… and Cream Puff has a question for you!
For the second Monday in a row, I don’t have a Magazine Mondays post for you. However, I do have a little project I’d like you to help me with.
I have something special planned for December and I’d like you to answer the following question to help me with my research. So here it is:
If you could only watch one movie on Christmas Day, what movie would it be?
I know. I know. Christmas talk already. But I can’t help myself … fa la la la la la …
Ciao!
81 comments
Anna
I would probably watch ET together with my kids. It’s so much fun watching movies with them because of all the smart questions!
Anna from Milan, Italy
PS: I love your blog
TheBon
That is so hard! I have a three-way tie:
A Christmas Story
Dr. Suess’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas [animated, NOT live action!]
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer [80's claymation version]
angela
i watch the griswalds christams, EVERY year…. it makes me laugh and it has some nice lessons in it
Happy Cook
Almost every year we watch A Muppet Christmas Carrol, it is a Dickens’ story, and one of the main actor is Michael Cain.
Mam
My Christmas Day movie is Steve Martin’s Mixed Nuts. It reminds me not to take the seasonal hooprah too seriously, that laughter and an extended family is the most important thing.
joanne at frutto della passione
My first answer was almost It’s a Wonderful LIfe, but then I reread the question, You said Christmas DAY, so my answer is: White Christmas (Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney). When I still lived in Toronto, Christmas Eve was spent at my Aunt Sandy’s where after dinner (and a round of tombola to keep my grandmother happy) a select few would sneak off to watch *It’s a Wonderful Life* wine glasses in one hand, kleenex in the other. Christmas Day was always at my mom’s and after lunch (with most of the same people from the night before
) we would sit on the couch sipping coffee and munching on nuts and watch White Christmas and sing along to every musical number (God help the mister, that comes between me and my sister…)
I rarely get back to Canada for Christmas now and I lost my mom a year ago, but I still keep the tradition and I know my family does back home.
mary
I would watch a Christmas film in old style if i remember correctly the film is entitled ” Miracle on 34th street ” it’s a classic .
emiglia
It’s a Wonderful Life is definitely up there, but since it’s already been suggested, I’ll go with March of the Wooden Soldiers. It’s a classic and a tradition in my family. Plus there’s Laurel and Hardy!!
amy
this is going to sound soo sacrilegious for anyone who believes in that… but last year we all went to see The Life of Brian at the outdoor cinema on christmas eve.
it was so lovely though (the cinema itself) as it was so nice and warm, everyone lazing out under the stars on a still summer night and the air of christmas making people happy. plus a hilarious movie
Jes
Since my family is from the midwest and the plot is set right around the years my mom grew up, we always watched A Christmas Story. It’s one of the best Christmas comedies and a really fun way to spend a few hours on Christmas Day. “You’ll shoot your eye out, kid!”
Rosa
“Nightmare Before Christmas” is a great movie! I never get tired of it…
Cheers,
Rosa
Mettch
The Sound of Music! A strange choice, I know, but it’s tradition in my family. It’s a feel good movie as well so I guess it’s not completely off, right?
MsC
My all-time favorite Christmas flick is Its a Wonderful Life. I can watch it in June and still cry from beginning to end! Having said that, A Christmas Story is just so great….and I went to Queen Victoria School in St. Catharines where/when it was filmed (I was in grade 2 at the time) so it gets a vote being close to my childhood memories.
bmk
It would have to be Christmas Vacation for us!
JennyBakes
Well, by Christmas I will probably have seen all of the holiday movies because my husband loooooves Christmas! So by then I’m ready for something sarcastic like Mixed Nuts, which is the most underrated Christmas comedy ever, and makes me laugh out loud.
Trying Traditional
I am hopelessly, shamelessly old fashioned here, but I love “It’s a Wonderful Life”. Family and community coming together are what does it for me, love it!
Bronwyn
I’ve never watched a movie on Christmas Day, but then again I’m still young-ish. Usually my parents, my sister and I open gifts, eat breakfast, go for a walk/hike, relax at home, eat a turkey dinner, relax some more (usually with a new novel or game).
The one movie I could IMAGINE watching on Christmas Day is “Love, Actually”. There are several Christmas movies I adore (Charlie Brown Christmas, Raymond Briggs’ The Snowman, Miracle on 34th Street, Bob Clark’s A Christmas Story, and Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas) but I can’t imagine any of them being Christmas Day fare.
Andreas
I`d also vote for the Muppet Christmas Carol. A heart-warming story told by Muppets, what more do you want?
Emily
I would have to go with A Charlie Brown Christmas. It’s a classic movie, and easy to understand, even for the little ones!
Sheryl
My favourite Christmas film is a little indie flick called “Dinner at Fred’s” with Parker Posey, Gil Bellows and Kevin McDonald from Kids in the Hall.
We also make a point of watching “Badder Santa”, because after weeks of the treacly classics, we need a bit of cynicism.
Caitlin
One movie? Well, this might be unconventional, but The Nightmare Before Christmas is a classic in my house
mary corbet
A Christmas Story…..
