Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Robert St. John: Top 10 Christmas Movies

 Nothing quite matches the energy and excitement one experiences as a kid during the Christmas Eves of his or her youth. My family always ate a formal dinner the night before and my memories of those meals are so overwhelmingly positive. The food was great, sure. But my remembrances are partially slanted on the positive side of the scale because of the anticipation that hung thick in the air over what was to happen the next morning. It’s the one day in life where you wake up to magically delivered toys. 

How can one not be excited— to the point of ecstatic— when a jolly old guy is expected to show up in your living room and leave a lot of toys, whether you were good that year or not. They always told me that I was only getting toys of I was good all year. But I can tell you now, as the childhood statute of limitations has definitely expired, I was bad a lot of years— sometimes very bad— and still received toys at Christmas. 


 




My brother always had a hard time going to sleep the night before. We were never allowed to open a gift until the next morning. I had friends whose parents let them open one gift the night before. I had even heard of families that opened all their gifts the night before and slept past 6 a.m. the next day.

 

There’s no feeling like Christmas Eve and Christmas morning in adulthood. The toys get larger and more expensive, but the excitement isn’t there. My brother and I were always up before the sun rose. Our next-door neighbors, the Hemeters, were the only family whose lights were already on when we awoke. Though we weren’t allowed go into the living room to see what Santa brought us until our grandparents, aunts, and uncles all came to the house. “Just open your stockings and stay in the den,” our mom would say. That amped up the anticipation. It was pure torture.

 

I never thought about it back then, but our grandparents, aunts, and uncles must have experienced different emotions on getting up Christmas morning and having to drive across town at 5:30a.m. to watch kids shred paper and wildly tear open boxes of toys.

 

The other holiday anticipatory excitement I experienced as a kid had nothing to do with toys, formal meals, stockings, or bearded men breaking into our house to deliver toys. No. This time of year always brought Christmas movies that weren’t shown the rest of the year.

 

Waiting for the Christmas movie season to begin also involved anticipation and excitement. But that is a joy I still experience as a 61-year-old man. I love Christmas movies, not cheesy Hallmark stuff, but fun, happy Christmas movies.

 

Here’s a list of my Top Ten Christmas Movies of All Time:

 

Honorable Mention: A Nightmare Before Christmas— I feel like I would like this movie. I’m a fan of Tim Burton. I respect the opinions of my friends who like it, but for some reason I’ve never seen it. 

 

10.) A Christmas Carol (1951 version)— there are so many versions of this Dickens classic. As a child I grew up with the Albert Finney Scrooge. I love Finney’s work, but Allister Sim nails the character better than anyone, in my opinion. The special effects are circa late 1940s Hollywood, but this is the classic of all classics.

 

9.) Love Actually— O.K. it’s a chick flick, but the scene where Emma Thompson opens her Christmas gift and makes a realization about her husband, Alan Rickman, while Joni Mitchell sings an updated version of “Both Sides Now,” is worth the price of admission.

 

8.) Scrooged— I’ve been a Bill Murray fan since his SNL days in the late 1970s. There’s not much he does that isn’t stellar. This has a very 1980s vibe, but it’s a great re-telling of a classic piece of literature, and Al Green and Annie Lennox do a great cover of “Put A Little Love in Your Heart,” to wind things up. I saw Al sing that song in his Memphis church— from the pulpit— around the time this movie was released.

 

7.) It’s A Wonderful Life— What a great message and a feel-good movie. Jimmy Stewart always reminded me of my grandfather. Excellent story, well written and well-acted. The classic of all classics.

 

6.) Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer— I never missed this stop-motion classic the first 13 years of my life. I had the album. I know the songs by heart, and the Abominable Snowman used to scare me more than the Wicked Witch in the Wizard of Oz. Back in the era when there were only three channels, this was prime holiday viewing.

 

5.) Die Hard— Say what you want, but this is a Christmas movie. Granted, it’s an action flick, but make no mistake. It’s a Christmas movie. I have never been one who’s afraid to go back to the theatre to rewatch a movie during its first run. I’ve done it often. Though there are only a few that I have gone back to see one three times during its initial release. I scored a rare threepeat on this one.

 

This was the first in the new era of action movies. From around the 10-minute mark until the credits roll, the action is non-stop. That’s very common today, but this was the first movie I remember that got rolling right off the bat. Bruce Willis had done “Moonlighting” and a few other lightly successful movies, but this started a hot streak that lasted well into the early 2000s, in addition to birthing several sequels.

