Happy Happy, Joy Joy!

Nov. 13 - Yesterday I was thankful for...

Disney!!

That may sound silly to you, but I am thankful for all things Disney. Growing up, I was always begging for the latest Disney video (I actually screamed when I got Beauty & The Beast from my Mam-maw for Christmas). I never missed a Disney movie in the theatre. In fact, I saw Aladdin in the theatre 3 times on its first go. I've seen Nightmare and Nemo twice each; once the first time around and once in 3D later in life. My room as a baby through age 3 or 4 was Winnie the Pooh themed. I've been to Disney World 5 times and already have WAY in advance plans for a 6th trip (our 5th anniversary in 2015) and a first trip to Disneyland with my bestie after that.

In college, I was known for my love of Disney. My roommate bought me Finding Nemo the very day it was released on video, and friends would bring me little toys from McD's or from cereal boxes if they were Disney related. I watch the Disney Channel (no, I don't care that I'm 28) and have an entire piano book full of Disney songs. I'm working on a Disney wall for our bedroom and looking around the living room, I can see at least two Perrys (from Phineas & Ferb), a Fantasia hippo, Mickey & Minnie ears, Disney Trivial Pursuit, and more.

Now, my love of Disney pales in comparison to my bestie. (Thankfully, this isn't a contest; I would lose.) But compared to most people I know, I'm a bit of a fanatic. Everything I've listed above makes me so genuinely happy! I know there are a lot of people who dislike Disney (or downright hate it), and there are people who think it's just for kids. They're entitled to believe that, but they are TOTALLY missing out on something that brings so much joy to so many people. I can always count on something Disney to lift my spirits, and for that, I'm thankful.

Nov. 14 - Today I am thankful for...

Antidepressants.

If you've read my blog before, you know I've struggled with anxiety, depression and some tendencies of OCD. It's not a super fun topic, but these things are very, very real and very, very serious. It's a little different for everyone, I suppose, but I would imagine most people would agree that living with a mental disorder can be hard and lonely.

Thankfully for me, my medications make life much nicer and more manageable. I'm personally on fluoxetine (Prozac) and bupropion (Wellbutrin), and these two little drugs have made a world of difference in my life. I will probably always need them, and that's OK. I'd rather my quality of life be better than be too proud to be "dependent" on pills.

Am I 100% with the pills? Of course not. I still have my days and my quirks (like not being able to make phone calls without feeling like I'm going to vomit the whole time), but when compared to life without the pills, things are a million times better. And for that, I'm thankful.

The Hunger Games: The Odds Were in Their Favor

I should totally be doing homework right now, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.  And I gotta gush!

Hubby and I went to see Hunger Games last night.  I had bought my tickets a month in advance (because I'm a huge nerd) and we had chosen the 9:45 show so we could go out for a nice dinner together beforehand.  We wound up grilling steaks and eating at home instead, but it was definitely a nice dinner.  :)

We got to the theatre probably 15-20 minutes before showtime.  We grabbed some popcorn (Hubby's an addict) and drinks and went to find seats.  It wasn't as crowded as I had anticipated!  We decided to sit fairly close to the front (primarily because we didn't want to deal with the teenagers toward the back) and had our whole little row to ourselves.  

We got to see some fun previews.  The upcoming Spiderman movie looks pretty intense, though I still don't understand why they're making it so shortly after the other trilogy ended.  What To Expect When You're Expecting actually looks like it could be good!  The cast is stellar, at least, so if it's not good, that's just sad.  And, of course, there was a short preview for the next Twilight movie (which some people actually booed at; I didn't think that was necessary, but it was a little funny).  

And then it was time.

From the opening shot through the end of the movie, I'm not sure I blinked.  I didn't want to miss a single detail, a single moment.  District 12 was almost exactly as I had imagined it: the fence at the edge, the Hob, everything.  The colors and outrageous fashions in the Capitol were beyond what I even imagined.  And the arena was equal parts beautiful and terrifying.

Jennifer Lawrence was amazing as Katniss.  Beautiful and strong, she represented everything that Katniss is in the books and I was routing for her just as fervently as I had while reading.  Liam Hemsworth is a little too pretty boy for my taste.  I kind of pictured Gale as being a bit more rough around the edges with an ooey-gooey center, you know?  But that's just me.  Everyone was so gung-ho about Josh Hutcherson from the get-go as Peeta, but I wasn't convinced.  Until I saw the movie.  He was wonderful, playing the perfect counterpart to Jennifer's socially awkward, but well-intentioned Katniss.

