So the time has come to start watching Christmas movies. I have a small selection of DVDs that I keep tucked away just for this time of year. Mostly I watch them on my own as my husband is not a fan of festive films. I am looking forward to Esther and William being old enough to share my indulgence. Here are the films that I love to watch each and every December.

Love Actually
I love all the different characters and story lines in this movie. What a great selection box of actors! Love Actually is fantastically written and a film full of Christmas spirit and laughter. I love the soundtrack too! Guaranteed to lift my mood and make me feel all festive at any time of year, but especially now that Santa is truly on his way!

Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion’s starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don’t see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it’s not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it’s always there – fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge – they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I’ve got a sneaking suspicion… love actually is all around.

Elf
A Christmas comedy full of slapstick and Christmas spirit for all the family to enjoy.

The best way to spread Christmas Cheer, is singing loud for all to hear.

Miracle on 34th Street
This is one of my all time favourites and makes me feel emotional every time that I watch it. It is so important for children to believe and experience the true magic of Christmas. Adults too. This is a movie that warms your heart at this most wonderful time of the year.

If… you can’t believe, if you can’t accept anything on faith, then you’re doomed for a life dominated by doubt.

I should definitely get my husband to watch this one!

Santa Claus The Movie
This film reminds me of being a child and loving Christmas. It reminds me of when I wholeheartedly believed and the Santa in this movie is the real thing. He is wonderful! This is a movie that has stayed with me my whole life and I love it as much now as I have ever done. A wonderful Christmas movie for all the family to snuggle up and enjoy time and time again. It is 27 years old this film but it has everything you need to warm your heart on a cold winters evening with the tree lights twinkling by your side. A little bit of magic!

The night of the world is a passage of endless night for you, until your mission is done.

How can David not know and love this film????

The Santa Clause
This is another Christmas classic that I love to watch because it is full of the true spirit of Christmas. It requires a little imagination, faith belief and love. That is what Christmas is all about. Peace and goodwill, faith and love, being kind to one another and having fun with the ones that we love. Doing a little something to make the world a better place. A fun film for all the family exploring the possibility that Santa really can be true.

Seeing isn’t believing. Believing is seeing.

The Holiday
Everyone loves a little romance during the festive season. What is Christmas after all without a snuggle and a kiss? I love this movie! The actors are great and there is real chemistry I feel between them. It is a story with not one but two happy endings all in time for the new year. What a wonderful film! What a wonderful time of year!

I like corny. I’m looking for corny in my life.

It’s A Wonderful Life
This is another Christmas classic where all is going wrong but rights itself in time for Christmas Day, all with the help of an angel who is trying to get his wings. The angel teaches a man that he is never a failure if he has friends and that you do not need money to be rich. A very emotional festive film to be enjoyed alone, or with a loved one, with a box of chocolates and lots of tissues!

Just this clip is enough to set me off! Christmas is a time for families and friends to come together and be at peace, and sing sing sing! I love Christmas and I love this beautiful old festive film.

How The Grinch Stole Christmas
On a completely different note this is a fabulous family film. It is so funny in true Jim Carey style. A must for every Christmas for me. Makes me laugh out loud every time I see it. Can’t wait for Esther and William to be able to enjoy something like this. I can’t wait to hear their laughter, see their smiles. And amongst the hilarity, the frivolity of this film there is a message that will warm the coldest of Christmas hearts.

You can’t hurt Christmas, Mr. Mayor, beacuse it isn’t about the… the gifts or the contest or the fancy lights. That’s what Cindy’s been trying to tell everyone… and me. I don’t need anything more for Christmas than this right here: my family.

Nativity
I saw this film for the first time and I think as a primary school teacher you can appreciate this film even more than most. I thoroughly enjoyed it and cannot wait to watch it again. The kids are awesome and the story is just a wonderful one with so many of the goings on true to school life. I really miss being in school at this time of year.

The Snowman
This is a timeless Christmas classic and one that we have already introduced to Esther and William. They watched it on their first ever Christmas. David and I both love this cartoon story and a few years ago we went to see it in a theatre with a live orchestra and a very good choir boy singing Walking in the Air. A wonderful way to ensure a white Christmas for the little ones and to truly feel the magic of the season.

First Christmas Movie Moment

My Family Christmas Specials (Not a movie but a must watch all the same!)
This is something else that David and I have seen live. We drove through blizzards to get to London to see the recording of not one but two My Family Christmas Specials. I love My Family and seeing the show recorded was a real privilege and worth the terror of our drive home through the bleak midwinter storms. A fabulous DVD reflecting the ups and downs of families at Christmas in true My Family style.

So here is my little list of Christmas crackers. What family favourites will get you in the mood this year?

It’s Christmas!!!!