 

4.) How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Ron Howard’s version)— What perfect casting. I’m not a huge Jim Carrey fan, but this was the role he was born to play. I once read that Robin Williams and Eddie Murphey were in line to play the lead. They might have been good— and I prefer them in most any other movie over Carrey— but Ron Howard got it right when he gave the lead to Carrey. I love the animated version that I grew up with, too.

 

3.) Elf— There really should be a tie for the final three as they are all just as good as the others. I remember thinking, “All of the great Christmas movies have already been made, why is anyone trying to make another?” as I was walking into the theatre to see this for the first time. I walked out knowing that another Christmas classic had been made. My family quotes this movie throughout the year, and we never miss watching it sometime during the season.

 

2.) A Christmas Story— I am one of the only people I know who saw this in the theatre. I was living in Jackson at the time and had to go across town to see it. I was a fan of part-time disc jockey Jean Shepard and knew parts of his book on his childhood, “In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash,” had been adapted into a movie. I loved it from day one. I love that era in America. Things seemed so innocent.

These days everyone is a little burned out on it because TNT runs it as a non-stop marathon on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. If this were back in the three channel days, I think we’d all appreciate it a little more.

 

1.) National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation— When I saw this during its first run at the theatre I didn’t laugh as hard as I do know after at least 50 viewings. I love everything about this movie. It’s far-fetched and silly, but we all know, it’s not too far off base. There are so many quotable lines, most can’t be repeated here.


Merry Christmas to all, and may all of your New Year’s Dreams come true.

Onward.



Cinnamon Rolls

 

1 cup               Boiling water

1 cup               Shortening (or 2 sticks of butter)

1 cup               Sugar

1 1 /2 tsp         Salt

2                      Eggs (large)

2 Tbl               Yeast (2 packages)

1 cup               Warm water

Dash                Sugar

6 cups              Flour

 

1/2 cup melted butter

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 Tbl cinnamon

1 pound confectioner’s sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

2-4 Tbl milk

Preheat oven to 350. 

Pour water over shortening, sugar and salt. Blend and let cool. Add eggs and beat well. 

Let yeast stand in warm water with a dash of sugar until bubbly. When the yeast-water mixture has cooled completely add to shortening mixture, then beat in the flour. Cover and refrigerate three to four hours.  

Using melted butter, grease six aluminum-foil lined nine-inch cake pans. 


Roll out dough into a large rectangle (1 foot by 3 feet). Using a pastry brush, coat the entire surface of the dough with the melted butter. Distribute the raisins evenly over the buttered dough.  Combine the brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle the surface of the dough with this mixture.


Roll up dough, jellyroll style, from the long side. Cut into 3 /4-inch thick segments and place into prepared cake pans. Let rise until doubled in size (about 1 hour). 

 

Bake for 15 minutes. 

 

Combine the confectioner’s sugar, cinnamon, and milk to make the icing. Ice rolls while they are hot. 


 

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not a bad list. Might add "Miracle on 34th Street" as an honorable mention.

Anonymous said...

A Christmas Carol with George C. Scott.

Unknown said...

Die Hard is NOT a Christmas movie. It's main theme is NOT about Christmas. It is an action drama set at Christmastime. There is a difference.

Stuff About ZeroBear PolyBear said...

Since all of the acceptable Christmas movies have been listed (My favorite non traditional Christmas movie is Die Hard), I'll just go to my recipe after wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.

Please don't forget who it is really about. By the way, here is the link to a very interestingg video made by (I think) a Lawyer from Hattiesburg.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exmbuX1NffU


My recipe is probably not traditional, but I promise it is mighty fine eating.

Beef Short Rib Bolognese

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Olive oil
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup carrot, finely chopped
4 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped
2 pounds Beef Short Ribs
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper, ground fresh
1 cup whole milk or heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon whole nutmeg, ground
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups canned San Marzano tomatoes, cut up, with their juice
1 small can Tomato Paste
1 Tablespoon sugar
If you have it, a piece of parmesan rind to add flavor
10 – 12 ounces fresh egg papparadelle pasta
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving

Directions:

Process vegetables in a food processor to a 1/16 to 1/8 inch mince. Set aside. Crush or chop tomatoes and set aside.

Season short ribs with Salt, black pepper then braise them in 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, in a heavy Dutch Oven, turning until all sides have browned then remove the beef from the Dutch Oven.

Put the butter, onion, celery, and carrots in the pot, and turn the heat on to medium.

Cook and stir until the vegetables are tender, stirring the vegetables to coat them well during the sauté.

