Monday Movie Meme - Holiday Faves

This week on the Monday Movie Meme, hosted by the much-loved Bumbles, we are presented with a not-so-original theme, but one that was sure to make us all warm and fuzzy from the memories. Which movies are your favorites to watch around the holidays? I know in most families, there are at least one or two that are watched every year with much fanfare. It is no different in the Nawrot house. None of these, I suspect, will surprise you. What you won't see on here are any of the mind-numbing garbage that has been released in the last handful of years that I was forced to see with the kids (Vince Vaughn and Tim Allen, I'm talking to you):

A Christmas Story - even my parents get in on the action of watching this one, sometimes in marathon style. Even at the 50th viewing, we are rewarded with belly-laughs. We love the pink bunny suit, the Ovaltine decoder (my son got a can of Ovaltine one year as a gift), the dog eating the turkey, Christmas dinner at a Chinese restaurant, and the "fradgeelay" leg lamp.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation - not only must we watch this one around the holidays, but we watch it all year long as well. I bet we've seen in a hundred times. One of our all-time favorite sayings from any movie is "The shitter was full" (I'm not sure what that says about our maturity). This year, Hallmark came out with a keepsake ornament of Eddie's RV, complete with a recording of Eddie talking. Do you think I could find one anywhere? No! Sold out in the continental US. Apparently, I'm not the only one who likes that RV.

It's a Wonderful Life - yeah, I guess I have to put this one on the list. I doubt it ranks as high in our family as most, but we'll watch it during one of the marathon showings on TCM. It's cozy. It makes me want to drink a hot chocolate (versus the first two movies which make me want to drink alcohol).

Miracle on 34th Street - this was one of my favorites to watch as a kid, multiple times each season, and usually at my grandparents' house. But do you think I could get my kids even remotely interested? That is what happens when you fill their Christmas spirits with movies that feature sexy leg lamps, or uncle Eddie kidnapping a tight-wad boss. I always waited for the very end, when little Natalie Wood finds Santa's cane propped in the corner of the new house. It always filled me with wonder.

Die Hard - alright enough of the sentiment. Why not curl up with the most action you'll ever get on a Christmas eve...John McClane kicking Hans Gruber's butt? Yippee ki yay Santa!

Elf - I thought this was going to be another one of the inane, low-budget Christmas movies that I've been forced to see with the kids, but was pleasantly surprised. Will Ferrell doesn't always trip my trigger, but his is pure delight and charm in this one.

Trading Places - this may not come to top of mind as a Christmas flick, but I can't get the image out of my mind...Dan Akroyd in a Santa suit, drunk out of his mind, pulling meat from his beard and eating it. I actually own this one on my iPod, ready to perk me up when I'm feeling blue.


So please share! Which are your sentimental favorites to watch while you are drinking your egg nog?