There are times when I realize that no matter how hard I’ve tried, I’ve let my kids down in one way or another. Today at lunch we had a smaller than normal group, so the depth and breadth of conversation was a bit more enlightening that usual. What I discovered really threw me for a loop.
You see, my younger son commented that he didn’t know very many Christmas movies. He has stared at me blank-eyed with many movie references, but I really didn’t think he was that unexposed to Christmas movies. I’m a Christmas freak. I love the holiday. I love all Christmas music (OK, there might be one or two songs I don’t like), I love Christmas food, I like the presents, I like the smiles on the faces of people. Shhhhh…don’t tell my family, but I even like wrapping Christmas presents.
But probably the best part of the season are the movies. I love that warm glow as you watch a favorite movie. The fond memories that come up as a song, phrase, or visual reminds you of something from a family Christmas years ago.
So his lack of Christmas Movie exposure bothered me. I mean it really, really bothered me. Enough that I admitted as much on my personal Facebook page and begged for people’s favorite movies. You see, we’re going to do an intervention.
That’s right. We’re going to take him downstairs to our room with the projector. We’re going to get Christmas cookies and hot chocolate. We’re going to light some peppermint or evergreen scented candles. We’re going to start showing movies, and we’re not going to stop until he’s been exposed.
From my very unscientific poll (I was tempted to write “pole”, but then you would have to deal with a really bad Christmas pun, so I refrained) of my personal Facebook friends who responded to my request, here are the top 23 movies that will be in the first pass at our intervention:
- National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
- The Santa Clause
- Santa Clause 2
- The Santa Clause 3 – The Escape Clause
- Elf
- It’s a Wonderful Life
- A Christmas Story
- Home Alone
- Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
- Home Alone 3
- The Polar Express
- Scrooged
- White Christmas
- A Charlie Brown Christmas
- A Christmas Carol
- Arthur Christmas
- Die Hard
- Die Hard 2 – Die Harder
- Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
- Gremlins
- Dr. Seuss – How the Grinch Stole Christmas
- Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas
- Jingle All the Way
- Miracle on 34th Street
- Christmas with the Kranks
- Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
- Frosty the Snowman
- Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town
- The Muppet Christmas Carol
- Love Actually
If I don’t have him spouting of phrases like “Hey Griswold, Where do you think you’re gonna put a tree that big”, “Thanks, but I’m seeing someone in wrapping”, “You’re a cotton-headed ninny-muggins”, “You’ll shoot your eye out”, “Yipeee-ky-yay”, and “Keep the change, ya filthy animal!” then I won’t have done my job as a Dad.
If I do a really good job, I’ll have him using Christmas movie quotes in his everyday speech, making references throughout the entire year. That’s normal, isn’t it? I sure hope so, since I do it all the time. I’ll even have him singing Christmas songs. Maybe he’ll have a little bit of a fear of squirrels, and he certainly will have a new appreciation for our family when they visit (motor home or not), the nuances of the best hot cocoa on the planet, and how to protect his house if his family accidentally abandons him when they travel to France or Florida for Christmas. He’ll also know that no matter what happens, we’ll find a way to get back to him, protect him, and generally make life great.
While there are other good Christmas movies out there (see this list for some: http://www.totalfilm.com/features/50-best-christmas-movies) I think we’ll be getting the best of the best in front of him for his “re-education”.
The best part of this project is that it’ll give us some family time to enjoy just being together, eating Christmas snacks, and building some memories.
Isn’t that what Christmas is all about?
