It’s Not Christmas Without These 10 Movies
Cameron Diaz as Amanda in Christmas rom-com The Holiday.
We are a movie-watching family. We like the way that stories are told via the medium of film, but we also enjoy the deep connection that comes from watching and discussing movies together. It began when the boys were very young and still continues, even though they are both adults. I recently saw the film Roma with my youngest son, who had just started working as a professional actor. We had a deep talk about the film’s meaning over dinner at a local Italian restaurant, and I learned so much more about him that night.
My sons have always loved the magic of Christmas too, even though my oldest burst his own bubble at the age of seven when he correctly noted that the Myer Santa Claus and the David Jones Santa Claus were clearly two different men. He possessed an attention to detail that was difficult to parent and no amount of tap dancing could put the genie back in the bottle for him – all we could do was ask him not to tell his younger brother, who was four. Fortunately, he loved Christmas so much that he didn’t need much convincing.
In the 12 days before Christmas, the boys would wake up early each morning to open a door on their Advent calendars and reveal a new chocolate surprise. As they had identical calendars, they would do it together so as not to ruin the surprise for the other. In the evenings after dinner, we would often sit down as a family and watch a Christmas movie, the boys taking turns to determine which favourite would get a run that night.
While the Advent calendars and Santa photos came to a halt many years ago, we have maintained our joyful custom of getting together to watch as many of our Christmas favourites as we can in the lead-up to the big day.
These days we are a lot more The Night Before and The Holiday than Polar Express and Home Alone, and rarely do all four of us manage to get together every night. It is the tradition rather than a particular movie that brings us the most joy, but there are some films that we do return to time and again.
1. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
Clarke Griswold only meets with disaster when he tries to create the perfect Christmas for his family. My two boys were introduced to this film at their grandparents’ house and they laughed non-stop, which meant that they were focused and occupied for an hour and half.
2. Home Alone 1 (1990) & 2 (1992)
A boy is separated from his family at Christmas. The way that the boy (Macauley Culkin) outsmarts the bad guys in each film is inspiring.
3. The Santa Clause (1994)
A young boy who desperately needs some magic in his life discovers that his father has been recruited to be the next Santa Claus. The evolving relationship between father and son is touching, but for a long time my sons believed that their dad could transform into Santa Claus.
4. How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Based on a Dr Seuss book, this is the story of a little girl who manages to change the way the Grinch views Christmas. The boys love Jim Carrey’s physical performance as the Grinch.
5. Elf (2003)
The tale of a human raised as an elf who travels to New York to find his father. When the boys were little, they got swept up in the idea that you could work for Santa. As adults, they just like a good laugh at Will Ferrell.
6. Love Actually (2003)
A Christmas-themed film based around eight couples who are loosely connected. As a Hugh Grant enthusiast, this is my favourite Christmas movie so it’s probably more correct to say the boys tolerate this selection each year.
7. The Night Before (2015)
Three friends realise their tradition of celebrating Christmas Eve with a bang is over as one is soon to become a dad, so they decide to make their final bash the biggest yet. This is classic Seth Rogen – pictured above (centre) with Joseph Gordon-Levitt (left) and Anthony Mackie – as he gets himself in and out of predicaments all night.
8. The Polar Express (2004)
A young boy takes a trip to the North Pole via a magical train. I remember the way Lachie’s face lit up when he watched this for the first time as a seven-year-old. Looking back, he says, it perfectly captured the enchantment of Christmas as a child.
9. Christmas with the Cranks (2004)
The Cranks decide to take a year off from celebrating Christmas until their daughter opts to come home on Christmas Eve. It’s the perfect, light-hearted, relatable film. Many of the characters remind the boys of various family members – I’m not sure that’s a compliment.
10. The Holiday (2006)
Two women from different continents swap homes for Christmas to escape complicated relationships. This is my second-favourite Christmas movie, but the boys are happy to watch because they are fans of Jack Black. My favourite subplot is the lovely friendship that develops between Kate Winslet’s character and her elderly neighbour, a former legendary Hollywood writer. The real star of the film is the luxury Hollywood home in which much of the action is set.
Words_ Marina Go
Photos_ Supplied