How early is too early to watch It’s a Wonderful Life? Okay, okay, perhaps the third week of September is a bit early but the leaves are starting to change, the days are getting shorter, and we’re expecting mid-70s in the next few days here in Colorado. So, I thought I’d share my definitive autumn and winter holiday watching list.
Now, I will say, my movie choices are largely based on what I grew up on. I’m totally not ashamed that many of them are cartoons or what one may call “children’s movies.” It makes no matter to me, as these films give me joy.
Halloween
- It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
- Garfield’s Halloween Adventure (the 80s version)
- A Cabin in the Woods- this is about as close as I get to a real horror film, as I’m not a fan of them
- Grinch Night- Yes, I have all of the 70s Dr. Seuss cartoons and love them! I have nothing to do with those live action remakes- blech!
- Scooby-Doo- the live action version
- Rocky Horror Picture Show- we finally bought it on blu-ray
Thanksgiving
I don’t have a whole lot that is specifically about Thanksgiving because once turkey day is here, it is time for the Macy’s Christmas Parade, decorating for Christmas, and Christmas movies but these are two touching cartoons for the day before I start driving everyone around me crazy with Christmas music.
- A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
- Garfield’s Thanksgiving
Christmas
- Meet Me in St Louis
- The Harry Potter films- some would argue these make better Halloween watching but personally, I love them for Christmas
- The Nightmare Before Christmas- another one you could argue for either holiday but it feels more Christmasy to me
- A Miracle on 34th Street- the original
- It’s a Wonderful Life
- A Garfield Christmas- this was my most recent addition to my holiday collection because it is a more difficult DVD to find but my memories of Garfield with Grandma always made me tear up
- A Christmas Carol- I’ll pretty much watch any version
- Babes in Toyland- the version with Annette Funicello and Ray Bolger. I know this movie front to back and can sing and dance along with the whole thing. My sister and I love this film and we’ve passed that love onto her children!!
- White Christmas
- Holiday Inn
- Serendipity
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
- Frosty the Snowman
- Santa Claus is Coming to Town
- Somewhere in Dreamland- this is a cartoon from 1936 and I have it in a Christmas collection of other Max Fleischer cartoons but this was a favorite of mine from childhood and I love it still. 2 children in poverty who dream of full stomachs and beautiful clothes and wake to a Christmas “miracle”.
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas- again, the 70s version
- The Santa Clause
- The Sound of Music- I don’t know how this became a Christmas film to me but that’s when I watch it each year
I’m sure I’m forgetting a few at the moment. What I’m not forgetting is “A Christmas Story.” I’ve never liked that one and won’t watch it.
So, what movies does your family watch every year when the holidays roll around and the weather calls for staying in with soup and yummy hot chocolate?