First of all….MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE! It is after midnight (I was working at American Eagle tonight…we closed at 11…blegh) so I get to say that. So say it I will.
And now for the moment you’ve all been waiting for! Or at least the moment I’ve been waiting for since I got up at 7:30 this morning and didn’t stop moving until about 5 minutes ago…
the continuation of my Christmas movie countdown (the crowd goes wild)! If you missed numbers 10-6, have no fear, just click here.
#5: The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Oh man. I’ve been craving this movie for the past few days. It’s just so darn…cute! I love the songs. I love the characters. I love Michael Caine as Scrooge. I love the story! The whole thing just makes you want to live everyday like it was Christmas - like it was the best Christmas ever! Oh, fun fact - Dallin and I watched this movie on our first date, on December 15, 2006. Ready- 1,2,3…aaaawwww!
Favorite part: Ok this is starting to get hard. Um…probably the song “One More Sleep till Christmas.” Or maybe the song “It Feels Like Christmas.” How can you not love a song with a line like “It is the summer of the soul in December. It’s true wherever you find love, it feels like Christmas!”? Love it.
#4: The Santa Clause (1994)
Yes, just the first one. Not the sequels. Step away from the sequels, people.
The first one is really the only one worth watching. But boy, is it worth watching. I’ve often wondered if the reason I love this movie so much is just a familial thing…my family really gets a kick out of this one, for some reason. This movie’s humor is infinitely better than the sequels’. A total non-believer unknowingly “accepts the duties and responsibilities of Santa Claus” when he scares the old Santa and makes him fall off the roof. He then has to deal with his transformation into Santa Claus, including the weight gain and beard growth. And even though other adults think he’s crazy and even he tries to deny it all he can, his son Charlie never loses his faith in his dad.
Favorite part: When Scott catches Santa on the roof. Pretty much from there until they get to the North Pole. “Well, we made good time.”
#3: White Christmas (1954)
Oh, I’m so grateful to my mom for raising me on the classics! Seriously, I know this movie inside and out. And it is good. Bing Crosby is just classy. And this story is great too - it’s all about giving an incredibly thoughtful gift to an incredibly deserving man. Throw in some awesome song and dance numbers (Mandy! Snow! Sisters!) and mix in a love story, and you’ve got yourself a goodie.
Favorite part: Hmm…can’t choose between two. Either “Sisters,” when Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye don the girls’ attire to perform their number about what it’s like to have a sister, or the end, when General Waverly walks into the ballroom expecting a show and getting a tribute planned just for him. And then it SNOWS! And it’s pretty.
#2: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2004)
Oh yes, the original animated one is fine. Classic, even. But Jim Carey is just…better. I don’t even like Jim Carey, and I love this movie that is pretty much dominated by him. It still amazes me sometimes how Ron Howard (director supremo) stretched this story out without making it seem stretched. The background they give to the Grinch is entertaining, telling, and heartbreaking all at once. Poor little Grinch. And seriously- this movie has, quite possibly, the most impressive collection of spectacular one-liners/monologues of any movie. And I have them all memorized, thank you very much.
Favorite part: “Even if I wanted to go, my schedule wouldn’t allow it! 4 o’clock- wallow in self pity. 4:30- stare into the abyss. 5 o’clock- solve world hunger- tell no one. 5:30- jazzercize. 6:30-dinner with me; I can’t cancel that again! 7:00- wrestle with my self loathing…I’m booked! Of course if I moved the loathing to nine, I would still be done in time to lay in bed, stare at the ceiling, and slip slowly into madness…..But what would I wear?!”
(drumroll please)
brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
#1: It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
Duh!
What did you think- that I was going to pull a Moviefone and put this movie- this movie- in anything other than first place? Ok, maybe it is “cliche,” or whatever, to list this as the best Christmas movie…but you know what? It IS the best Christmas movie.
A lot of times I wonder what I could be doing with my life- like, really doing with it. I’ve always seen myself as a pretty capable person- nothing incredibly special, but capable of doing a whole lot. Sometimes I wonder why I’m not doing a whole lot- why I’m not following a steady career path, why I got married so “young,” why what I want to be isn’t a doctor or a lawyer, but a kick-a wife, mother, daughter, and friend. These thoughts make me think about what really matters, and what really matters isn’t the place I’ve gone or the impressive things I’ve done- it’s the people I’ve touched, and whom I’ve let touch me.