I still say that Woody was damn near the perfect Haymitch, though I expected a little more of a struggle with him.  And I was very pleasantly surprised that Lenny Kravitz did such a great job as Cinna.  

HERE COME THE SPOILERS!

If you haven't read the books and/or seen the movie, you might want to stop reading now and come back another time.

OK.  Last chance.  Going once?  Going twice?  Gone.

The Good

I already pointed out some of the good, but here are a few other things I just have to praise.

• The screenplay, for the most part, stayed very true to the story told in the book.  Sometimes when books are adapted for screen or TV, you get some weird things going on where you're going, "WTF?  That never happened!"  I was never seriously upset about the changes that were made (perturbed, yes, but not upset) and the story line itself stayed intact.  
• The use of the Hunger Games commentators and media.  I was wondering how they would explain certain things, since a lot of the book's descriptions are in Katniss' mind as she narrates.  The commentators during the games did a great job of getting some of that settled, as did the film shown at the reaping.
• The outfits.  Katniss is, after all, the girl on fire!  And the movie did not disappoint.  In my mind, the first outfit (in the chariot) was a bit more elaborate, but I think I liked the simplicity in the movie.  The effect was stunning.  And the dress with the flames was actually breathtaking. 

The Bad

OK, nothing was REALLY bad about the movie, but there were a few things that bothered me.

• The mockingjay pin.  In the books, the pin is so significant.  It's a symbol of one of Katniss' few friendships back home, and then becomes all the more important when she finds out it was owned by a former Hunger Games tribute.  In the movie, she just stumbles across it at the Hob and then gives it to Prim to keep her safe?  WTF?  We don't even give Prim much thought in the book until her name is called at the reaping, but from the opening, we're so focused on how scared she is.  It comes as no surprise when Prim's name is picked because we've done the whole, "Oh, it'll never happen!  You'll be safe!" thing.
• Avox?  What's an Avox?  Not a damn thing about them (save for an early reference that Katniss makes about the Capitol removing their tongues as potential punishment).  Maybe they'll get into it for the second movie, but I was definitely disappointed they were left out. 
• Cinna's team.  In the book, we get way closer to his team of crazy stylists, and they play rolls in the next books as well, so why did we just gloss over them?  Hopefully that will also be remedied in the next movie.
• The pivotal moment when the announcers tell the tributes that two of them can win if they're from the same district, and Katniss automatically cries out for Peeta.  In the movie, she just barely whispers his name and then goes to find him.  In the book, it's this point that they use to explain when Katniss really begins to love Peeta (at least in her interviews).  She calls out for him without first thinking about giving away her own position, and this hushed version felt less special to me.

The (In)Different

There were a few other things that were tweaked in the movie that weren't necessarily good or bad.  Just different.

• The parachutes.  I understand it would be hard to explain the thought process Katniss goes through to figure out the timing of the parachutes, so the little notes were cute.  They totally skipped the one that has the sleeping serum for Peeta (so Katniss can slip out and get his medicine), but still made it work.  
• The mutts.  Actually, I'm a little glad they didn't make them so strongly resemble the fallen tributes as they had in the book.  That was effing scary, and because we didn't spend as much time focusing on each tribute in the movie, it might not have had the same effect anyway.
• Rue.  She was more timid than in the book.  It was endearing, and did make her a lot like Prim (one of the main reasons Katniss takes to her so well), but I missed the line where she tells the audience not to discount her.
• Haymitch.  Not nearly as sloppy drunk as he is in the book.  I kind of thought Woody could've played more into that, but I also understand that Haymitch isn't the focus of the story.  Plus, this way we didn't have to see him puking and Peeta having to clean him up.  That's a win.
• Post-games.  They didn't go through the process to heal the winning tributes, nor did Katniss and Peeta have much of  a falling out at the end (you know, once more for the cameras).  The emphasis was on the games, and that's OK, but some more dialogue between the victors could've been helpful in setting up the next movie.

In all fairness, I don't know for certain there will be follow up movies, but, c'mon.  You can't leave with President Snow just walking away and expect me to think that's that!  Even without reading the books, that just screams, "Unfinished business!  Sequel's a-coming!"

All in all, I definitely encourage you to see the movie.  Reading the books first will give you a greater appreciation and understanding of what you're watching, but if you prefer just to see the movies, then happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!                

