Daily Archives: December 18, 2013

Christmas is a lot of things, and of course the celebration of the birth of Christ is at the center, but I have to admit, my personal Christmas experience every year involves some of my favorite Christmas movies!!  Please allow me to share some of my favorites!

 

Let’s start with Five Classics from years gone by;

 

1. A Christmas Carol.  The classic story written by Charles Dickens.  There are many wonderful adaptations, but my favorite is the 1951 film version starring Alastair Sim as Scrooge.  Before Christmas I will share how this film changed my life!!!!

 

2.  White Christmas.  This perennial favorite starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney is top notch old fashioned Christmas fun!

 

3.  It’s A Wonderful Life.  This wonderful Christmas Classic, filmed the year I was born, 1946, and directed by Frank Capra, and starring James Stewart and Donna Reed is on to never be missed.  It’s message will inspire you through out the rest of the year.

 

4.  Holiday Inn.  The incredible music of Irving Berlin’s graces this fantastic tale of two entertainers and their Christmas adventure in New England.  This holiday tale is one of the most entertaining and best acted of all the old classics.

 

5. Miracle on 34^th Street.  Though done again in the 90’s the original version from 1947 is still the best.  If you still want to believe, this is a must!

 

6. The Bishop’s Wife.  Cary Grant, Loretta Young, and David Niven star in this wonderful tale of faith and love at Christmas.

 

 

Now some of my favorites from the modern era;

 

 

7.  The Muppet Christmas Carol.  This beautifully done version of a Christmas Carol with the heartwarming music of Paul Williams and the capable acting of Michael Cane, not to mention, Kermit, Miss Piggy, The Great Gonzo and Rizzo the Rat!

 

8.  Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas.  I could never leave this movie off my list, because it was the favorite of my daughter Catherine when she was little girl!  To this day she can recite every single line a fraction of second before it comes on the screen!

 

9.  The Santa Claus.  Tim Allen has made two fortunes with this franchise, but the first was truly brilliant and touching, worth the time to revisit this great film, the others?  It’s your time!

 

10.  Home Alone & Home Alone 2.  If you want to get in the Christmas mood and laugh good and hard, these are two not to miss!

 

11.  Christmas Vacation.  Christmas without Chevy Chase, you have to be kidding!

 

 

O.K. let’s make it an even dozen.

 

 

12.  A Christmas Story.  This one is hard to miss, and you really shouldn’t, if for no other reason but to see what Christmas was like for all us gray beards in the 1950s!

 

Merry Christmas,

 

the pilgrim