My Must-See Christmas Movies

 Beyoncé has taken over much of my entertainment this Christmas season but I am still trying to squeeze in movies of the holiday season. 

This is a list of my 10 must-see movies of the season in no particular order. 

1. Home Alone

McCauley Caulkin is adorable in the first movie of this series. He is funny and charming.  If all of these things happen in real life there would be arrest and deaths but in Home Alone, we learn the importance of family. 

2. The Santa Clause 

I can watch any of the three movies of this series. The North Pole is so charming, it is definitely a place I would like to visit. Tim Allen plays a great semi reluctant Santa. 

3. Yogi Bear Christmas

This just reminds me of my childhood.  My favorite part is when Cindy Bear sings about her love for Yogi. 

3. Snow Globe

Love, love this movies. For one, there aren't many sappy holiday movies featuring people if color. Christina Milian plays an adorable woman who is wishing for an escape from her chaotic family during the holidays. 

4. Jingle All the Way

Arnold Schwarzenegger has played in many action packed movies. It is refreshing to see him in a comedy. And add the charismatic Sinbad and SNL alum, the late Phil Hartmen and you have a classic. 

One year my son requested the fictional action figure, Turbo Man for Christmas, thanks to eBay, I was able to make it happen. 

5. Elf

This movie is ridiculously funny. It's filled with one liners by the SNL alum Will Ferrel. I quote this move year round. 

6. Charlie Brown Christmas

This special is a must see. The dancing around the piano, the depressed Charlie Brown, the scraggly Christmas tree, all leading to the true meaning of Christmas.

 

7. Garfield Christmas

Another blast from my childhood past.  The song "Let's have a good old fashion Christmas down by the farm" is a fav. 

8. Barney's Night Before Christmas

This movie reminds me of my little sisters when they were preschoolers. We would watch the previews on VHS which included a song by the Wiggles. Then we would sing along with the songs of the Barney special. 

 Their rendition of the North Pole is magical as well. 

9. A Christmas Story

"You'll poke your eye out", the lamp of the leg, the Tongue stuck to pole. So many great things about this holiday classic. 

10. Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer

This Cartoon Network Holiday special is a fun movie to cuddle with the kids and watch.  It was made in 2000 so the pace and animations are good enough to keep my kids interested. 

Not a Dog Family

For years, my kids have requested a puppy. Their friends had dogs that they would see at play dates.  The dogs were so tame and did tricks and my kids wanted one of their own. They also watched movies and envied the way the pets were a source of constant companionship for the families. The dogs were also able to save people, be match makers, heal the sick and save Christmas.
As an allergenic and asthmatic child, I always had cats. And although they caused me to sneeze and wheeze and go to the hospital, I enjoyed having them.

But when my children would request a puppy, I would tell them, "We are not a dog family". I always knew that dogs took more care than other pets. It wasn't like a fish that just needed a bowl of clean water and an occasional sprinkle of food.  A dog needs more.  They need to be walked and fed throughout the day and they need a lot of companionship.  Even cats are easier pets to care for.  Cats’ toilet indoors and can entertain themselves more. 

My kids typically have to be cared for after school since I am a working mom.  So we spend at least ten hours out of the house.  We also like to go out for an occasional show or dinner. We also like to take vacations. Not to mention, I like to go out with friends from time to time.  Dogs need a lot of attention.

Whenever I would remind them of our lifestyle the kids would quickly understand that we were NOT a dog family.  

But then GUILT set in. The kids were dealing with some issues that come when families break up… I felt sympathetic to the idea of a dog. Then an opportunity came for a Pomeranian-poodle puppy. FREE OF CHARGE. She was the cutest little thing. I named her Fiona and brought her home.
Immediately, our lifestyle was a conflict with dog rearing.  The day that we picked her up, the kids and I left Fiona with a friend to go on an 8 day trip to China.   

During my trip, I read books about dogs.  When I got home, I watched shows like Cesar, the Dog Whisperer.  I even got the puppy care packet at Pet Smart. And after 7 months of caring for Fiona, I learned two things; puppies are resilient and forgiving and that we were not a puppy family.
Fiona was a lovely dog; she was easily trained and very bubbly.  She was good company and had a nice temperament with kids.  But with work, two kids and the “extras”, I was exhausted.  Even my son, had had enough of the puppy care.  The kids never wanted to walk her.  Sometimes they didn’t have the energy to play with her.  Going on even short trips took so much planning.

Opportunity came for me to let Fiona go to another family.  My co-worker, a single mom, was dealing with the same 5 letter word GUILT and she wanted to give her son a puppy. To that I said, here you go, a fully trained, smart puppy, free of charge.

I bribed my kids with a toy to release ownership of Fiona.  My daughter still misses Fiona.  We get occasional pictures and cute stories.  I am happy that Fiona is in a new family and we are back to our lifestyle.  I will try to keep guilt from rearing its head again because we are not a dog family.