Christmas comes with many traditions and one for me, which is not unique, is partaking in the guilty pleasure of watching and re-watching my favourite Christmas movie moments.
As a novelist, my burning ambition is capture that moment on paper that brings a tear to the eye, or has the reader’s heart beat faster along with the characters I create. In my fabulous five listing, no matter how many times I see these movies, I experience the same emotional attachment as the very first time.
The 1942 Classic, “Holiday Inn”, which I love so much better than its counterpart “White Christmas” though both star Bing Crosby. “White Christmas” always struck me as a segmented part of the story, where “Holiday Inn” gave us the full, rich background of Jim Harper and his lady love, Linda Mason, played by Marjorie Reynolds.
My personal heart stopper is when Jim sits at the piano by a roaring fire with the snow falling fast and heavy outside, but all is cozy inside. He taps the bells with his pipe stem, and starts to sing “White Christmas” and that is the moment…you’ve no choice but to fall head over heels in love.
Quick fun facts…it was indeed this movie that inspired the hotel chain in 1952 and the song “White Christmas”, became the most popular pop song ever written.
For a little Action in your holiday’s…there’s “Die Hard” the original. Bruce Willis is at his most enigmatic in this film—still fresh to the action genre, not yet the legend.
Yes, it’s true all John McClane wanted was a peaceful holiday with his estranged wife, Holly, but really the only way to win his wife back is to show her he is truly the man for her…a man she can count on who will put her first. And boy does he show her. By taking on the bad guys, he is the hero, up to and including the point when he is bloodied, battered and bruise, stumbling down the loading dock, police lights flashing, but all is right in the world, because he has protected his one love, who is wrapped up in a blanket secured tightly in the ring embrace of his arms.
For the shameful Giggle because we all know someone in the family that fits the bill, there’s “The Ref”. Denis Leary plays Gus and has me in stitches throughout, but when he meets Lloyd’s mom:
Lloyd: She’s my mother.
Gus: She’s a fucking Bitch, Lloyd.
Lloyd: You’re not suppose to take sides.
Caroline: No, no, no, thank you so much Gus. Finally, somebody else sees.
Gus: You’d have to be blind not to see.
Where’s a Christmas holiday without the Cartoon. After all, Christmas is for kids. “A Charlie Brown Christmas” sums it up so perfectly for me in this politically correct environment. I get it if Christmas is not your thing, but if it is a time of year in which you celebrate, don’t begrudge those of us for whom this sort of thing matters and believe me, I won’t be grudge you yours either.
Charlie Brown: Isn’t there anyone, who knows what Christmas is all about?!
Linus: Sure Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about. Lights please?
And there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them! And they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, “Fear not! For, behold, I bring you tidings o great joy, which shall be to all my people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ, the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth peace, and good will toward men.
That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.
The Traditional movie for me is, “It’s A wonderful Life” … Youth is wasted on the wrong people … Yes, I’m human and as such, this movie is my number one. We used to come home from Christmas mass and wait for the CBC to air it and didn’t go to bed until it’s end. Even Santa could wait for George Bailey to figure out the true meaning of Life.
Because of this movie, Jimmy Stewart became my ‘guy’–tall, handsome, dependable. Someone you could trust to do the right things even when easy was available. He stood proud, sometimes humbled, and took the responsibility in stride as his duty.
There was always only the one woman for George…the eternal and lasting love worth fight for…never easy, or easily retained…love takes work, and Mary was worth it.
When George and Mary walk home from the school dance, soaked from their unexpected plunge in the pool, and George waxes on and on about the moon, my favourite moment is the old man sitting on the porch, feeling the young love, expecting the kiss to come, romance is in the air, yet George talks his way right out of an opportunity and the older man stands up completely fed up and says “Ohhh, youth is wasted on the wrong people!”
Be sure to check out other Christmas Blogs from the “TransCanada Romance Writers”
http://transcanadaromancewriters.blogspot.ca
As a novelist, my burning ambition is capture that moment on paper that brings a tear to the eye, or has the reader’s heart beat faster along with the characters I create. In my fabulous five listing, no matter how many times I see these movies, I experience the same emotional attachment as the very first time.
The 1942 Classic, “Holiday Inn”, which I love so much better than its counterpart “White Christmas” though both star Bing Crosby. “White Christmas” always struck me as a segmented part of the story, where “Holiday Inn” gave us the full, rich background of Jim Harper and his lady love, Linda Mason, played by Marjorie Reynolds.
My personal heart stopper is when Jim sits at the piano by a roaring fire with the snow falling fast and heavy outside, but all is cozy inside. He taps the bells with his pipe stem, and starts to sing “White Christmas” and that is the moment…you’ve no choice but to fall head over heels in love.
Quick fun facts…it was indeed this movie that inspired the hotel chain in 1952 and the song “White Christmas”, became the most popular pop song ever written.
For a little Action in your holiday’s…there’s “Die Hard” the original. Bruce Willis is at his most enigmatic in this film—still fresh to the action genre, not yet the legend.
Yes, it’s true all John McClane wanted was a peaceful holiday with his estranged wife, Holly, but really the only way to win his wife back is to show her he is truly the man for her…a man she can count on who will put her first. And boy does he show her. By taking on the bad guys, he is the hero, up to and including the point when he is bloodied, battered and bruise, stumbling down the loading dock, police lights flashing, but all is right in the world, because he has protected his one love, who is wrapped up in a blanket secured tightly in the ring embrace of his arms.
For the shameful Giggle because we all know someone in the family that fits the bill, there’s “The Ref”. Denis Leary plays Gus and has me in stitches throughout, but when he meets Lloyd’s mom:
Lloyd: She’s my mother.
Gus: She’s a fucking Bitch, Lloyd.
Lloyd: You’re not suppose to take sides.
Caroline: No, no, no, thank you so much Gus. Finally, somebody else sees.
Gus: You’d have to be blind not to see.
Where’s a Christmas holiday without the Cartoon. After all, Christmas is for kids. “A Charlie Brown Christmas” sums it up so perfectly for me in this politically correct environment. I get it if Christmas is not your thing, but if it is a time of year in which you celebrate, don’t begrudge those of us for whom this sort of thing matters and believe me, I won’t be grudge you yours either.
Charlie Brown: Isn’t there anyone, who knows what Christmas is all about?!
Linus: Sure Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about. Lights please?
And there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them! And they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, “Fear not! For, behold, I bring you tidings o great joy, which shall be to all my people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ, the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth peace, and good will toward men.
That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.
The Traditional movie for me is, “It’s A wonderful Life” … Youth is wasted on the wrong people … Yes, I’m human and as such, this movie is my number one. We used to come home from Christmas mass and wait for the CBC to air it and didn’t go to bed until it’s end. Even Santa could wait for George Bailey to figure out the true meaning of Life.
Because of this movie, Jimmy Stewart became my ‘guy’–tall, handsome, dependable. Someone you could trust to do the right things even when easy was available. He stood proud, sometimes humbled, and took the responsibility in stride as his duty.
There was always only the one woman for George…the eternal and lasting love worth fight for…never easy, or easily retained…love takes work, and Mary was worth it.
When George and Mary walk home from the school dance, soaked from their unexpected plunge in the pool, and George waxes on and on about the moon, my favourite moment is the old man sitting on the porch, feeling the young love, expecting the kiss to come, romance is in the air, yet George talks his way right out of an opportunity and the older man stands up completely fed up and says “Ohhh, youth is wasted on the wrong people!”
Be sure to check out other Christmas Blogs from the “TransCanada Romance Writers”
http://transcanadaromancewriters.blogspot.ca