Christmas time as an adult has been a way for me to bring back certain elements of my childhood (typical Cancerian ♋️ here ). I watch Christmas movies all month long, I wear cute xmas socks, and I drink from my gorgeous collection of Christmas mugs which I wait for all year long. I even use them sometimes in July (shhhhh 😂)
As an 80s & 90s kid there were so many Christmas movies my younger self delighted in. To fall in love with Christmas. Not the retail crazy energy but the cozy vibe. Here are a few from all eras that I love. I pay a lot of attention to interior and exterior locations, that is what creates the strong feeling for me, sometimes more than the story. Most of the movies I love have that cozy factor and an inherent sense of magic in them.
In no particular order here are some of my favs.
White Christmas, a classic of course. It came on TV in during the Portugal years and I taped it on my VCR and fell in love with this old movie. It perfectly summed up the vintage vibe with all the colorful delights.
Santa Clause: The Movie with Dudley Moore and young and very naughty John Lithgow
All I Want for Christmas, panned by the critics and not the best plot but it had Lauren Bacall, Leslie Nielsen, Ethan Embry and Thora Birch, Kevin Nealon, Renee Taylor, and more in it. For me what did it was the NYC locations, the diner, the actual inside locations (houses, walkups etc.) the colors, and the sets, very New York at Christmas vibes, which I love.
Home Alone 1 & 2, also cozy home vibes and of course the best director John Hughes and great cast with Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Catherine Ohara, John Candy and a launchpad for Macaulay Culkin. Total CLASSIC!
The Holiday, classic Nancy Meyers interiors and such a fun story and cast. A winner in my book.
The Family Stone, all I did was laugh out loud. I saw it 3 times in the theater. A tour de force cast. Just hilarious, and that house!
Love Actually, it’s even got a Portuguese story in it. Such a lovely heartwarming and funny-as-shit movie!
Trading Places, a classic 80s movie! Eddie Murphy and Dan Akroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis, set over Christmas and New Year's, what more could you want?
Happy Holidays to you.
OK now tell me yours!
xo, Lady Nostalgia :)