Here Comes Valentine's, Here Comes Valentine's, Right Down Valentine Lane

How come there aren't very many Valentine's Day songs?  I mean, are there any that are specifically dedicated to the holiday?  I know, all love songs are applicable on V-Day, and it gets mentioned in some songs, but Christmas gets a bajillion songs.  Halloween gets some pretty awesome ones.  Hell, even Thanksgiving gets "Over the River and Through the Woods"!  Best I can come up with is "My Funny Valentine" and if you really listen, it's actually kind of a mean song.  "Well, you're not very pretty or smart, but dammit, I love ya!"  Gee... Thanks.

Anywhoozles, it seems that in last year's Valentine's-related post, I neglected to share my awesome Heart Day traditions with you lovely people!  What was I thinking??  CLEARLY you're all on the edge of your seats, so here goes.

Warning:  There's going to be some talk about my lady parts.  If you're easily offended (and you'd have to be REALLY easily offended; I'm not going into great detail here), then skip this and have a great day.

On our very first Valentine's Day together, I had an appointment for a colposcopy.  Ladies, if you've ever had an abnormal pap smear, it's possible you know what I'm talking about.  For everyone else, it's a diagnostic procedure where they essentially stick a camera up your hoo-ha to get a look at your cervix.  The procedure itself isn't much different than a pap (a little more "personal" since they have to actually look around a bit), but if they don't like what they see, they might biopsy part of the cervix.  Because of this, they tell you that you might be sore for a day or two and should probably take it fairly easy (in other words, no sex) for about a week.  

Thankfully, they didn't deem a biopsy necessary in my case.  They did ask if I wanted to see what the camera was showing, but I declined.  I figured if it was all good, I didn't really need to see for myself.  They're the pros.  I'll take their word for it.

Even though there wasn't a biopsy, I was in some discomfort for the rest of the day, and was pretty glad to have taken the whole day off.  When Hubby got off of work, he drove the hour and a half to come spend Valentine's evening with me, knowing that I had to take it easy and wasn't feeling 100%. 

So how did we spend that evening?  We ordered Chinese food and watched "Breakfast at Tiffany's" together.  Every year since, we've had some variation on that, and we consider it our tradition.  Sometimes we mix it up and go out for Chinese, or maybe we'll go to the theatre to catch a flick, but more often, we order takeout and watch a DVD at home.  It's simple, but it's one of my favorite traditions.

Oh, and for that first V-Day 6 years ago, he baked me a cake.  OK, so it was sorta falling apart, but it was so sweet!  Yeah, I found me a keeper. 

P.S.  Look to the right of this post and you'll see an opportunity to donate to the Humane Society by voting for Miss Maxine.  Check it out! :)

This is Halloween...

OK, so the Brewers aren't in the World Series.  Sad, but, I'm still happy and proud of them for taking it as far as they did.  Too bad we'll likely never see Prince Fielder in a Brewers jersey again, but, it happens.

Anywhoozles, I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Halloween is my favorite freakin' holiday.  I love Fall.  I love candy.  I love dressing up.  So what's not to love?

Last year on Facebook, I posted my favorite non-scary Halloween movies.  Here's the list:

The Nightmare Before Christmas (also good for Christmastime!)

Corpse Bride

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (I guess this depends on your definition of 'scary' ^_^)

Repo! The Genetic Opera  (OK, this one's a bit gory, but definitely not a horror movie or anything)

Hocus Pocus

It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

Edward Scissorhands

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (yes, the MOVIE...  Epic.)

Labyrinth

So I Married An Axe Murderer

Young Frankenstein

Donnie Darko (again - depends on what you find scary)

Clue (Really, this movie works ANY time of year)

Beetlejuice

Casper (Yes, I know I'm 27.  I don't care.)

The Addams Family

I know there are TONS of others.  Really, any Tim Burton movie works this time of year (especially 'Frankenweenie').  There are movies like 'Coraline' (no, it wasn't a Tim Burton movie, look it up) and 'Ghostbusters' that you could totally watch, too.  Lists like this one include flicks like 'Practical Magic' and 'Idle Hands' as viable choices.  The Harry Potter movies certainly have a halloweeny feel to them, too.  And, of course, Disney has a plethora of made-for-television or straight-to-DVD Halloween movies to choose from (I won't lie, I've watched 'Halloweentown' a few times...).

Everyone has special things that make their favorite holidays special to them.  Mine is watching my favorite non-scary Halloween movies, and I plan to start this weekend.  