The man in this movie had some serious dreams. He wanted to see the world, to build things, to get away, to really make something of himself. What he didn’t realize was that he was making something of himself all along, by staying home, by working hard, by being a husband and father and being cooped up in an office and living in a fixer-upper home. He really was living the dream; he just didn’t realize it.
I hope I realize it.
“No man is a failure who has friends.” Life really is wonderful. Love one another. What better Christmas message is there?
So I hope that, in the next few days, you get to watch a good Christmas movie with some people you love. Turn off the lights, turn on the fireplace, turn up the volume. Watch and love, people.
Merry Christmas!
Love movies. Love Christmas. Do the math, people.
There’s a list on Moviefone that counts down their top 25 Christmas movies of all time…but my eyebrows raised more than once while I was reading it. I decided to take on this task for myself, just so the universe knows how I feel. Mind you, 25 is a lot of Christmas movies, once you start to think about it. I don’t think I could list 25 Christmas movies that I really like, much less like enough to give a place of honor on a favorite list. But there are 10. Oh yes, there are 10. I’m breaking this down into two posts for reading and writing ease. Hope you don’t mind… here’s 10 through 6!
#10: Santa Claus is Comin to Town (1970)
Really, this one earns its position by way of nostalgia. The classic Christmas-movie-making technique of clay-mation, the catchy songs, the cute penguin Topper, the villainous Burgermeister Meisterburger, Burgermeister Meisterburger’s name, and the fact that Fred Astaire narrates, all combine to make a fantastic Christmas classic. Did I mention the cute penguin Topper?
Favorite part: the song “Put One Foot in Front of the Other.” Don’t ask me why - just love it.
#9: Miracle on 34th Street (1947/1994)
Old versus new. Can’t decide; really I can’t. In all honesty, I’ve probably seen the new one a few more times. I put the picture of the old because it is, obviously, more of a classic. I think the remake was done really well though. This movie just makes you want to believe in Santa Claus - which, of course, I do. But seriously, poor Santa being put on trial! It makes you sad for this movie’s world. And then he’s saved (huzzah!) by the post office/a dollar bill, depending on which version you’re watching.
Oh my gosh. This is the perfect time to show you guys something:
Totally and completely 100% real. A customer brought it to me at the bank to exchange it for a “normal” one. I think she was worried no one would take it.
Anyway.
Favorite part (old): Pretending to be monkeys OR Santa blowing the bubble gum bubble. Classic.
Favorite part (new): Christmas morning, when all the little girls dreams come true. *sigh*
#8: Holiday Inn (1942)
The only reason this is so far down on the list is it’s large dependence on other holidays besides Christmas. But don’t get me wrong - this is a Christmas movie, and it’s a Christmas movie I heart. I mean, this is where the song “White Christmas” came from. “White Christmas,” people! That song is beautiful. And, fun fact - it won an Academy Award for Best Song the year it came out. But this movie is splendid. Great actors (oh, Bing Crosby!), great songs, and funny. Seriously, this movie is funny.
Favorite part: The ending, by far. Linda’s crying, singing “White Christmas” all alone. Then she sees Jim’s pipe and hears him whistling and she looks around for him and…there he is! Ah. Talk about “melting her heart right down to butter,” Miss Maimie.
#7: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
Ah, the clay-mation capital of the world. Seriously, clay-mation = Rudolph. This movie is just cuteness clay-ified. Although, let’s face it, a lot of the characters are grumpy gusses. The head elf guy, rudolph’s parents, even Santa! But Rudolph makes up for it. And Clarisse is cute too. And Kirby, the elf (pictured above) who wants to be a dentist! Which is just so random it makes me laugh…
Favorite part: When Rudolph talks to Clarisse and she says he’s cute, and then he gets so excited he flies around yelling “I’m CUUUUDE! She said I’m CUUUUUUDE!”