“A + + + + ”
“The mother of all curse words”
“It says ‘fra-geeeel-ay – must be Italian”
“you’ll shoot your eye out, kid”
“Show mommy how the piggy eats”…
Close seconds: White Christmas, It’s a Wonderful Life, (the old) Miracle on 34th Street, Christmas in Connecticut….
Esi
A Christmas Story. No doubt about it!
VeggieGirl
Movie = Miracle on 34th Street!!
snooky doodle
For me it would be Polar express and for secong Santa clause the one with Tim allen . Both are my favourites
Miss Ifi
LOVE ACTUALLY!!!! I love this movie, and there are so many great actors in it, I just feel all happy after I watch it. I also like ELF because it is so funny.. however for funny I usually listen to Stuart McLean his christmas stories are just hillarious … oh that man is brilliant!!
looking forward to what this research will culminate in ^_^
Emily
If I had to limit it to one movie fo Christmas i would be Christmas in Conneticut with Barbara Striesand. I watch this movie every year.
Jennifer in NYC
It’s a Wonderful Life! I prefer watching it before Christmas, but it is my favorite Christmas movie.
For anyone who lives in the tri-state NYC area, we have the yule log on tv on Christmas day. It is a video of a crackling fire (in a fireplace), accompanied by Christmas songs, for hours. Love it!
Love your blog!
Jodie
I’m going to have to say Love Acutally or Family Stone.
Meliss
My vote goes to “A Christmas Story”
My son would vote for “Polar Express”
sunita
Christmas talk already! Well, why not
As for the movie, I would probably love to watch ‘Home alone 1′ with the kids. and ..just for the pure laughs 
Kim from Toronto Canada
I’d have to say Love Actually, and my hubs would say It’s a Wonderful Life….so we’ll watch both and a few more…
Yes the Christmas season is definitely upon us…I was at Yorkdale mall on the weekend and all of the stores are decked out and decorations are up…
Wandering Coyote
Excellent question, as I usually spend Christmas day watching movies!
My choice: Christmas Vacation. I watch it every year and it never gets old!
Maggie
Definitely White Christmas! It’s one of my favorite movies of all time. Every year, my favorite people and I get together to bake cookies and watch (/recite) White Christmas a few days before the big day. It’s wonderful. But I’d still watch it AGAIN on Christmas day over anything else.
Tanya
“A Christmas Story” definitely!
Starre
Christmas Story
Camille
“White Christmas”…it’s been my favourite Christmas movie since I was a young girl. 20 years ago, I met a woman who is now my best friend & found out that she too loved White Christmas. Ever since then, the 1st weekend in Dec, we have our “Annual White Christmas” evening. Our evening starts with a some sort of Martini. Our dinner is then:
- Tourtiere (a French Canadian meat pie) w/homemade cranberry chutney
- A nice salad, sometimes pear, blue cheese & walnuts on arugula with & a sherry vinaigrette, sometimes persimmon, pommegranate seeds, pecans & Parmesan on mixed baby greens & a port wine vinaigrette
- A nice fruity, dry red wine
We enjoy our dinner, in anticipation of having our dessert, always homemeade Plum Pudding w/hard sauce while watching the movie. Of course we sing along, especially to “Sisters”…since we are more like sisters than best friends. We end our evening by exchanging the 1st gift of the season…a new tree ornament for our Christmas trees.
Kate
A Muppet Christmas Carol is traditional in my family as is Santa Clause, the one from 1985 with John Lithgow and Dudley Moore. This year it will be Santa Clause because I’ve finally found it on DVD and though we’ve had the video for years the beginning was cut off so I’ve never known how it starts!
Angela
Hmm. After much thought, I’ve settled on White Christmas.
nomorebagels
My all time favorites I watch every year.
1.A Christmas Story
2.It’s A Wonderful Life
3.National Lampoon Christmas Vacation
4.Jack Frost
5.Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol
6.Home Alone
7.Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer
8. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
9.A Charlie Brown Christmas
10. Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town
Stephany
I’m casting my vote for “A Charlie Brown Christmas” with a cup of hot cocoa. Then I would follow it with “Die Hard” and a cup of Rudesheimer coffee.
Jessica
I know it sounds cheesy but I would watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
To me this movie sums up what the holidays are all about. Everyone is miserable at first because you have to deal with all the cooky relatives that you are glad all year you don’t see them but once a year, but by the end of the day you are sad to see them go.
Danielle
You’ll probably see this alot: A Christmas Story. Still funny after all these years.
Sue from Atlanta
My husband forces us to watch Christmas Vacation….we know it line by line….but my first choice always would be the 1940′s classic…”Since you Went Away”….
Emily Rose
It’s A Wonderful Life hands down! I can’t go through the Christmas season without watching it at least once and crying my eyes out! You should have seen my then boyfriend now husband’s face the first time he watched it with me- I was sobbing as we watched it in the common’s room in the basement of his dorm Freshman year of college!
mrs potato head
LOVE ACTUALLY – asbolutely, without question!!!!!!!