Are there any awesome (but not terrifying) Halloween movies I've missed that are on your must-watch list?  Let me know and I'll try to check them out! :)

 

A Simpler Time

So, things have gotten a bit stressful these past few weeks, with no intention of letting up until next month.  Oof.  Between a mandatory work meeting, an upcoming trip to visit my 80-year old grandpa in Mississippi and tons of work for my classes (including a paper, an exam, and several chapters of reading), I'm ready to go back to being a kid for awhile.  

You know what I'm talking about, right?  The hardest decision of the day would be shoes with laces or velcro.  Dinner would be on the table, already made and tasty to boot.  Homework would take 15 minutes (tops) and going outside was the fun part of the day.  I'm badly wishing I could do a reverse Big.

Since that's not an option (there's not a Zoltar machine in view), the only thing I can do is listen to music that takes me back to a simpler time.  Without further ado, here are 5 songs from my iTunes library that always make me feel like a kid again:

1) 4 Non Blondes - "What's Up?" I can clearly remember this song being played at every single middle school dance that I attended.  Whenever I hear it, I just find myself swaying back and forth and singing as loud as I can, "And I say heeeeeey-yaaaaay-yaaaaay-yaa-haaaay, heeeeeeey-yaaaaaay-yaaaaay.  I say hey, what's going on?"  (As a side note, this song also reminds me of my one night at Karaoke Kid...  someone did this song and the whole bar burst into song at the chorus; it was magical.)

2) Carole King - "You Make Me Feel (Like A Natural Woman)" As my dad once told a boyfriend of mine (after a few drinks), "Picture this: 3-year-old Erika.  Flat-chested as a boy.  Belting out 'You Make Me Feel (Like A Natural Woman)' in her carseat!"  Embarrassing as that moment was for me, it's all true.  Anytime I hear this song, I almost feel like I'm back in the car with my mom on the way home from one of dad's softball games trying not to fall asleep before we pull into the garage. 

3) The Jackson 5 - "I'll Be There"  When I was younger, there were only two movies in my life: Now & Then and Clueless (and yes, I have the soundtracks for both).  My best friend and I used to sing along to virtually every song in Now & Then, but we always had a thing for this song in particular.  "Just call my naaaaame-buh, and I'll be there."  No, I'm not sure why we added a 'B' sound to the end of name.  That's just how we rolled.

4) The Beatles - "Michelle"  This probably sounds like a strange one, but it makes sense to me.  Remember those Saturday morning classes that some of your parents probably made you take?  Well, when I was 8, my parents wanted me to sign up, so I picked French.  We really didn't learn much except the very basics, but it was fun.  One day I was listening to my dad's Beatles tapes and "Michelle" came on.  I recognized the phrase, "très bien" since this was something our teacher said to us when we got something right (it means "very good").  So I asked my mom (who had taken French in high school) what the rest of the line was.  Once I learned a whole sentence in French, I was on top of the world.  I still feel pretty cool when I sing along today.

5) Big Bird & Waylon Jennings - "Ain't No Road Too Long"  This one is classic.  I grew up on Follow That Bird (this has been brought up in the past, and will no doubt appear in later posts).  My sisters* (including my best friend) all baby sat for me at one point or another, and all were subjected to this movie multiple times.  I hear this song, and I can picture being in the basement at my parents' house, piling pillows and blankets on the floor to bounce on while singing along with Big Bird.  If that's not bliss, I'm not sure what is.

So what songs remind you of being a kid?

Hope everyone has a happy Friday and a wonderful weekend!  :-)    

*Technically, I'm an only child.  But if you ask me, I have 3 awesome big sisters (who are all actually sisters) that I grew up with.  We might not be blood-related, but we're definitely family. 

Spring Break Weekend

I've technically been on spring break for the past week.  It's not nearly as exciting when you're still working full time, but them's the breaks.  

Anywhoozles, we did have ourselves a tropical night on Friday so I could pretend I was somewhere far away and warm.  We had surf and turf kabobs (made on our George Foreman grill), our normal tropical salad with homemade pineapple vinaigrette dressing, and some tropical style drinks.  Our tropical movie selection for the night was Joe Versus the Volcano, which is a fantastic little movie, if not all that tropical (they're only on the island for a bit toward the end of the movie, but oh well).  All in all, a good night was had. 

Our original plans for Saturday were to go exploring around Cedarburg for the afternoon, since it was a recent feature in the paper's "Weekend Getaway" part of the Travel section.  But, we woke up to find that the weather wasn't being so cooperative.  22-28 mph winds, some rain, many clouds...  Boo.  

