I Believe!

If you've been reading this blog, or if you know me really well, you know that I absolutely love Christmas. There are a couple of movies that I love to watch every year and I've already been able to watch some of them...Love Actually, The Holiday...and have yet to watch a few more...The Santa Clause, Rudolph, Miracle on 34th Street. Another Christmas movie I make a point of watching each year (and what might be my favourite one) is The Polar Express.

Last night I finally got to watch it, and convinced my best friend, her boyfriend, and her sister to watch it with me. We had our Christmas gift exchange and it just happened to coincide with one of the best Christmas movies ever, how could we not watch it? I was the only one who stayed awake for all of it, but that's besides the point :)

I think I tend to forget every year why I adore this movie. It's not really for the animation (though it is really spectacular). What I love is the way it takes me back to when I was a kid and still believed in Santa. Although some of the details are a little fuzzy now, I remember my sister and I picking out the cookies for Santa and making sure there was a carrot out for the reindeer. We didn't have a fireplace, and since Santa could only come in through a fireplace, we created one out of these awesome brick blocks that we had (anyone else remember those?) Every Christmas Eve we would hang our stockings on the blocks and in the morning we would rush into the living room and our stockings would be stuffed full and placed beside the "fireplace." Life was good.

These days, our stockings are still pretty stuffed (yes, my sister and I are totally spoiled by our mom and Grandma) and we actually have a real fireplace. The thing that's missing? That unwavering childhood belief in Santa Claus. And that, I think, is why I love to watch The Polar Express. For a couple of hours I'm able to sit back and watch as a little boy is able to go from doubting Santa's existence to believing in him for the rest of his life. It's kind of nice, and I almost wish that I could still believe myself. Does that make me a little crazy? Maybe. But I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way.
The last lines in the movie are simple and so very sweet.

"At one time most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though I've grown old the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe."

If any of you haven't seen this movie yet, I highly recommend it. The book's been a classic for years, and I think that the movie has already established itself as a classic as well. The story is timeless and that is what makes it so great. I actually love it so much that I actually bought it today! :)

Well, that is it for me tonight. I've got a Christmas card to make! Also, some packing to do. But that is slightly less fun.

Have a very merry Christmas everyone, and listen for those bells!

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells

My Christmas Tree for 2010!

'Tis the season for an abundance of Christmas loveliness.

One of the (many) things I love about this holiday is the number of books, tv specials, and movies that are available. It's amazing. Right now, for example, I am watching The Holiday, an excellent movie to start the Christmas season. I've had some crazy Decembers in the last five years, which meant that I never had much time to read a lot of Christmas-themed books before the actual holiday. Christmas movies, on the other hand, were one of the only things to help my roommates and I through finals. We had a tradition, the girls and I. Every year we would order the festive special from Swiss Chalet, make a gingerbread house, exchange our Secret Santa gifts, and watch Love Actually. Of course, sometimes we would drag this out over the few weeks of exams to make things more festive around the house. (In full disclosure, we kept our tree up one year until about March or April. Part was laziness, part was that it was amusing as hell). I really miss you girls!

I'm not sure when my mom and I became particularly obsessed with reading Christmas books but we most definitely are. Since I was away at school she would be the one to go to the library and borrow at least five Christmas books (again, in full disclosure, most of them romances) for the two of us to read. I haven't been able to get any yet this year (since I've just moved I haven't gotten around to checking out the library here. Shocking, I know) but my plan is to find some soon!

In the meantime, however, I will watch a multitude of Christmas movies and tv shows. Like I said, I'm watching The Holiday right now. I just watched a movie on the W Network on Monday while I was holed up in a (very nice) hotel room. I'm not ashamed to say that watching that movie pretty much made my night! I love that there are so many different things to watch on tv, classics like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and Miracle on 34th Street, as well as newer movies like Santa Baby and Love Actually. Just like Christmas books, I like my holiday movies with a focus on romance. What can I say? I'm a girl and am a sucker for a (slightly cheesy) love story.

It's fun to watch some of the movies that focus on Santa and the North Pole. I think I like those ones because, for an hour or so, I can pretend that Santa still exists and can feel like I did when I was a kid. Ridiculous? Maybe. But I'm sure that was what they intended when they made some of these movies.

I think the thing I love about all the movies and books with a Christmas theme is that they remind me of what the holiday is really all about. It's not about buying a ton of gifts and spending lots of money, or having a massive wish list. It's about family, traditions, and spending time with the people you love. I think those ideas kind of get lost in the crowds, sometimes quite literally. I love getting gifts for people and finding the perfect gift for someone. What I hate is having to fight with all the crowds at the malls trying to get that perfect gift. But, sometimes it's worth it, when that person opens that gift and absolutely loves it. Right?

I don't think I'm the only one who is totally obsessed with Christmas and all the fun to be had around this holiday. Anyone want to weigh in on this? I'd love to hear other people's thoughts. :) It must get boring, reading about my ideas all the time!

I'm sure this won't be the last Christmas post I write this year, so stay tuned for more holiday goodness! Night!