It's that time of the year ... We all have our holiday traditions. Some of us ring in the New Year with a rousing Twilight Zone marathon while others like to get festive with their family and film selections. In the spirit of the season, we took to Twitter and asked for your annual traditions. Not too surprising, they were actually traditional. Here’s what some of our friends had to say. Feel free to add yours to the comments below!
Scrooged
By Michele Eggen @micheleneggen
Scrooged is the perfect off-kilter holiday movie. There's a classic sense to the story because it is based on A Christmas Carol, but the tone and style of the comedy has always appealed to me, even when I first saw the film as a child. The constant tonal shifts allow the story to be what it needs to be: it is at times absurd and full of situational comedy; then it gets kind of dark and serious as Frank learns about the consequences of his life; and then it all ends with that amazing final scene where Frank pours his heart out. It pretty much goes without saying that the cast of Scrooged is phenomenal - Bill Murray is at the top of his game, Bobcat Goldthwait as “Elliot Laudermilk” is kind of the greatest thing ever, plus you have Carol Kane, Karen Allen, John Forsythe and Robert Mitchum! Scrooged is endlessly quotable and it's what I look forward to watching every year.
White Christmas
By Sara Stenger @MachiavelinChz
White Christmas is a part of my personal tradition because it reminds me of my grandmother. She has a penchant for musicals like The King And I, Oklahoma, etc. We used to watch it together over a cup of tea and drool over Vera-Ellen's dance moves and Rosemary Clooney's wardrobe. She would muse over the good old days and get a little misty eyed. Now that I live three hours away, I watch it around Christmas every year and think of her.
A Christmas Story
By knurl @dopali
We like to watchA Christmas Story to get us in the mood for the holidays. It brings back Christmas memories of childhood, the excitement and wonder we used to feel, and the silly antics we used to get up to. The film is well-written and funny. Darren McGavin is, um, a bit eccentric as the father, while Ralphie is wrapped up in his own Christmas fantasy dream world. It’s a nostalgic look back to simpler times and a great holiday escape from the stress of the real world.
Also by Ryan Lambert @RL118867
My holiday movie tradition is really cliché, I’m not going to lie. But it’s certainly one that pops in my mind when I think of the holiday: watching A Christmas Story. Yes, it’s been said before, and it’ll probably be said again, but I can’t deny it. As much as I LOVE National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Home Alone, The Muppet Christmas Carol, and all those other classics, this is what I associate with watching during the holiday. I've loved it since my first viewing YEARS ago. During Christmas, my family and I watch the 24-hour marathon on TBS. We’ve seen it a million times but we don’t care. Despite us quoting it and reenacting it over and over, it still feels fresh and new EVERY year I revisit it!
Santa Claus And The Ice Cream Bunny
By Kathleen Sinnott @kasnj
Santa Claus And The Ice Cream Bunny, of course! It all started off with theMST3K Turkey Day marathons - something everyone could hang out and enjoy. Now the holiday season runs from Turkey Day through the Patrick Swayzest Christmas goodies from Rifftrax; including all the shorts and Santa Claus Conquers The Martians!
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
By SeanWolf @SeanWolfPhillip
I always enjoy watching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation ’cause it's one of those films that, to me, truly shows what Christmas is. Most films about Christmas always show a kid wanting something badly and getting it in the end, or a family overcoming terrible odds to have the best Christmas ever. This film doesn't do that. It's just a simple film about a family celebrating Christmas with the right amount of comedy and drama thrown in to make it stand out from the rest. Plus, it's one of those films that shows me that no matter how goofy and silly I think my family can be at times, at least my family never fried the family's cat when lighting the tree.
Elf
By Joe Duffy @joedarts317
We love Elf because it's edgy and over-the-top hilarious, and yet still a sweet Christmas film at heart. We watch it every Christmas Eve!
James Bond Marathon
By Mr. Gruenbaum @AGruenbaum
I've always loved the Bond movies, but it was like 2002 when MGM released a series of collections and I got one for Christmas. I start with On Her Majesty's Secret Service because it's my favorite one—Lazenby kicks ass. and you can watch one every day leading up to Christmas.