Instead, we went to IHOP for breakfast and then went to Menards to shop for a bit.  Not exactly a romantic day together, but still fun.  I had the Nutella crepes at IHOP, with the bananas and strawberries and whipped cream... OMG, so good.  I also go a side order of turkey bacon, which I LOVE.  We also had our favorite waiter there (not that we're regulars; we just happened to have him the last time we were there, which was probably January).  This guy is awesome.  Seriously!  He has a positive attitude about everything, and his memory must be phenomenal.  He took our orders (didn't write them down) and then went to chat with the table behind us for a bit, and I kept thinking, shit, something is going to get fucked up.  Either Hubby's eggs will be wrong or I won't get my turkey bacon or something.  But I should've remembered just how awesome he is, because he came out later with our order just as perfect as could be.  At the end of the meal, he handed me the check and said, "You're married; I know who has the money here!  I'm married and have 4 kids - I don't get to see any money!"  We joked about how he doesn't get asked about his day when he gets home, just how much money he made for the day.  The thing is, maybe I'm completely naive, but I really just think he's trying to have fun with his customers, not trying to get sympathy or extra tips.  He really just seems like a good guy who's making the best out of life.  It's inspiring to me, and so that's how I choose to see it.  

Menards was...  Menards.  You have to understand that I hated...  No...  I loathed Menards growing up.  It was the most boring place on Earth.  No contest.  The only things there that kept me from going insane were the doorbell section (I loved the different noises they all made) and the door section (where I would open and close doors, wandering through them like it was some kind of maze for me to get through).  When I got a little older, I would just bring my Walkman in with me and listen to my cassette tapes while we wandering through the store.  My parents (or, more specifically, my father) were always looking at the most boring things, and music kept me entertained.  These days, I actually don't mind Menards, but I still hold some of that resentment.  I mean, I was clearly old enough at some points to have stayed home by myself for an hour or two, but instead my parents dragged me along to Hell.  Maybe they thought the torture was character-building.  Who knows.  

Anywhoozles, we ended up watching most of the Band of Brothers marathon on Spike last night while we cuddled on the couch and ate our dinner.  Hubby got the grill out last night for our steaks.  The first grill of the season was definitely a success.  Man, I love a good rib-eye on the grill!  Droooooooool.  

Today, the hubs is off to help his dad get some things done, so it's just me and the pooch.  I'm sure I'll end up doing fascinating things like laundry or homework or sleeping.  No matter what, I had a great weekend. :-)  

Moronic Monday - Valentine's Day Edition

Fair warning: This post will offend some people.  If you don't like it, don't read it.  Or read it, and then post an angry comment.  Or start your own blog to complain about my blog.  I don't care.  The point is, these are MY feelings.  Word.

So, there are a few things about Valentine's Day that really bug the shit out of me.  Don't get me wrong - I actually like Valentine's Day.  It's not my favorite holiday, but I think it's a fun way to show people you care about them.  But some people or things really rub me the wrong way on February 14th every year.

1) Engagements.  Okay, I get it.  It's a romantic holiday and you want to embrace that with some huge romantic gesture.  But really?  Be more original, FCOL!  Unless it just so happens that you met/started dating on a Valentine's Day or something incredibly meaningful happened on Feb 14th at some point in your past together, there's NOTHING romantic about a V-Day proposal.  Tons and tons of other couples are doing the same exact thing.  And even if it comes from your heart and you're truly in love, it just seems too easy.  Make some other random day special, and then you can really look back on that together.

2) "Every day is Valentine's Day with my sweetie!" Yes, we know, you're madly in love and every day is wonderful, but seriously?  Get over it.  I love my husband dearly, and he is wonderful to me, but that does NOT make every day Valentine's Day.  Do I look forward to each day with him?  Sure!  But there's something nice about a day to do something different or special just because.  Also, you sound really cheesy saying something like this and it's bound to make people cranky with you.  Just saying.

2b) An alternate to this one is something like, "I don't need a holiday to show how much I love (fill-in-the-blank)!"  Often this is along the same lines, but also tends to scream, "My significant other didn't get me anything, so I'm going to make it seem like I really don't care by playing it cool!"  You care.  You SO care.

3) "Valentine's Day sucks."  Way to sound like a joyless person who wants everyone else to be miserable with you.  It doesn't actually make you cool to dislike a holiday.  And all your friends will likely just think you're a sad, lonely individual who couldn't get a date for Valentine's Day OR that you've become so jaded that nothing they can say or do will ever make you feel better.  Neither sounds particularly like someone I want to hang out with.  But that's me.  

