It has been a long time since my last post, but that is because I have been so busy with school, gift shopping, grocery shopping, baking etc. One would think I would have a system by now and that all would run like clockwork - well, not so. I just finished baking yesterday (7 different holiday cookies) and still need to wrap most of the presents.
To keep me sane through this busy time of year, I indulge myself in the most guilty of pleasures; I watch all the Women's Network/ Life Network (just about any network!) Christmas movies. I have become so obsessed with them, that I have kept my favourite ones recorded from last year and refuse to let my husband delete them. Does it matter that they take up about 50% of the space on our PVR? I don't think that is a big issue. Besides, how can I be certain they will air again the following year? How would I live if I couldn't watch my all-time favourite holiday movie, all year long? Yes, I confess; I watch Christmas movies ALL YEAR LONG!! They make me smile - DON'T JUDGE ME.
This year, I was ecstatic to find several movies which I had never heard of, nor seen previously. Sadly, I watched many and then deleted them. They just didn't meet my high standards: romance, perky girl, handsome guy, mix-ups, little lies, and ultimately falling into each other's arms - now that is a tried and true storyline. Many of the ones I deleted just didn't have likeable characters or the acting was bad or the story was just plain dumb. I consider myself quite a Christmas movie aficionado, so I know of what I speak.
I won't go into details about which movies disappointed me, but I will give you my top 20 Christmas movie favourites. ( note: I just checked my PVR and found I have 58 Christmas movies saved to watch. I have seen most, but there are still lots to watch for the first time - there REALLY IS such a thing as Christmas Magic!!)
Here they are: (I can't possibly rate them in order; they are all good, but I will save my all-time favourite for #20)
1) His and Her Christmas - two rival journalists write columns and fall in love - magic!
2) Holly's Holiday - a mannequin comes to life - Does Holly find love with him?
3). Love at the Parade - a quirky girl that loves everything vintage, finds love.
4). Mistletoe Over Manhattan - Mrs. Claus travels to New York to help a couple rekindle their love.
5). Most Wonderful Time of the Year - a handsome stranger gets stranded at the airport during the holidays - Henry Winkler brings him home to meet his niece. I love this one! It is funny and the stranger is very cute.
6). My Fake Fiancé - Melissa Joan Hart (I love her because she is quirky) and Joey Lawrence fake an engagement to collect gifts. This may not be a Christmas movie, but I love it anyways.
7). Naughty or Nice - a woman finds Santa's naughty/nice book and trouble ensues - Love it!!
8). A Road to Christmas - a woman (Jennifer Grey) tries to get to her fiancé in Aspen. She has trouble along the way and finds something special. - Love it!
9). Eve's Christmas - this one involves time travel - a common theme among Christmas movies - love it!
10) Let it Snow - a big resort company buys a rustic lodge in order to convert it to a resort. The company owner sends his daughter to inspect the lodge and she finds much more than she bargains for.
11) Battle of the Bulbs - one of the first schmaltzy Christmas movies I saw, therefore it holds a special place in my heart. Daniel Stern is great as the maniac neighbour who goes overboard with the Christmas decorations.
12) Call Me Mrs. Miracle - a magical woman finds employment in a department store (hmmm... Time travel and department stores are very common themes in these movies) and all sorts of wonderful things happen.
13) Christmas Lodge - a woman wants to help refurbish the old lodge that her family used to go to at Christmas - love ensues.
14) Christmas Mail - a postal worker who answers letters to Santa, finds love.
15) Christmas on Chestnut Street - a competition for best Christmas lights display ensues - another common theme.
16) Under the Mistletoe - a woman enters a radio dating contest and finds love.
17) Window Wonderland - (I loved this one!) - 2 competing window dressers try to come up with the best windows to land a promotion. The guy is cute and quirky - loved him!
18) Signed, Sealed, Delivered for Christmas - some quirky postal workers do their best to answer every letter to Santa. I loved this one too as the story was very unique and the characters were quirky. (Have I said that I love quirky?)
19) A Bride for Christmas - this just might tie with my all-time favourite movie (#20). A man bets his friends that he can get engaged by Christmas. This was shot locally in Fort Langley (I love seeing shops and streets that I recognize). Let me say this: Andrew Walker is one cute guy and I personally feel he should be in all Christmas movies from now on!!!
And I saved the best for last.
20) Holiday in Handcuffs - My absolute favourite Christmas movie of all time! It stars Melissa Joan Hart (she is so quirky in this and I love her) and Mario Lopez (he is cute too). Melissa Joan Hart plays Trudy, a girl who can't do anything right, especially where her parents are concerned. She tells them she is bringing her boyfriend to Christmas, but he breaks up with her just before they are set to leave. She is desperate and resorts to desperate measures by kidnapping a customer to pose as her boyfriend. Hilarity ensues as Trudy tries to impress her parents, but they seem to ignore her and give her "boyfriend" more attention. Markie Post (she has been in a few holiday movies too) is really good as Trudy's mom and is funny when she chides her by saying "Gertrude Marie". I laugh at that every time. Poor Trudy can't win in her parents' eyes, however her captive starts to see her in a different light. Does poor Trudy ever find love and acceptance by her parents? You will have to watch this one to find out. It is well worth it and remains my all-time favourite.
Well, that is the gospel according to me, Rosie.
I hope you watch some of these movies over the holidays. They are worth it. Yes, they are schmaltzy and follow standard formulas, but the goods ones will make you laugh and maybe even cry a little and at the very end, hopefully will make you smile.
Merry Christmas everyone.
Rosie
