Counting the Days till Christmas

December 6, 2013

Counting the Days till Christmas

Don’t you just love Christmas movies? Me, too! :o) Call me a Christmas traditionalist, but I wait to indulge in all that is Christmas, including holiday movie viewing, until that final float of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, complete with Santa (on Thanksgiving Day) has passed from my television screen. Although, I must confess that on my overseas trip home, the week prior to Thanksgiving, I caved. I just could not resist the inflight movie offering of White Christmas. What a delightful way to spend two hours of our 11+ hour flight!  

With Thanksgiving Day past, and now a sweet memory, Christmas is just upon the horizon. I am currently inhaling all of my favorite Christmas programing, barely taking time to catch my breath.  It is Christmastime! :o) A few years ago, when my youngest son was in high school, we began to make a list of the Christmas movies and shows that we wanted to be sure to watch that Christmas season; one for each day in December.  It is sort of a Christmas movie advent calendar-a Christmas countdown, so to speak. I still continue this annual movie countdown tradition, insuring that I don’t miss my Yuletide faves. :o) (Annette’s confession-I actually watch more Christmas fare than what is on this list.  I am a true ChristmasShowaholic!) Here is my list for this year.

Cary Grant as an angel in The Bishop’s Wife

 

My 2013 Movie (Advent) Calendar

 December

1-Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer (1964) &

 How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)

2– Deck the Halls (PG) (2006) Matthew Broderick

          3– To Grandmother’s House We Go (1992)

     Mary-Kate & Ashley Olson

          4– Desk Set (1957) Spencer Tracy

5– Christmas with the Kranks (PG) (2004) Tim Allen

6– Holiday Affair (1949) Robert Mitchum*

7– Jingle All the Way (PG) (1996) Arnold Schwarzenegger, Make sure that you watch the last minute that follows the credits!

          8– Never Say Goodbye (1946) Errol Flynn

          9– Christmas in Connecticut (1945) Barbara Stanwyck*

          10– The Bishop’s Wife (1947) Cary Grant*

11-A Very Brady Christmas (1988) Florence Henderson

12-Come to the Stable (1949) Loretta Young

          13-All I Want for Christmas (G) (1991) Lauren Bacall

14-Elf (PG) (2003) Will Ferrell

15-Holiday Inn (1942) Bing Crosby

16-Nativity (PG) (2009) Martin Freeman

17-White Christmas (1954) Bing Crosby

18– Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) Judy Garland*

19-The Lemon drop Kid (1951) Bob Hope*

20– Miracle on 34^th Street (1947) Maureen O’Hara

21–National Lampoon’s Christmas (PG-13)(1989) Chevy Chase

 22-Home Alone (PG)(1990) Macaulay Culkin

23-A Christmas Story (PG) 1983

24-It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) James Stewart

25-A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

*Denotes movies shown on Turner Classic Movies this December, always commercial-free. Click on the link below for showing times.

http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/919515|0/Holiday-Classics-in-December.html

 

 Christmas in Connecticut with Barbara Stanwyck and Dennis Morgan

Classic Christmas TV

One special TV Christmas episode that aired in 1956 was from the classic I Love Lucy.  After airing, it went missing, and was not shown again until 1989. Now this episode, and the “stomping grapes” episode have been colorized and will be shown on CBS this December 20.  My DVR will be set!

 

http://www.parade.com/234540/viannguyen/first-look-watch-a-preview-of-the-colorized-i-love-lucy-christmas-special/

 

An It’s a Wonderful Life sequel?

I recently read that a sequel is being made of the 1946’s It’s a Wonderful Life for the 2015 Christmas season.  Normally, I wouldn’t have much hope that such a sequel merited our time, or money, but this sequel stars the original’s Zuzu, Karolyn Grimes, as the angel.  Grimes claims that this is the first script relating to It’s a Wonderful Life that she has read that she wants to be a part of, and that it is well written, keeping with the sentiment of the original. The sequel will follow the life of George Bailey’s grandson. I must admit, this film’s concept is peaking my interest!

Annette’s Note from December 2019-This film idea was discontinued. You can read about that, here.

 

http://tv.yahoo.com/news/wonderful-life-sequel-coming-2015-213200658.html

Fun at Christmastime:  The Best Flight Safety Video Ever!This brief video was recommended by the iconic A Christmas Story house and museum on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/AChristmasStoryHouse
 It is so much fun that I had to share it with you! Click on the link below the photo to watch.

 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P-fqUoHMBc

My gifts to You

You are either going to love me, or hate me, for introducing you to this wonderfully yummy, yet very easy peanut cluster recipe. Warning, these are addicting!

 Also, I have included two printables, thanks to my daughter’s help:

The first from Charlie Brown Christmas, and the second from White Christmas.

 

Peanut Clusters

 

 Ingredients:

• 12oz almond bark
• (White chocolate chips may be used, in a pinch, but the almond bark is better.)

• 10-12 oz. (1 bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• (I use Guaradelli 60% cocoa chocolate chips)

• 1-2 (12 oz.) cans, salted, Spanish peanuts
• (I have used cocktail peanuts, as well.)
• (I use two cans.)

Directions:

Melt almond bark and chocolate chips together.

(I do this slowly in microwave in 30-second increments.)

Stir.

Add peanuts.

Drop by teaspoonful onto waxed paper over cookie sheet. (It takes a couple cookie sheets.)

Cool in refrigerator.

Can be frozen. (I like them frozen.)

Store in covered container.

 

A clip from A Charlie Brown Christmas- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKk9rv2hUfA

A colorful scene from the classic White Christmas

Thanks for reading!  :o)

Annette

I attempt to post my blog bi-monthly (sometimes weekly) on, or around, Monday, but I plan to take a Christmas hiatus, posting again around, January 6. Have a Merry Christmas!

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Check out my daughter’s blog, Engineering Princess- http://mikersandtesers.tumblr.com

 Annette Funicello, 1955

(Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)