If you know my mother, you know she is a faithful Christian and a lover of the Christmas season. When I had the idea of rounding up the best Christmas movies, I knew there was no better person than her to help me. My lovely mother wrote the guest post you’ll find below. I appreciate her taking the time to put this together for all of you to read. Her words inspired me and I’m confident they’ll inspire you too!
Christmas movies have certainly changed over my lifetime. From classics that have been around since before I was born, to new favorites that captured the hearts of my children when they were young, to current new releases that warm my heart and remind me what Christmas is all about.
The Christmas season for me is a time to remember why Jesus was born into this world and rekindle the feeling of hope, love and forgiveness that somehow, year after year, seems to dwindle by December.
Hallmarks Holly and Ivy (new to the list in 2020)
This movie is about unconditional love and stepping in when your heart tells you to. When a young woman, Melody, orphaned as a child, moves to Chippewa Falls to follow her dream of working as a librarian, she befriends her neighbor Nina who has two young daughters. Sadly, Nina’s Lymphoma returns and the uncertainty of her beating the disease this time around causes her and Melody to discuss the idea of Melody taking guardianship of the girls if necessary. This story of love and kindness by giving hope to the suffering mother, highlighted to me that any form of help to those in need, can give them the hope they need to carry on.
Elf
Definitely a family favorite! For those of you who haven’t seen this movie, it’s about an orphaned baby who finds his way into Santa’s gift bag and back to the North Pole. He is raised by “Papa Elf”, and struggles with tasks that other Elves come by naturally. It’s not until he overhears others talking about him, and how they are surprised he hasn’t figured out he’s not an elf, that he ventures out into the world to find his biological family. The silly, innocent antics of Buddy the Elf, his genuine trust in people (and animals), and his deep love for his family and friends reminds me of how we all should try to live each and every day.
White Christmas
White Christmas is a classic from 1954 and combines comedy, romance and music in a way that captures your heart. When I saw the movie for the first time, I thought it was a typical, romantic Christmas movie. Much to my surprise, it highlights certain aspects of the Christmas Season that we often times forget:
- Trust – trusting strangers to protect and support you when wronged (when the Hayes sisters were being wrongly charged for damaged items in their apartment).
- Godwinks – those unexplained chance meetings that can have an incredible impact on your destiny (meeting up with your Army General after years apart at a time where he can use your help).
- Love – the way love shows through not only in traditional ways, but in ways to express your feelings by donating services and time or becoming less of a burden on others.
It’s a Wonderful Life
Another classic – this one from 1946. I don’t know about you, but I believe in fate and that everything happens for a reason! This movie highlights how true that statement is. It’s a Wonderful Life is very unique in that it takes you through the main characters life (George Bailey) from his youth in order to put into perspective some things that were about to happen in his current life. What’s so beautiful about this story, is that it highlights insignificant or normal events, and major events, and how all of those events have a huge impact on your own and others’ lives. While ‘2020’ (the year), may be wrought with challenges, ‘2020’ (perspective), often times helps you realize the importance of the events (good and bad), that have shaped your life.
Hallmarks A Bramble House Christmas
This movie fist came out in 2017 and I honestly didn’t expect it to capture my heart the way it did. I think I’ve watched it more than once every year since it came out! Why? Because it’s a story about things I think we all get caught up in sometimes: financial motivations and wrong perceptions. When the truth is finally learned, and the love and kindness of all involved is evident, it’s clear that the Christmas Spirit was at work to soften the hardened hearts.
Hopefully you’ll enjoy each and every one of these Christmas movies as much as I have. And I dare you to watch any (or all) of them without shedding a tear. When you see how each of these movies, in their own ways, rekindles the hope, love and forgiveness that was felt when Jesus was born to this world, you’ll want to watch them over and over (and not just at Christmas time).
What do you think?