wonderful Life)

When it comes to SONGS for the holidays...it gets a bit harder. We've got SO many to choose from, as well as different genres of music from classical to comical...and back. Neil Diamond has some great Christmas albums, as does the Boston Pops, and even Perry Como, Mannheim Steamroller, The Canadian Brass, and Celtic Women. It gets harder each year to pick a top five.
My short list of Christmas songs:
1) The Christmas Song (Nat King Cole) - If EVER there was a song that can get anyone "in the spirit" for the holidays, this is THE song, sung as ONLY Nat could do it.
2) Handel's Messiah -If you've got more than 3-4 minutes to kill, this IS Christmas...period.
3) The Little Drummer Boy remix (Crosby and Bowie) - The best blend of old and new.
4) Alvin & the Chipmunks Christmas Song - I grew UP with this song and will probably die with this song. It's short, cute, and still novel for it's time.
5) The Jingle Cats - Another novel idea that works all too well and will put a grin on even the most "bah-humbuggiest" person's face.

When it comes to foods for Christmas, there are just too many to choose from, but I will say that anything with TOFU or BEAN SPROUTS somehow just doesn't convey "holiday spirit" to me. The ONLY tree I will ever hug is the Christmas tree (when lugging it home).
My short list of holiday foods:
1) Any kind of warm pie (home made preferred) - the kind that fills the house with it's aroma and turns everyone into one of Pavlov's dogs.
2) A turkey or goose...with plenty of stuffing.
3) Roast pork or beef - a great alternative when you're still "poultried out" from Thanksgiving...and gravy IS a must...lotsa gravy!
4) Snickerdoodles or Archway almond nougat cookies - go great with a nice tall glass of milk...or hot cocoa...or coffee...or tea. And "Santa" likes them as much as chocolate chip (he told me so...lol).
5) Egg Nog - OK, so it's really more of a DRINK, but it's got eggs...and milk...and nutmeg...and bourbon (at least MINE does anyway), so it's a "FOOD" in MY book.

Finally, there are those REALLY special things that make Christmas...well, Christmas, like a REAL tree and the pine scent wafting through the house.
Or perhaps it's that train set rounding the bend under the tree.
Maybe it's wrapping all the gifts (or UNwrapping them).
Definitely snow is a must for Christmas, even if you have to drive to see some (like in California or Florida). Getting all the cards to put up (as we always have done), and having friends or relatives over, or even driving to visit them makes the season great. And all those twinkling Christmas lights look wonderful (except in MAY the following year, when people forget to take them the hell DOWN).

So what are YOUR favorites?
Are those things you used to do as a child STILL done long after you've grown up?
Does the child in you come out to play every 25th of December?
Have you passed on those special things to YOUR kids that your parents did each Christmas or Hanukkah?
What makes Christmas special to you?

You can tell us - we DO have a level 8 clearance with the Pentagon.
;)

(Yo...4 shoppings days until christmas..."Get 'r done")