#6: Elf (2003)
Oh my. You want to see me laugh? Turn on this movie. There will be laughter. Will Ferrell isn’t really my most favoritest actor ever, but he’s hilarious in this movie. His innocence is just amazing. For those of you who don’t know, Buddy is a human who snuck into Santa’s bag one Christmas and was taken back to the North Pole, where he stayed to be raised by Santa’s elves. But when he finds out he’s a human, he sets off on an adventure to find his dad, and spread some Christmas cheer in the process. He loves sugar, syrup, singing, and Christmas trees. I’m already giggling.
Favorite part: Mmm…either the escalator, the Christmas-gram, or the date. Hard to say.
Favorite Quote: “I just like to smile, smiling’s my favorite.”
So there we go - one half down and one to go! Stay tuned. Go watch a good Christmas movie while you’re waiting. With a blanket and some HoCho. Mmmm…
So. My family.
As I’m sure is the case with everyone out there, my family has their own nice little traditions for Christmas time. Some of the more normal ones include opening pjs from my grandparents on Christmas Eve, watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” on Christmas Eve, building a fort for all the kids to sleep in, having a Christmas Eve program complete with a play in which Katie always gets to play Santa Claus…the usual.
There is one Allen family Christmas tradition, however, that I have yet to find a match for: the Lighting Ceremony.
Now, as you may have guessed, this tradition is all about turning on all the Christmas lights in my parents’ front yard for the first time. What you may not have guessed is what accompanies said electrical display. Let me break it down for you:
1) Family and friends arrive. Usually between 4 and 5. This is my mom’s whole side of the family, whatever friends my siblings invite, and whatever other family is lucky enough to be in town. All in all, we end up with a crowd of 35-45 people.
2) Crowd relocates from comfortable privacy of the indoors to the front driveway. Yep, the front driveway.
3) Crowd eats homemade chili, store bought french bread, and pink lemonade. Always this combination. Always. Still in the driveway, people.
4) Crowd moves to the street/sidewalk in front of the house
5) Crowd participates in program, which includes but is not limited to: introduction/history of the Lighting Ceremony, Q&A time with Mark Allen (the light putter-upper), singing various Christmas songs, freezing, and finally, a countdown during which several small children run to various outlets so they can plug in the lights when the countdown reaches 0.
6) Crowd sings “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” as we walk inside. (Except for this year, when we sang “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and then sang the Sun Devil fight song, in honor of the big game…for all the good that did.)
That, people, is the lighting ceremony.
We’ve done this in the rain.
Let me just say that no matter how embarrassed we all act when a car slows down as it’s passing by to see what those idiots are doing in their driveway, we all love the lighting ceremony. My mom started it, 25 years ago, and it’s grown to be one of everyone’s favorite Christmastime traditions, including mine. Perhaps, someday, I’ll have the initiative to start a tradition that brings my whole family together to do something completely strange once a year.
love my fam.
You’re all invited next year, just so you know. You’ll have to give me your address so we can send you an invitation (yes, invitations are sent). Think you can handle it?
Here are a very few pictures from the blessed event - the big numero 25 - the Lighting Ceremony, 2008!
Ready to rumble.
Papa (Grandpa) enjoying his chili.
My sister Julie and her beau Chris enjoying THEIR chili.
My adorable cousin Brooke enjoying MY chili.
(here is where I would post pictures of the actual ceremony, including the crowd outside the house and the lights…but sometimes I suck and don’t get good pictures of such things. Perhaps I will get them from my mom and post them later…)
Relocated to the indoors to watch the sucky mcsuckerson ASU v UofA game. That’s all I’m going to say about that. De-press-ing.
Anyway, it was a fun time, as usual. Can’t believe it’s been going on for 25 years! And to think it’ll probably keep going on for another 25…
-Katie
LIKE CHRISTMAS!!
Ok, so yelling the last two words doesn’t really fit into the song, but can you blame me for not being able to contain my excitement? We all love Christmas, and it’s here! So yell it, baby!
