Today I'm going to jump straight into what I wanted to talk about, which is counting down my top 5 favorite Christmas movies/TV specials. (Not that you couldn't have guessed it from the title. I don't mean to offend you. Just pointing it out for the less observant.) Sorry that you have probably heard of most of these before. I was raised in a very mainstream home, so if you were expecting hipper, indie-er content, you can always go ask that crazy man who lives on the corner of the road and shouts Lady GaGa lyrics at people to tell you his favorite Christmas story. I guarantee when you retell it to your friends later, you will be able to push up your thick-rimmed glasses and say, "You've probably never heard it," and be telling the truth.
NOTE: These are in no particular order. It's very easy for me to decide my favorites. However, if I'm forced to differentiate among favorites the results are chaotically disastrous and dangerous for all involved. So don't expect a giant reveal for my NUMBER 1 TOP FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE THAT PUTS ALL OTHERS TO SHAME!!!! because that's not what this is.
5. Eloise at Christmas Time
I never read the Eloise books as a child; I'll openly admit that. But when I was nine, this movie was my jam. (Can movies be jams?) I wanted to be Eloise so bad that I walked around the house making comments to a camera that wasn't there, and talked in an exaggerated, vaguely English accents for weeks. This movie has not only an incredible amount of heart, but it is so freaking charming.
4. The Fairly OddParents - Christmas Everyday
This is the part of the show where I point out that the title is "Top 5 Favorite Christmas Movies/TV Speicals," and not, "Top 5 All-Time-Best-and-Anyone-Who-Doesn't-Like-Them-Is-Stupid Christmas Movies/TV Specials." Every December, I would look forward to when Nickelodeon would play this Christmas special. Mostly just because of that awesome song. And it didn't hurt that 10-year-old-me had a gigantic crush on Timmy Turner. It really comes down to personal preference on this one. I associate a lot of fond memories with this episode of The Fairly Oddparents--all of them involving me curled up in a Hello Kitty blanket with hot chocolate. It's just not Christmas with Cosmo, Wanda, and Timmy.
3. A Charlie Brown Christmas
Cliche, I know. Call me unoriginal. Call it overhyped. But A Charlie Brown Christmas is the most sentimental, beloved Christmas special of mine, and probably yours too. In all fairness, if I watched it for the first time now, at the age of 16, I would probably hate it. I'd think the animation was cheesy and the voices were annoying. Charlie Brown would be a wimp and Lucy an obnoxious brat. But I'm not seeing these characters and animation for the first time; I grew up with them. And that makes them special.
2. Jack Frost (The animated one. Not the one about the horrible father who turns into a snowman.)
I feel like this is one of the most underrated stop motion Christmas specials. Even though it plays on ABC Family every year, none of my friends seem to have heard of it. I know it might seem unhealthy to develop a crush on a clay representation of Jack Frost, but I'm not ashamed to say that I fell, and I fell hard for his bumbling, good-intentioned personality. Plus, it's features the most bizarre, evil, and surprisingly talented ventriloquist of a villain I have ever seen. But what makes this stand out against all the other stop motion specials, is the bit of unexpected tragedy. I won't spoil anything for you, but I'll just tell you that the ending never fails to bring me to tears.
1. The Muppet Christmas Carol
If you've never seen this, the single greatest muppet movie in existence, I highly suggest you remedy that immediately. Everything about The Muppet Christmas Carol is perfect: the songs, the setting, and especially Michael Caine as Scrooge. (Jim Carrey can't hold a candle to Alfred.) Also, you can't harbor lukewarm feelings for the undeniable chemistry between Rizzo and Gonzo.
That's it for today. Sorry I put this up so late--this is my last week of school and I'm currently wiggling my way towards break like an inchworm wiggles its way towards a crisp leaf dinner. See you tomorrow!
Tonight's ABC Family 25 Days of Christmas Feature: The Year Without a Santa Claus
Christmas-tastic Thing of the Day: Breaking it down with the Miser Brothers.
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