As the temperatures dip and schedules ease up a bit around Christmas Day, you may find yourself wanting to sit back user a pile of blankets as you enjoy a Christmas family movie together.
There are quite a number of feel-good Christmas movies that drive home the true meaning behind the season.
I stumbled upon a blog article on www.allprodad.com where the writer, Mark Merrill, features a few of his favorite films. More interestingly, Merrill shares what the films have taught him about family.
If you’re lucky enough to find these titles at your local DVD store or online, why not re-watch the movie as a family and try to see it from his eyes?
A Christmas Carol
“In this timeless classic, we find the selfish Ebenezer Scrooge with a hatred for all things Christmas. Through different influential events in the movie, Scrooge transforms from a man of bitterness and selfishness to a man of love. He learns, through Tiny Tim, that having a family you love and that loves you is all-important.”
How The Grinch Stole Christmas
“We all enjoy watching the quirky people of Whoville get ready for their favorite time of the year. While Jim Carey is hilarious as the wildly outrageous Grinch, I found that it was Cindy Lou Who that taught audiences what love looks like. She was a perfect picture of the way we should be voices of encouragement to everyone—no matter how odd or crazy they may seem on the outside.”
Miracle On 34th Street
“This wonderful movie reveals to us how love conquers all. Despite court rulings, business, and everything else, we find that a parent’s love for their child is one of the most vital and incredible things we will ever know. The film encourages us to make our children a top priority.”
A Charlie Brown Christmas
“This great animated film includes the whole gang of Charlie Brown and his friends. While at times our culture can turn Christmas into a season of greediness, this movie reminds us that Christmas is about love and giving.”
Elf
“While this movie may not be as sentimental as some of the others on my list, I’ve learned some things from watching this film. Buddy, the Elf, showed us the importance of forgiveness and proved that relational pain can lead to stronger relationships between family members.”
It’s A Wonderful Life
“This black and white classic is perhaps my favorite. It follows George Bailey, played by Jimmy Stewart, through childhood, marriage, and fatherhood. When George was down and out and didn’t feel like his life mattered, Clarence, the angel, showed him in a dream what the little town of Bedford Falls would have been like without him and that he really did have a wonderful life. He influenced his community beyond his wildest imagination, he loved his family more than words could describe, and his family loved him more than he would ever know. George Bailey had a wonderful life. Every time I watch this movie, I’m reminded that I have a wonderful life too.”
To Merill’s list I would add the original Home Alone. While for most of the film the family wasn’t actually together in the same place, the lead character Kevin had to rely on his own smarts to outwit the bungling burglars. Left to his own devices, Kevin could only think back to what his parents had already taught him and use that to succeed in his mission of staying alive and protecting his home from intruders. What mom or dad wouldn’t be relieved and proud to know that their parenting actually paid off? And because this movie just had to have a feel-good ending, of course Kevin realizes that mom and dad do know what is best after all.
Merry Christmas to you and yours.
We’d like to hear from you! What are your Shunyi favorites? Any recommendations or bits of news you’d like to see here on Shunyi Happenings, please feel free to send it on to us via email to: danamercado@beijing-kids.com
Dana is the beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent. Originally from the Philippines, she moved to Beijing in 2011 (via Europe) with her husband, two sons and Rusty the dog. She enjoys writing, photography, theater, visual arts, and trying new food. In her free time, she can be found exploring the city and driving along the mountain roads of Huairou, Miyun and Pinggu.
Photo collage attributed to www.markmerrill.com
