Holiday movies to get you in a festive mood

I love this time of year. I love that our Christmas tree is already up, I love that I’m already prepping and organizing myself for all the cooking I’ll be doing very soon, I love listening to Christmas albums playing on my iPod and I love watching Christmas movies.

We made to 9th day of Blogmas (yay)! I’m so happy that so far I was able to keep up with daily blogging, especially because I’m having a really weird allergic reaction and I’ve been on antihistamines for the last couple of days which make me feel super tired and groggy. But that still won’t stop me from enjoying the most wonderful time of the year :) Today, I’m sharing some of my favorite movies that I watch every year during the holiday season. They always set me in the mood, bring back memories and put a smile on my face.

SCROOGED

When I was little, my grandpa and I read Charles Dickinson’s “A Christmas Carol” together every Christmas, and this story will always have a spacial place in my heart. Scrooged is a modern take on “A Christmas Carol” starring Bill Murray, who I absolutely love! Murray stars as Frank Cross who “runs a US TV station which is planning a live adaptation of Dickens’ Christmas Carol. Frank’s childhood wasn’t a particularly pleasant one, and so he doesn’t really appreciate the Christmas spirit. With the help of the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, Frank realizes he must change“

LOVE ACTUALLY

Believe it or not, first time I saw Love Actually was about two years a go and it instantly became my favorite holiday movie. The cast is absolutely amazing, includes some of my favorite actors like Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Alan Rickman and Andrew Lincoln (whom I’ll always think of as Rick Grimes. Love Actually follows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England. This movie never gets old, it makes me cry, it makes me laugh and it’s just a Christmas classic.

ANNIE (1999)

I love Annie and this 1999 TV version might be the best one. I have to say that I also really liked the 2014 film, but this version will always be a favorite. “Eleven-year-old Annie has been living in an orphanage her whole life run by cruel Miss Hannigan. After unsuccessful escape attempts, Grace Farrell comes to take the child home to live two weeks with billionaire Oliver Warbucks during Christmas. The plucky orphan worms her way into the hearts of the staff and Mr. Warbucks and even the president of the United States! Even though Mr. Warbucks wants to adopt her, she is still looking for her real parents who left a locket with her when they dropped her off at the orphanage. Miss Hannigan’s brother and his sleazy girlfriend pose as Annie’s parents to gather the reward that Warbucks has offered to Annie’s real parents.”

THE HOLIDAY

This is also one of my favorite movies to watch around Christmas time. I love the cast and even though I’m not a big fan of romantic comedies, I really liked this one. I cry and laugh every single time I watch it. “In London, Iris Simpkins writes a wedding column in a newspaper and nurtures an unrequited love for her colleague Jasper Bloom. Near Christmas, she is informed that Jasper is engaged to marry another colleague, and her life turns upside down. In Los Angeles, the movie-trailers maker Amanda Woods has just split with her unfaithful boyfriend Ethan and wants to forget him. Through a house exchange website, Amanda impulsively swaps her mansion for Iris’ cottage in Surrey for the holidays. While in Surrey, Amanda meets Iris’ brother and book editor Graham and they fall in love with each other. Meanwhile, Iris meets her new next door neighbor the ninety year old screenplay writer Arthur, who helps her retrieve her self-esteem, and the film composer Miles, with whom she falls in love.”

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE

I have a lot of love for old movies and this one is both beautiful and timeless. . “George Bailey has spent his entire life giving of himself to the people of Bedford Falls. He has always longed to travel but never had the opportunity in order to prevent rich skinflint Mr. Potter from taking over the entire town. All that prevents him from doing so is George’s modest building and loan company, which was founded by his generous father. But on Christmas Eve, George’s Uncle Billy loses the business’s $8,000 while intending to deposit it in the bank. Potter finds the misplaced money and hides it from Billy. When the bank examiner discovers the shortage later that night, George realizes that he will be held responsible and sent to jail and the company will collapse, finally allowing Potter to take over the town. Thinking of his wife, their young children, and others he loves will be better off with him dead, he contemplates suicide. But the prayers of his loved ones result in a gentle angel named Clarence coming to earth to help George..”

What are your favorite movies to watch during holiday season? One other movie (or movies, rather) that I also really wanted to mention was the Harry Potter movies. I know, these aren’t Christmas movies, but I love re-reading all the books and re-watching all the movies around this time of year. It always sets me in that cozy, happy mood and Christmas time at Hogwarts was always my favorite part when reading the books :)