James’ First Christmas 12.26.20 – Favorite Movies

James,

This year, we were not physically with you on Christmas Eve or Christmas day.  However, because your mom and dad made liberal use of video calls, we remained connected emotionally. And it was wonderful.

As I sit here the day after Christmas wondering what I should share with you, I decided that I would share with you my favorite Christmas movies. Why? Because one day you are going to ask me that question, so I am sharing the list with you now. However, before I do so, I want to let you know why these movies are my favorites.  They all share the same themes of family and hope.  And when you look at the true meaning of Christmas, it is all about hope.  Christmas began as a celebration of the birth of Jesus, who incarnate brought the wonderful promise of hope for all mankind.  So, as Thanksgiving celebrates gratitude, Christmas celebrates hope. And even for those who do not celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday, your Papa Johnny would assert that hope remains a central theme. So, here is the list.

It starts with my top 5 in no particular order: “It’s a Wonderful Life” – more on this later, “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” – I really relate to Clark Griswold, “A Christmas Story” – the wit and writing are insanely funny, “The Muppet Christmas Carol”- a beautiful musical that sticks very close to Dicken’s original language with an incredible performance by Michael Caine, and “Elf”- I find myself transported to the beauty of childhood wonder where we can live in the joy of the moment.

I look forward to watching each of these with you some day. Of these, “It’s a Wonderful Life” is probably my favorite because it is about the importance of community, of family, and how each of us do matter, and how our lives can impact the lives of others. If there ever was a movie that embraced hope, this is it.

My next 5 in no particular order include “White Christmas”, “Home Alone”, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” – the Jim Carrey version, and “Love Actually.” The following five round out my top 15 and include “Miracle on 34^th Street”, the “Shop Around the Corner”, “The Polar Express”, “The Family Stone”, and “The Snowman”.

There are others that I like, but these are movies that I never tire of and could watch every year. One final comment James – there are other versions of “A Christmas Carol”, which is my second favorite Christmas movie, that I thoroughly enjoy including the original 1938 version, the 1951 version starring Alastair Sim (probably the best) and the 1984 version starring George C. Scott. As your uncle and Godfather Carter says, “A Christmas Carol” has become so ubiquitous and ingrained in our culture, that people who have never seen it – which I find difficult to believe – know the story.  What most people do not know is that the inspiration for “A Christmas Carol” was Dickens’ desire to write an essay on the brutal reality of child labor in 1843 in an increasingly industrial and capitalistic society. However, he instead wrote “A Christmas Carol”, and we are forever indebted to Mr. Dickens for it.