I Don't Mean to Rush You But....

Thanksgiving is probably my most favorite holiday of the year. There is just something about the smell of turkey cooking in my house, the parade on television in the background, and the excuse to be a gluttonous, tryptophan filled hog for a few hours that makes me deliriously happy. But honestly, this year I'm a little eager to start the next chapter.....Christmas movie season!

There's just something about a Christmas movie that lifts the spirits. (Well, unless you're watching those sad, I-need-a-miracle-but-don't-get-one-to-teach-a-miser-the-spirit-of-Christmas type of  movie. I tend to stay away from those.) Holiday hi-jinx, cuddly Santas with jolly laughter, couples finding love on Christmas Eve, and families being brought together by some miraculous, um, miracle. All wrapped in a neat, two hour package. In 120 minutes there are no more problems, everyone loves each other, and they even get presents.

The best Christmas movies are the "It's a Wonderful Life" type where the ungrateful jerk gets plucked from their life that they loathe/are miserable in/take for granted and plopped down in an alternate reality where they weren't born/didn't meet their spouse/chose a different career. After a miserable trip through the "new and improved" life, they wish they could go back to the old life but there's always some sort of glitch that makes it seem like it's impossible. Then, just in the St. Nick of time, (see what I did there?) they get back to their old life where they shower love, money and/or appreciation on everyone they come into contact with for the final 10 minutes of the movie. You know how it ends up, but you want to see it anyway.

C'mon, it's a classic! How can you not love it?

I also enjoy the Scrooge type movies where the Super Rich Mega Jerk gets taken through their Christmas past, present, and future and they finally realize the error of their ways and spend the last ten minutes of the movie showering love, money, and/or appreciation on everyone they come into contact with. Who doesn't love to see a jerk repent and turn into Mr. Nice Guy again? (Or Ms. Nice Gal if you will.)

But it's not only the Christmas movies that I love. It's the whole season that seems to make everyone be a little bit nicer, a little bit happier, and a little less douche-y. Kids are sucking up for Santa to bring them something super awesome, adults are planning secret Santa gifts, and holiday parties are in full effect. Eleven months of the year people can pretty much suck, but that one month, we can come together and kick ass as a species. Not to mention the Christmas cookies, the wrapping paper, the smell of Scotch Satin Finish Gifting Tape, the lights, and the sight of the huge tree that you haul into your house for 4 weeks every year. If we could bottle that bubbly happiness that wells inside us at the joy of our 6 year old opening a gift that they "always wanted" or hearing the laughter of our families as we gather and celebrate, we could have the cure for world peace.

So this season, make it a point to find a sappy, funny, or heart warming Christmas movie. Make some cocoa or wrap some presents and feel the cheesy, celluloid love. After all, it's only a few short weeks before they yank them back out of our reach and leave us with regular, non Christmas movies. Unless you have a really big DVR. Then those big idiots who think they're pulling all the strings will see who's laughing now, won't they? (Insert evil Christmas laugh here.)