Christmas Time is here!

and with it comes holiday traditions for everyone, I’m sure.  Our family puts up the lights and the tree the weekend after Thanksgiving, so we can have a whole month of trying to keep our cat from destroying it.  Oh what fun it is…

Whatever you celebrate, be it Winter Solstice, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Robonukah, or Festivas (and don’t forget Frank Sinatra’s Birthday on December 12th), if you’re like me, you can’t wait for the cool holiday specials.  I prefer the old school myself- Charlie Brown, the Grinch, Rudolph- because they have a childhood nostalgia feel, a warm fuzzy that I can share with my daughter.  But we’re not opposed to an Olive, the Other Reindeer or a Prep and Landing.  Gotta make room for the new school too.

My household has a few movies we have to watch every Christmas Season that many folks may not, however, consider Mandatory Holiday Viewing.  I have to watch Bill Murray in Scrooged every holiday season.  Not just because Bill Murray is a genius, and not just because the update of A Christmas Carol involving a tv exec and his network (the parodies of tv specials are spot on) and not just because it skewers holiday (and corporate) cynicism and not just because it was directed by THE Richard Donner, but maybe it’s a combination of all of those things.  It’s an absolute Must.  And my wife will watch any cheesy Holiday movie (and I mean ANY) but each year she has to watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.  That’s her mandatory viewing.  And occasionally we’ll throw in Gremlins.  Yep.  THAT Gremlins.  Takes place at Christmas time, so it qualifies.  And so does Die Hard if you want to be a stickler- Christmas setting, decorations, good will toward men…  ok maybe not that last part.  Every family has its Holiday Viewing Traditions- would love to hear some of yours.  Meanwhile, Dig Triad has provided a list of Holiday Specials and Movies for you to start your own viewing traditions with your family.

Dig Triad’s list of Holiday Movies and Specials

What are your Must View Holiday Films and Specials?