With Christmas slowly approaching, classic Christmas movies are appearing on every corner of entertainment platforms. Many people have a favorite Christmas movie that leaves them feeling cozy and warm. It is often said that windows are the eyes to the soul, but during the Christmas season, a favorite Christmas movie says more than eyes ever could. Do you prefer a Christmas thriller to keep you on the edge of your seat or do you stick to what you know and put on a Christmas classic? Let's begin and learn about Stevenson opinions.
Walking Through Student Life Lane
While walking through the Student Life Office, I ran into Alicia Perez, the gateway to weekend passes. She was in the Christmas spirit and gave me insight into her favorite Christmas movie. Perez's favorite Christmas movie is A Christmas Story (1983). Based on the writings of author Jean Shepherd, this holiday movie follows the wintry journey of Ralphie Parker, who spends most of his time avoiding a bully and dreaming of his dream like Christmas gift: a "Red Ryder air rifle." He is frequently at odds with his cranky dad but comforted by his loving mother, Ralphie struggles to make it to Christmas Day with his glasses and his Christmas spirit intact.
Perez details how A Christmas Story plays every Christmas and how she and her family are able to watch this movie together every year. Some of her fondest Christmas memories are watching this film. Taking Perez’s advice, this holiday season hold loved ones close and enjoy the small moments with them, even if it is just something as simple as watching a film together.
Sarah Koshi, our fearless leader, says her favorite Christmas movie is Elf (2003). Elf stars Will Ferrell as Buddy. Buddy was accidentally transported to the North Pole as a toddler and raised to adulthood among elves. Growing up among the elves Buddy sticks out and struggles to fit in. Buddy is told by his father that he is not an elf but a human when he is an adult. This causes Buddy to travel back to the human world in search of his human parents. Through his journey of finding his human parents, Buddy finds family and new friends along the way. At its core it is a movie that tells a heartwarming tale about how you can find acceptance and belonging in unexpected ways.
The reason Elf is her favorite Christmas movie is because when she first saw it, she was in college and thought the movie would be like most of Will Ferrell's movies— inappropriate. She was delightfully surprised that the movie was much more child-friendly, which she thought was funny. Rewatching it with her kids has turned it into her favorite Christmas movie because they laugh so hard and think it is so funny. She states, “It’s nice to see the movie through their perspective.”
Walking Through Winter Wonderland Learning Commons
Our 9th grade football star, Isaiah Sebastian, says his favorite Christmas movie is The Santa Clause (1994). He said all three of The Santa Clause movies are favorites. The movie series starts off with divorced dad Scott, played by Tim Allen, having custody of his son on Christmas Eve. After he accidentally kills Santa Claus, he is magically transported to the North Pole, where an elf explains to him that he must take Santa Claus’s place. Scott wakes up and believes he dreamed everything until, over the course of months, he gains weight and grows a white beard. Throughout the movies, viewers see Santa Claus’s wacky adventures through his marriage with Mrs. Clause and fighting off enemies like Jack Frost.
Sebastian says that these movies are his favorite because he remembers watching them with his family every Christmas and because they have big Christmas vibes. He recalls his favorite moments were just sitting together on the couch with family and enjoying their company. Who ever said that mundane acts are not the best part of Christmas? Sometimes sitting on the couch and watching a heartwarming movie is all that is needed to feel the Christmas spirit.
Student Representatives
If you do not already know the famous Grinch, let me introduce you to the movie mascot for Christmas. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) is about a cranky, solitary creature named the Grinch who lives up in the icy mountains. He attempts to steal all the presents of the residents of Whoville because he absolutely despises Christmas. However, by the end, the Grinch learns the true meaning of the Christmas spirit and undoes his mistakes. This heartwarming tale is Will Simonds, resident movie buff, favorite Christmas film.
Simonds says that it is one of his favorite films because he has fond memories of watching the Grinch ever since he was in elementary school. He recounts how hearing the soundtrack to the Grinch and seeing his familiar green face always brings him back to when he was a little kid. Simonds started watching the Grinch as a first grader, and more than a decade later, he is a senior still watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Last but certainly not least, is Karlita Harris, Stevenson's 11th grade representative. Harris’ favorite Christmas movie is The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). The movie is about the misadventures of Jack Skellington, Halloween Town’s beloved Pumpkin King. Jack becomes increasingly bored with the same Halloween routine and decides to steal Christmas for himself. He kidnaps Santa and takes the holiday captive. He attempts to take Santa Claus’s place but sadly fails. He then realizes that sometimes the best things in life are the things that truly make you happy, not just excite you. Jack sees the error of his ways, frees Santa Claus, and goes back to doing what he does best, Halloween.
Harris says this is her favorite Christmas movie because she loves all Tim Burton movies and the spooky aspects of his films. She also loves the music in the film. She recounts how she would often sing her heart out to This Is Halloween. This movie is very special to her because she would always watch it on Halloween and Christmas with her sister.
Farewell
During these cold and dark months, it is easy to get lost in the chaos of finals and Christmas shopping. But do not forget to hold your loved ones close and try to get in a Christmas movie to warm your heart and put you in the Christmas spirit. Maybe even watch one of the Christmas movies listed above—you could start your very own Christmas tradition of watching the same movie every year. Oftentimes, the movies we watch constantly are because of the connotations and memories we associate with them. Many of the people interviewed have the fondest memories associated with these movies that when they watch them on Christmas, it gives them that same rush they felt long ago. Happy holidays.
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