Looking for a way to beat holiday stress this season? If so, I have a suggestion. It’s one that will boost your mood as well as your spirits and may evoke feelings of comfort and joy. It’s something you can share with family and friends of all ages. It may even strengthen your bonds and most likely will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside. And, it’s easy to do. When you need a break from all the hustle and bustle, all you have to do is…watch a holiday movie!
From my journal: December 19, 2014, Newbury Park, California
“…showed the Charlie Brown Christmas movie at the end of the day…always fun to see!”
Growing up in the 70s when December rolled around, my siblings and I could hardly wait to see our favorite Christmas specials on TV. Topping our list were the animated shows “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer“, and “A Charlie Brown Christmas“, as well as the classic film, “The Miracle on 34th Street”.
With the themes of faith, friendship, and family, each sees the main character journey through challenges and mishaps to find the true meaning of Christmas. I still love these movies! When Rudolph with his nose so bright guides Santa’s sleigh through the fog helping him deliver toys to all good girls and boys, I’m right there cheering him on! Go Rudolph! The scene when Charlie Brown’s friends gather around him and decorate his little tree, then sing “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” still warms my heart. So sweet! And the ending of “The Miracle on 34th Street” when Susan sees her dream house for sale knowing that Kris Kringle made it happen, is touching. But when her mom and new husband walk into the house and see a cane identical to Kris’s cane by the fireplace, they too become believers. Yes, miracles can happen!
When older, I became fond of other Christmas movies. Among them are “It’s a Wonderful Life”, “A Christmas Story”, and “Joyeux Noel”. Heartfelt, hopeful, and humorous, anything that makes me smile, makes my Must Watch list. Curious about how many holiday movies are available for viewing, I did a little research. From the 1940s to current times, it’s estimated that the number of classic and contemporary Christmas themed films is in the thousands! If you’re a Hallmark fan, you’ll most likely know that the Hallmark Channel launches its annual Countdown to Christmas selections at Thanksgiving time. Since 2000, they have produced over 850 movies! The IMDb website that posts user-created lists has over 1,200 films on it. And with the increase in network TV and streaming services in the last 25 years, there’s been a huge increase in holiday movies on offer. Wow!
Romantic, funny, sentimental, inspiring, or lighthearted, there’s something for everyone. There are classic black and white films filled with song and dance like “Holiday Inn” and “White Christmas”. There are the ever popular movies like “Elf” and “Home Alone” which happens to be the most watched holiday film of all time! Or if you prefer something more current, two 2025 releases include “A Merry Little Ex-Mas” on Netflix and “Joy to the World” that you can catch on Hulu. While Christmas movies may differ in genre, target audience, and platform they do have commonalities. Holiday films have predictable plots, and can be, for lack of a better word, cheesy, and they also end on a happy note which for me, is part of their charm. Offering a sense of nostalgia with familiar themes, they bring us back to the good old days, even in recent times.
If overwhelmed from shopping for presents, wrapping gifts, house decorating, planning festive meals, baking cookies, writing out holiday cards, and attending parties, pause and take some time for yourself and loved ones. Warm up some hot chocolate, pop some popcorn, snuggle under soft fleecy throws, put your feet up, and press PLAY on your TV remote. Then sit back, relax, and enjoy a Christmas movie, or two. I’ll bet in no time, you’ll be thinking and feeling, oh, what fun this is!
A Journal Journey 