I guess I shouldn't say that these people are all morons.  They probably aren't.  Many of them are just hopeless romantics or have been scorned too much to appreciate the day.  But some of them are just idiots.  Proposing on V-Day because you can't come up with anything better?  Trying to make yourself feel better by writing off an otherwise sweet notion of a holiday?  Bah humbug much? 

How about you just go buy a box of chocolates, find a good movie, and enjoy the day.  No matter who you are, chances are you love SOMEONE, so celebrate that, whether it's your best friend, your pet, your family...  It doesn't matter!  Celebrate love.  It makes the world go 'round. :-)

Thursday, Thursday

Hmmm, not as catchy as "Monday, Monday" I suppose.  No wonder there's no song about it.

Strange, but true: Today is actually National Cheese Lover's Day.  Now, if you're from Wisco like yours truly, every day is cheese lover's day.  But, it's nice to see the whole nation included in this affair we Sconnies celebrate on a daily basis.  Yay cheese!

On a non-cheese related note, this is also the date that Skeet Ulrich was born and Audrey Hepburn died (in 1970 and 1993 respectively).  Just a few "fun facts" about January 20th.

Moving on...  

Tomorrow, hubby and I plan on having a night in, which is one of my favorite things to do.  We're going to watch a movie ("What About Bob?" for those curious) and make dinner.  The problem is, we're stuck on what to make for dinner.  I found a few yummy-looking recipes, but I'm not sure what to attempt.  When the decision is made, I'll be sure to post.

Have to make it through today first, though.  Here goes nothing... 

For fun - what's your favorite cheese or cheese-related snack/meal/whatever?  I'd have to say cheese curds.  Squeaky, fried, I don't care.  I just love me some cheese curds!

Christmas Countdown

Yes, kids, there are officially 15 days left until Christmas Day.  If you're anything like me, that both excites you and terrifies you.  So much shopping, crafting, wrapping and baking to be done!  

To avoid too much stress, what better way to relax than with some awesome seasonal movies?  We'll go for 15 so you have one for each day left!

1. The Muppet Christmas Carol - Love the muppets?  I do.  This movie is a must-see every season!  I'm pretty sure Michael Caine was actually born to play Scrooge.
2. John Denver & The Muppets: A Christmas Together - Again, I love the muppets, AND I love John Denver.  Why wouldn't I love this movie?
3. A Muppet Family Christmas - I grew up watching this every year after my parents recorded it off TV and onto a Beta tape.  Man, I wish I still had it...  Quality stuff right here, kids.
4. Christmas Eve on Sesame Street - I think this was on the same Beta tape.  I LOVED this special growing up, and I'm pretty sure this movie is part of why I believed Santa was real for as long as I did.
5. Miracle on 34th Street - If you're going to watch this movie, do yourself a favor and watch the original.  I'm sure the remakes are fine, but the 1947 version is classic.
6. The Santa Clause - I won't lie, this movie still makes me laugh.  What can I say?  Tim Allen just cracks me up.
7. A Charlie Brown Christmas - Short and sweet, this is a true must-see.  I love to try to catch it when it's on TV.  I think it just feels more special when I know there are others out there enjoying it with me.
8. A Claymation Christmas Celebration - If you haven't seen this, go find it and watch it this season.  Claymation is one of the coolest things ever, and this special is hilarious (or, at least, I think it is)!
9. A Garfield Christmas Special - Another childhood favorite, I just love the scene with Garfield climbing up the tree to put the top ornament on.  Plus, how do you not love Odie?
10. The Nightmare Before Christmas - It's not just for Halloween my dears!  Tim Burton's masterpiece is great for Christmas, too!
11. It's A Wonderful Life - If you can believe it, I never saw this movie until I was probably 13 years old.  So for 13 years I missed out on a lovely movie that really captures the Christmas spirit.
12. Home Alone - Don't look at me like that.  You know you love it. 
13. How The Grinch Stole Christmas! - Not the blasphemous 2000 Jim Carrey version (no offense, Mr. Carrey), but the good old 1966 original cartoon. 
14. Holiday Inn - A true Christmas classic, this is a fantastic old movie well worth watching.  Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire... What more do you need?
15. A Christmas Story - Fa ra ra ra ra, ra-ra ra ra!!!

So there you have it - 15 fantastic films to get you through 'til Christmas!  Enjoy!  :-)

Did I miss your favorite Christmas movie?  Or do you hate my list?  Leave a comment and let me know!