A great time to get a break from work and the holiday rush is to sit back and watch Holiday movies with your family. We all have our favorites and welcome the nostalgic feeling that puts a smile on our face with Classic Holiday Movies.
When we hear the familiar voices of the actors saying those lines that stick out in history such as, Tiny Tim in
Scrooge ( A Christmas Carol) (1951) "God Bless Us, Every One!” or Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life, (1946), "There must be some easier way for me to get my wings", we remember those we watched these movies with and want to share with others.
Here are some of our favorites:
It's a Wonderful Life, (1946), Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed, Henry Travers, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell
On Christmas Eve 1946, George Bailey is deeply depressed, even suicidal. Clarence Odbody, an Angel Second Class, is sent to Earth to save him — and thereby earn his wings. Joseph, the head angel, is told to review George's life with Clarence. What a compliment that this movie was recreated in different themes, for a movie that was considered a flop at the box office when opened in 1946, due to its high production costs and stiff competition at the box office.The film has since been recognized by the American Film Institute as one of the 100 best American films ever made, and placed number one on their list of the most inspirational American films of all time.
White Christmas (1954) Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen
The story is about two World War II U.S. Army buddies, one a former Broadway entertainer, Bob Wallace (Crosby), and a would-be entertainer,
Phil Davis (Kaye). It begins on Christmas Eve, 1944, somewhere in Europe.
Holiday Inn (1942) - Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire
Jim Hardy (Bing Crosby), Ted Hanover (Fred Astaire) and Lila Dixon (Virginia Dale) are staples of the New York nightlife scene.
On Christmas Eve, Hardy reveals to Ted his disillusionment with show business and that he has decided to run a farm in rural Connecticut.
Miracle On 34th Street (1947) - Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, Natalie Wood, Edmund Gwenn
It is the story of what takes place in New York City following Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, as people are left wondering
whether or not a department store Santa might be the real thing.
Christmas in Connecticut (1945) - Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan, Sydney Greenstree, Reginald Gardiner
Elizabeth Lane ( Barbara Stanwyck) is not nearly what she appears. She lives in a small apartment in New York, is unmarried and has no concept of domestic life or cuisine. She writes the articles simply for the money, and her "five-star" recipes are provided by her uncle, Felix (S.Z. Sakall), who owns a Manhattan bistro. For a publisty stunt, she lives on a farm in Connecticut with her husband and baby, a model of domesticity and the idol of many an American housewife while trying to impress and American Soldier who they have invited for the holidays.
SCROOGE, sometimes called A Christmas Carol (1951) released as A Christmas Carol in the U.S., is one of the most well-known film adaptations of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. It starred (Alastair Sim) as Ebenezer Scrooge. On Christmas Eve, Scrooge has a haunting nightmare. He is visited by three ghosts and is given one last chance to change his ways and save himself from the grim fate that befell his business partner, Jacob Marley.
Another classic that has been complimented by being redone numerous times.
How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
The Grinch is a "Whoville-hating" grouch and is always out to ruin something. He comes down to Whoville only on holidays, to sabotage.
A Dr. Seuss Christmas childrens classic was remade by Ron Howard (2000) and starring Jim Carrey in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas",
where he becomes whole hearted and loving) in the end.
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) - based upon the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz
On their way to join the rest of the Peanuts gang all skating on a frozen pond, Charlie Brown confides in Linus that even
though the holidays are approaching he is still feels depressed despite all the presents and cards and tree decorating.
A Christmas Story (1983) Peter Billingsley, Darren McGavin, Melinda Dillon
A Christmas Story. All poor Ralphie wants is a BB gun. After asking, begging, and pleading, will he get it? This is more than just an “I want this for Christmas” movie – it deals with bullies, family relationships, and being misunderstood. This classic movie will appeal to kids and adults alike who will sympathize with Ralphie – and his parents who are afraid he’ll shoot his eye out with a BB gun. The magic of Christmas comes in a funny, irreverent, and heart-warming package with A Christmas Story.
Home Alone (1990) Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, Catherine O'Hara
Kevin McCallister (Culkin) wishes that his family would simply disappear. After a power line failure during the night which resets all the alarm clocks, the rest of the family rushes to leave to go on a Christmas vacation to Paris, France. During the confusion, Kevin is accidentally left at home by himself and experiences what it is like to be independent for the first time, but two intruders, Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern), plan to break into his almost vacant home.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
Kevin McCallister and his family are taking a vacation to Florida. At the airport, Kevin loses his family and accidentally gets on a plane to New York City.
After enjoying himself at the Plaza Hotel he is found out to be alone. He heads out to the streets of New York where he runs into his intruders from the original film, Harry and Marv, who have escaped from prison.
Polar Express (2004) Daryl Sabara, Tom Hanks
a story of a young boy on Christmas Eve who is hoping for belief in the true spirit of Christmas. He suddenly hears some noise from down in the kitchen, after realizing that it was his parents, he runs back to his room and looks at magazines and encyclopedias for confirmation of Santa and the North Pole, he then hurries back to his bed and his parents talk in a whisper about how the boy has been staying up all night waiting for Santa. After he had temporarily fallen asleep, a magic train called the Polar Express pulls up in front of his house and he is invited by the train's mysterious conductor to journey to the North Pole.
FireProof 2008 - This is not a Holiday Movie but one that touched my wife Debbie and my heart, starring Kirk Cameron. Fireproof is the story of firefighter Captain Caleb Holt (Kirk Cameron) who lives by the old firefighter's adage: Never leave your partner behind. But, after seven years of marriage to his wife Catherine (Erin Bethea), their own relationship is failing. Neither one understands the pressures the other faces
Share with us your Holiday favorite Movie that revives your Holiday spirit and reminds you of the happiness of this special time of year.
Happy Holidays,
Hunter and Debbie Paschall
Get tips and great marketing ideas from the Conference Call with Hunter Paschall