Add Garlic and return the ribs to the Dutch Oven. Add a large pinch of salt, and a few grindings of pepper. Add 1/2 cup milk or heavy cream and simmer gently, stirring frequently, until it has bubbled away completely. Add a grating (about 1/8 teaspoon) of nutmeg, the wine and simmer until it has evaporated, then add the tomatoes, tomato paste, a half cup of water and stir thoroughly to coat all ingredients well. When the liquid begins to bubble, stir in the sugar and turn the heat down to a slow simmer.

Cook uncovered for 3-4 hours or more at a low simmer (covered) or in the oven (covered) at 325 degrees F, stirring from time to time to make certain nothing is sticking. While the sauce is cooking, you may need to add 1/2 cup water to keep the contents from sticking, or if the sauce gets too thick. When the rib meat is ‘fall off the bone’ tender, take them out, remove the bones and pull the meat apart. Remove the fat if needed. At this point, the sauce needs to be thick. Taste and adjust seasoning if salt is needed. Before returning the rib meat to the sauce, add 1 cup of water and the fresh pasta. Cover and cook until the pasta is andante then return the rib meat to the sauce.

Stir in the meat and 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Depending how much water the pasta absorbed when cooking, additional water may need to be added. The dish is now ready to serve.

Serve with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese.

Stuff About ZeroBear PolyBear said...

Recipe Continued - Too long fr one post:

*******************

Making Egg Papparadelle Pasta

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups 00 flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 cup Semolina Flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 Large egg, plus 8 egg yolks

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the 00 and semolina flours and salt and form a well. Add the egg and yolks to the center of the well. Using a fork, slowly start to incorporate the flour into the eggs to form a rough dough. You may add a splash of water if the dough is too dry or a dusting of flour if it is too wet.

Lightly flour a smooth work surface and pour the dough onto the flour. Knead the dough until it springs back when you press a finger into it, 10 to 12 minutes. Flatten the dough into an even square. Wrap the dough well in plastic wrap and allow to rest for 1 hour at room temperature.

Cut the dough into 3 pieces. Set up a pasta roller according to the manufacturer's directions and set it at the widest setting. Dust one section of the dough with semolina flour and press firmly to flatten the dough to 1/4 inch. Roll the dough through the machine on the widest setting. Fold the pasta dough in thirds and dust the outside with flour. Send it through the widest setting again. Reduce the setting to the next setting. Send the dough through the machine. Fold it in thirds once again and send through the setting one more time. Continue sending the dough through the machine, reducing the setting each time, until the desired thickness is reached, about 1/8 inch. Lay the sheet out on the counter and dust with flour. Use a knife or pizza cutter to cut strips 1 inch by 10 inches. Dust the strips with more flour. Continue with the remaining dough.

Set aside to dry for 20 – 30 minutes before cooking.

Anonymous said...

Other than Die Hard, for once I have no objections Robert.

Justice for Kevin Macalister said...

What about Home Alone? Come on KF you scumbag

Anonymous said...

Bruce Willis says that Die Hard is not a Christmas movie. I'm with Bruce.

Anonymous said...

Love Actually is not a chick flick.

Diddywahdiddy said...

Diddywahdiddy:

I'd have to put "It's a Wonderful Life" at #1.
"Clarence Oddbody, Angel 2nd Class" as he introduces himself to George after jumping in "I jumped in to save you, so you'd have to jump in to save me".
The ending is a top 5 "feel-good" ending especially when they sing "Hark the Herald Angels Sing!"
"Attaboy Clarence!!"

Sorry RSJ, I'm a bit disappointed but, no Christmas Movie List is complete without "JOYEUX NOEL"-The Christmas Truce of World War I. It's going to leave you with a feeling of the continuing deep need to find our common humanity; to realize this world is getting smaller and more fragile every day; to appreciate the tradition of celebrating the Virgin Birth of Our Savior; to realize there is a common thread of Hope and Love despite the unfortunate evil that lives in men's hearts and the greed for power. Watch "Joyeux Noel", "It's a Wonderful Life" and hug your family, kids, dawgs, cats, neighbors.
Merry Christmas y'all!

Anonymous said...

Robert isn’t a true Southerner. He failed to include Ernest Saves Christmas

Anonymous said...

You forgot three of the best:
Holiday Inn
The Bells of St. Marys
Going My Way

I'm not a huge fan but my family loves "White Christmas." I'll concede that White Christmas is better than most on RSJ's list.


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