Julie's Journal : Christmas Movies at the Baxters'

If you have ever come in and asked me for a movie recommendation, you know that movies are not my area of expertise.  I can recommend books all day long, but I generally don't have the attention span to sit and watch an entire movie.  I get distracted by a book or my phone or something I need to do around the house.  However, since we put the Christmas decorations up the day after Thanksgiving, my husband and I have watched several of our old favorites.  Christmas seems to be a time of nostalgia and we have had a lot of fun re-watching things we loved as kids.  Now, we aren't particularly sentimental, so we lean more towards funny movies than emotional ones.  That being said, here's a few of the shows we've been watching lately.

1.  Home Alone 1 & 2. - The first Home Alone movie is our favorite, but the second one isn't bad, either.  Bumbling crooks Marv and Harry meet their match in 8 year old Kevin McAllister and the tricks he devises to protect his home, himself, and - in Home Alone 2 - a toy store from their thievery.  I finally had to buy us our own copy because we were keeping the library's copy checked out and no one else was getting to see it! 

2.  A Charlie Brown Christmas - Having aired every year since its creation in 1965, it's just not Christmas without Charlie Brown, his sad Christmas tree, and Linus telling us about the true meaning of Christmas!

3.  How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Based on the book by Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas is another perennial classic.  The original television special first aired in 1966 with Boris Karloff as the voice of the Grinch.  We've enjoyed the live action remake with Jim Carey and the newest cartoon isn't bad either, but nothing beats the original half-hour show. 

4.  Die Hard - Die Hard isn't funny and it isn't particularly Christmas-y but it is set around an office Christmas party, so my husband says it counts as a Christmas movie.  Terrorists led by Hans Gruber (played by the incomparable Alan Rickman), seize a high rise and take the party goers hostage.  John McClain (Bruce Willis), a visiting NYC cop, must thwart them and figure out how to get himself and everyone else out alive.  Warning : Die Hard contains a lot of very rough language and is pretty bloody.

What movies are traditionally watched around the holidays at your house?  We might need to add something new to our traditions!