THE WEEKLY PAGE 📝 No. 236
5 Great (and unique!) Christmas movies + what to read, watch, listen to and enjoy...
I only have one holiday tradition, and it’s making festive martinis and homemade pizza on Christmas Eve while enjoying our annual screening of the 1990’s classic, Home Alone.
I lost count a long time ago, but I think this is the 14th or 15th year that my husband and I have embarked on our “Brufmas” tradition. Sometimes it’s just the two of us — but usually we force whoever we’re spending Christmas with to join us.
Not surprisingly, we also have a shared Microsoft To-Do List of our favorite Christmas movies, and each year we do our best to check off as many as we can — with Home Alone always holding the prime spot in the schedule.
Over the years we’ve come across some great holiday movies that have made their way onto our “Watch Every Year” list that are perhaps a bit less common, and I thought it might be fun to share five of them in case you’re looking for any inspiration!
🎬 8 Bit Christmas (2021) - a nostalgic holiday comedy where young Jake embarks on a mission to get the ultimate '80s gift: a Nintendo. Starring Neil Patrick Harris, it’s a fun, heartwarming ride through childhood memories and the chaos of Christmas wishlists (+ it’s set in Chicago for cozy Midwest Christmas vibes). Watch the trailer.
🎬 Mixed Nuts (1994) - a quirky holiday romp that follows the employees of a L.A.-based suicide prevention hotline (played by Steve Martin and Madeline Kahn). They soon find themselves in one wild, comedic crisis after another on Christmas Eve. A hilarious reminder that even the most dysfunctional groups can pull off a little holiday magic. Watch the trailer.
🎬 While You Were Sleeping (1995) - a feel-good rom-com where Lucy, played by Sandra Bullock, pretends to be engaged to a man in a coma, only to fall for his brother. It's a sweet, funny story about love, family, and mistaken identities during the holidays. Watch the trailer.
🎬 The Family Stone (2005) - a holiday gathering where uptight Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker) struggles to fit in with her boyfriend’s eccentric family, sparking plenty of drama and laughs. With a star-studded cast including Diane Keaton and Rachel McAdams, it’s the perfect mix of chaos and holiday spirit (be warned: it does have a sad but touching ending, TW: cancer). Watch the trailer.
🎬 The Santa Clause (1994) - a holiday favorite where Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) accidentally becomes Santa after the old one falls off his roof. With plenty of laughs and heartwarming moments, it’s a magical reminder of what the holiday season is all about. Watch the trailer.
Do you have any holiday movies that have become a tradition? Quirky ones that you gotta watch every year? Ones that make you laugh? Make you cry? I’m always looking to add to our list so hit reply or head to the comments and let me know 🎄
🗃️ Did you miss it?
Last week I walked you through my exact process for keeping my Google Drive meticulously organized (and color-coded!). Read the step-by-step tutorial right here.
📚 READ: Looking to establish a quirky holiday tradition of your own? The New York Times collected dozens of off-beat holiday tradition submissions from readers — oysters for breakfast, Christmas at the zoo, DIY radio shows + so much more. These were a lot of fun to read through and their research suggest that families with traditions are more likely to gather.
📺 WATCH: The Six Triple Eight, a new WWII film directed by Tyler Perry for Netflix, will drop next Friday, December 20th. It tells the true story of an all-black, all-female battalion in WWII that was tasked with addressing a three-year mail backlog that was preventing soldiers from communicating with their families. It’s on my list to watch over the holidays. Watch the trailer:
🎧 LISTEN: If you’re looking for a playlist to toss on during your holiday party (or casually during your work day, as I’m doing right now!) might I suggest my Very Hygge Christmas playlist on Spotify? You can listen to it right here.
🧡 ENJOY: Have you ever had gløgg? It’s a hot, mulled holiday drink that combines red wine with various spices (and sometimes an additional liquor like whisky!). In Denmark, it’s common to put sliced almonds and raisins in the the mixture and serve it with a spoon. Although this recipe from Sunday Table is technically for Norwegian gløgg, it’s very close to what I find in Copenhagen and is delicious. Give it a try.