Top 5 Christmas Movies & Specials | #Madvent Day 8

This month my favourite Christmas movies are going to become very clear, through various tags as well as my viewing suggestions at the end of each video, but I thought I'd cobble together my top 5 and tell you why each film has earned such a prestigious place, in no particular order. Additionally, in order to bring in a bit more varied content, I thought I'd also cover my top 5 Christmas specials. Leggo.

MOVIES

1. Love Actually
This makes the list for several reasons.
A. It is a great movie.
B. It is a great festive movie and makes me hella hella pumped for Christmas.
C. I enjoy watching it all year round and don't feel like I'm ruining the magic.
D. Most importantly, it makes me feel like I'm in a place where there is snow. I want snow. I miss snow. I need snow. Snow.

2. The Santa Clause
In my mind The Santa Clause is the ultimate childhood Christmas movie. It may not be my favourite in terms of actual movie content, but it makes me feel probably about six years old and brings back my sense of childlike wonder. Also there are a bunch of sequels to work through if you're not quite feeling done after the first one. Does the son get hot in the third one? I feel like the son gets hot in the third one. Nope. Just googled. False alarm.
Also look at the reindeer/alligator on the right.

3. Eloise At Christmastime 
I often refer to this as my favourite Christmas movie, simply because it's my go-to Christmas Eve movie, and I'm quite serious about saving it. I love it. It has a similar effect to The Santa Clause, but with more of a "CHRISTMAS IS TOMORROW" vibe.
Additionally:
1. It has Julie Andrews
2. It has Gavin Creel who is from Broadway and I did a workshop with him on my year 11 drama trip to New York when he was in Hair and our entire class fell in love with him
3. I love the Eloise books and she is pretty much me when I was that age except I had very present parents and did not live in a hotel. Mainly I was just obnoxious and smug, but in a lovable way. So basically she's still me now.

4. The Grinch
I used to have this on VHS and I would watch it on repeat so I pretty much know every word to this movie. It also features Where Are You Christmas by Faith Hill which is a fantastic song, and the Grinch's daily schedule, which is very similar to my own. Also people remind me of Whos very frequently. Like I'll see someone and be like that person looks like a Who from Whoville and I get really offended when whoever I am telling this to doesn't agree. Agree. Because I'm right.

5. Olive The Other Reindeer
This one is a bit less standard. I don't think I've spoken to anyone else who has actually seen this in the last 5+ years (apart from Patrick, but that was because I made him watch it with me last year) but YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S GREAT. It's about a dog named Olive who hears Santa saying he's relying on "all of the other reindeer" to get his sleigh around on Christmas, and she thinks he's said "Olive, the other reindeer" and goes to the North Pole to help and she has a penguin friend and there's a dickhead postman and it's just great. Also I know it looks like a children's movie but it was produced by Matt Groening from the Simpsons so it's got a lil sumsum for all ages. Fang it a watch. I'm pretty sure we watched this in school when I was 8 or 9 so it reminds me of Boston and snow and you remember what I said about snow up there.


SPECIALS

1. The Vicar of Dibley
I love the Vicar of Dibley so much. We used to have it on box set when I was growing up, and last year Patrick and I marathoned the whole thing. It's just an all round fantastic show, but the Christmas specials are amazing. I will watch them several times a year, and particularly enjoy the inclusion of the original christmas hymn, Praise The Lord, He's Coming Down The Birth Canal.

2. Doctor Who
Just a classic isn't it. Doctor Who is something that I didn't start properly watching until a few years ago, but that I grew up around regardless because my dad has been watching it his entire life. I vividly remember being sat down at our massive desktop computer when I was about six years old and him playing me the Dalek "exterminate" on some 4 pixel webpage. He also showed me narwhals in the same sitting. And we wonder how I ended up like this. Doctor Who in general gives me a similar feeling to Christmas, in that it's comforting and familiar, so even when it's shit I still kind of like it. Hope it's not shit though.

3. Lizzie McGuire
It is Lizzie McGuire. And it has Aaron Carter in it. Yes.
This extends to most Disney specials tbh, whether they be Christmas editions of movies, special episodes of a Disney Channel series, or the holiest of all - Disney Channel Original Movies.
Special mentions to anything festive from Hannah Montana, Sonny with a Chance or That's So Raven. Joe Jonas and Demi singing 'Sing My Song For You' on the SWAC christmas episode, literally get all the way out and never come back.

4. Miranda
I freaking love Miranda (if you haven't watched every episode yet, go do that), but this year I am torn. I know I'm going to love it, but I also know this is the end and that is not something for which I am prepared on any level. Please do not leave me. You remind me of me in a way that still makes me feel good about myself because I know I'm not that bad. So excited but so unprepared for the inevitable end. Such is life.

5. Gavin and Stacey
Gavin and Stacey is another one that PStrattz and I marathoned last year. The Christmas Specials won't make sense unless you've seen the rest of the show, so just go watch it all. I love probably every character except for Stacey and her mum. Love Smithy. Love Nessa. Love Bryn. Idk if I'll watch this one this year just because I'm not sure that I can commit to a full rewatch, but I will ponder it. Doesn't give me as much of a Christmassy feeling as the rest, but still worthy of a mention.

Special mention to Downton Abbey, which doesn't get its own spot because I haven't caught up on this season yet and also they always kill people on Christmas. Don't do that.

OTHER special mention to every episode of Friends involving Christmas, particularly The One With The Holiday Armadillo.


Today's #Madvent Movie: Rise of the Guardians