I am particularly excited because a few short days ago, Dallin and I put up our Christmas tree that we bought as part of our 6 month celebration. While we haven’t exactly built up a grand collection of homemade ornaments (or…any ornaments, for that matter…) we still put together a lovely, simple tree. And seriously, folks, we had to put it together. You know how those fake trees are…*sigh* too bad they’re just so much easier than real ones, right?
*disclaimer: due to lighting issues (or, perhaps, just poor photography) many of our pictures are blurry! sad, but what can you do?
Dallin putting the top piece on! Yay it looks like a Christmas tree!
Untangling the lights. Maybe it’s because our lights were brand new…but we didn’t even have issues with them. It was like…surreal.
Stepping back to admire the handiwork of the lights.
Ornaments! aka the few, the proud.
Cleaning up afterwards…who knew that even fake trees leave a mess?
Ta Da!
You know, as I write this, I am sitting next to one of the beautifully decorated trees at the ASU Institute building…and it’s made me realize some things as my pictures were uploading…
1) I need something for the top of my tree!! This tree has a huge bow on top that trails down and is all interwoven throughout the tree. It’s lovely! I at least need a star or something…
2) Tree skirt=better. This tree just has a green sheet around the bottom and it looks good! Gotta remember that…sheet. Got it.
Well, I’ll fill you in on the updates I make. For now, I love my tree!!!
Merry Christmas!
Oh my.
I’m not sure I can explain to you the goodness of the good news I have.
WHITE FUDGE COVERED OREOS ARE BACK!
WOOT!
My love for these delicious morsels has distorted my thinking. I can no longer decide whether the appearance of these Cookies (yep- capitalized) means Christmas is coming, or if Christmas coming means the appearance of the Cookies! Either way, I bought two boxes.
Holidays are grand. Wait until I get a hold of some Mint M&Ms.
As of Monday, November 10, Dallin and I have been married for six months! Crazy! How time flies when you’re loving life.
We had school on Monday, so we didn’t really get to do much during the day, but Dallin did have a nice surprise waiting for me when I got up:
He was already up and working extremely hard to get a lot of work done so he could take the day off with me on Tuesday, since the bank would be closed for Veteran’s Day. Plus the flowers and a sweet card… don’t be too jealous.
That night, we went to The Cheesecake Factory, since someone gave us a gift certificate there for a wedding present. Mmm…love that place.
We actually ended up having 25 cents left on the gift card and no cash to tip the waitress…we gave her a gift card to American Eagle with a few bucks on it…hope she likes that store!! (who doesn’t, really?)
Tuesday was a fantastic day! Seriously, it will be doubly hard to go back to work after being able to have such a great day with my hubby. We got up, had breakfast, met with a couple dentists about advice on my wisdom teeth, picked up our projects from As You Wish (I didn’t get pictures from our visit there, but you will see our projects soon enough!), and then…we went Christmas shopping!! For ourselves!! We are now the proud owners of a lovely, 7 ft tall (cough-fake-cough) Lucas pine tree! Woot!
We also got ornaments and lights for it, after much discussion about colors, shapes, sizes, and wiring. Man, Christmas is hard work…but so worth it.
After obtaining our Tannenbaum, we decided to take advantage of the lovely day and go walk around Tempe Town Lake. It really was beautiful outside!
Our location by the fountain, plus the wind direction soon proved to be a bad combo, so we eventually relocated…
After our nice walk, we were a little tired, and I had some online homework to do, so we went back home and watched Pirates/did homework. Then we went out to do some browsing for Christmas presents, before coming home and eating our cheesecake that we brought home from the Cheesecake Factory. Yum.
It was pretty much the best six month anniversary ever.
I’m so grateful for Dallin. I’m grateful for all he’s taught me since I met him, and for all we’ve learned together since we’ve been married. I’m grateful to have such a wonderful best friend, someone that lets me pick the movies, cry on his shoulder, talk about my problems. He is hardworking and diligent, and he loves his job, but he would never put it before me, his family, or his church responsibilities. He takes care of me - he does the dishes when I don’t want to, calls the dentist when I tell him my teeth hurt, and kills the bugs in our apartment. He respects and appreciates me, and has made me feel more beautiful and more loved than I ever have before. He’s my Superman - how could I ask for more?
Ti amo, bambino.