Akane
We watch every year since I was a very little girl Home Alone, I never get tired of it; it’s a very special film for me now
I like also very much Love Actually (perfect if you want or need to feel more happy) and Nightmare before Christmas. Different movies but both are great
Allison
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation without a doubt.
Abby
The Sound of Music. No doubt.
RecipeGirl
I’m thinking of Christmas too
I like to watch A Christmas Story on Christmas Day.
tina
Good question. I had a harder time thinking about it than I thought I would!!!
I’m another sentimentalist I am afraid that will cast my ballot for “It’s a Wonderful Life”. But “The Sound of Music” comes in second!!!
Leslie
I would watch Elf, because it’s fun and silly, but it also brings good holiday spirits. And it always makes me happy cry…which is the best thing next to laughing in my opinion.
Haley
I’d have to say “It’s a Wonderful Life.” “Miracle on 34th Street” is a close second.
And also “Die Hard.” People forget that it takes place at Christmas, but it is a Christmas movie.
Patricia Young
I would watch “Miracle on 34th Street”. It’s so heartwarming.
Merav
Love Actually!
I start watching it as soon as it gets cold.
Sarah
Funny enough, we ALWAYS watch Nightmare Before Christmas on xmas morning!
Maria
Christmas Vacation. I laugh every time!!
Tiffany
Either the Charlie Brown Christmas, or The Polar Express.
jen
Cinema Paradiso. It’s just such a lovely, beautiful movie.
Linda
For some reason, I really enjoy the Home Alone movies! Watching them with my dad though makes them even funnier.
Patti
White Christmas. With my girls…
Jennifer Moore
I’m not sure I can make up my mind on just one, so I will list two. Home Alone and Miracle on 34th Street.
Natashya
That would have to be A Charlie Brown Christmas. I love Linus’s Christmas speach, very touching.
Vivian
Ditto on the Charlie Brown Christmas… and Mary Poppins. It just leaves you with the cheerful, warm feeling like Christmas does
peabody
Emmit Otters Jug Band Christmas
hannah
Oh I love Christmas! Probably Santa Claus 2!
brilynn
Does it have to be a Christmas movie? Can I watch Blues Brothers?
elisabetta
The Desk Set, with Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn, the perfect film for Christmas, a bit old perhaps but wonderful!
Renee
Miracle on 34th street for the “aww” factor, and then The Santa Clause for giggles. Though having said that I love ALL xmas movies.
Joyful Abode: Domesticity by Trial and Error
The Snowman, hands down.
Liliana
I remember my childhood Christmases always included watching White Christmas and the whole family used to sing along with Bing Crosby.
When my daughters were little girls we would watch Miracle on 34th Street. We still do along with White Christmas.
EVA
While I do love Miracle on 34th Street, every year I watch Die Hard (the original and sometimes Die Hard 2).
I thought that I’d be the only one to say that but I see several others share my view of it as a Christmas flick!
Dana McCauley
What’s the name of the movie with the little boy Ralphie? I love that movie and if I knew what it was called, I’d buy a copy of it to watch every year.
Michelle B
@Amy, Yes, Life of Brian is a brilliantly hilarious movie, though I tend to watch snippets from that film at Youtube on a monthly basis throughout the year!
No watching TV or vids at our household during the Holiday season, we are all happily reading our books that we have gotten for each other, followed by yapping and discussing their contents at a table groaning with home-cooked dishes. Hoorah for the free time at Holidays that allows for intense reading!
Melanie
“Love Actually” is my new favorite Christmas movie. It’s about all different kinds of love, and it’s the kind of movie that just makes you really happy at the end even if some of it is a little bittersweet. I would warn though that it’s not kid-friendly…it has a few raunchy moments like nudity, but not necessarily sexual
Toffeeapple
It absolutely has to be The Wizard of Oz!
Joanna
Our family always makes time for “A Christmas Story” and “The Muppet Christmas Carol” – it doesn’t feel like Christmas unless we watch these sometime during the holidays together as a family – i.e. no one is allowed to watch them unless we all can. And in the last few years my daughter and I have also found time for “Love Actually”, since it is set around Christmas too.
John
A few years back I would have said “none”, there was just never enough time between hosting or running. But times have changed and become somewhat quieter here on Christmas day… 2 years back Ray and I watched The Polar Express Christmas Day eve. Last year the same and I intend every Dec. 25th that I have remaining to do the very same. One is never too old to start a new tradition or more importantly to “Believe”!!!
Joan
Definitely, “It’s a Wonderful Life” I’ve spent 8 Christmases with my hubby, and he always tells me to watch this flick. And to think he’s not really a sentimental nor a nostalgic kinda guy. Finally, we have a dvd copy so I will watch it this year. And maybe, Polar Express with my 5 yo boy.
PS. Thanks for your blogs and for being so generous in sharing your recipes.
Holly
It would have to be A Christmas Story. That movie’s the best!
lisa
Ok,
Miracle on 34th Street
Christmas Story
Elf
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Frosty
Rudolph….= the early 60′s version my era haha
*I just read my email…so this is so last week**
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