eggnog with lighter fluid and other cherished Christmas memories

I started digging to find my favorite Christmas-esque scenes/lines from movies and I was pleased with what I found. In spirit of my 14's lists, here goes:

1. Charles De Mar: "Ah, come on! It's Christmas Eve! I could be home right now, drinking this *monster* eggnog my brother makes with lighter fluid." ~Better Off Dead
I also love the present opening scene on Christmas day, where his mother is dressed like a reindeer, his father gets an ardvark jacket and the kids get freezer dinners. Pan out to the neighbors Christmas when the French foreign exchange student gets a framed picture of Ricky. I LOVE THIS MOVIE!
2. When Zuzu says to George Bailey, "Look, daddy! Teacher says, every time a bell rings, an Angel gets his wings." George quietly agrees, "Attaboy, Clarence," as "Auld Lang Syne" rings out.
That scene makes me cry everytime. (I also love that if George had never been around, Mary became a spinster librarian--see pic) ~It's a Wonderful Life

3. The scene in Elf where the guy at the mall says that Santa is coming to visit and Buddy the Elf (Will Ferrell) screams, "SANTA! OH MY GOD! SANTA'S COMING! I KNOW HIM! I KNOW HIM!"

4. This whole movie is hilarious. I especially love the Pink Bunny costume--"He looks like a deranged Easter bunny...He does too, he looks like a pink nightmare!" ~A Christmas Story

5. The movie The Ref has to be one of my favorite holiday movies--I love a good dysfunctional family story. Funniest lines of the movie are:
A. When Lloyd (Kevin Spacey) says, "You know what I'm going to get you next Christmas, Mom? A big wooden cross, so that every time you feel unappreciated for your sacrifices, you can climb on up and nail yourself to it."
B. When Gus (Dennis Leary) says to Lloyd's Mom, "What is the matter with you? I thought Mothers were sweet and nice a-a-and Patient. I know loan sharks who are more forgiving than you. Your husband ain't dead, lady. He's hiding. " ~The Ref

6. I love the movie Home Alone. This movie came out when I was ten years old, and I am pretty sure I still laugh as hard now as I did then. There is something about all the physical humor in this that happens to Marv and Harry. What's not to love?
"I took a shower washing every body part with actual soap; including all my major crevices; including in between my toes and in my belly button which I never did before but sort of enjoyed. I washed my hair with adult formula shampoo and used cream rinse for that just-washed shine. I can't seem to find my toothbrush, so I'll pick one up when I go out today. Other than that, I'm in good shape. "

7. Everything about the Christmas sequence in Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone , from Hagrid dragging in the giant Christmas tree, to Harry and Ron playing wizard's chess when Hermione comes to say goodbye. The best scene of it all is when Harry wakes up to find that he has Christmas presents for the first time in his life. Best material gift ever given, the invisibility cloak! I love that it comes with the mysterio note, “Your father left this in my possession before he died. It’s time it was returned to you. Use it well.”

8. Enter Bridget Jones, at her parents Christmas party, dressed like her Mum. She spots the most gorgeous man across the room, who turns around to reveal he is wearing a reindeer jumper (sweater), who then later in response to meeting Bridget says, "Mother, I do not need a blind date. Particularly not with some verbally incontinent spinster who drinks like a fish, smokes like a chimney and dresses like her mother."I also love the opening scene where Bridget is drinking alone and singing along to "All by Myself," (presumably Christmas Eve). ~Bridget Jones' Diary

9. I hate Christmas cartoons, except, How the Grinch stole Christmas, and #10 on this list.
Grinch: "All I need is a reindeer."
Narrator: "The Grinch looked around, but since reindeer were scarce, there were none to be found. Did that stop the Grinch? Ha! He simply said":
Grinch: "If I can't find a reindeer, I'll make one instead."
Narrator: "So he took his dog Max, and he took some black thread, and he tied a big horn on the top of his head"
How is it that the Grinch can make being mean so entertaining?

10. Charlie Brown: "Isn't there anyone out there who can tell me what Christmas is all about?" Linus Van Pelt: "Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you. Lights, please. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the lord shone round about them, and they were so afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you this day is born in the City of Bethlehem, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men. That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie brown." ~A Charlie Brown Christmas
11. Yes, yes, this is such a dorky reference, but Mickey's Christmas Carol was my first introduction to Dickens' A Christmas Carol, and I loved this movie when I was a kid--so many Christmas' spent watching this at my Uncle Jim's house.
Collector for the Poor #1: "Sir, we are collecting funds for the indigent and destitute."
Scrooge: "For the what?"
Collector for the Poor #2: "We're collecting for the poor."
Scrooge: "Oh. Aha. Well, you realize if you give money to the poor, they won't be poor anymore, will they? And if they're not poor anymore then you won't have to raise money for them anymore. And if you don't have to raise money for them anymore, then you'd be out of a job. Oh please, Gentlemen, don't ask me to put you out of a job. Not on Christmas eve."

12. Another great scene in a non-Christmas movie would be the scene in the old Katherine Hepburn version of 1933 Little Women. In this version, true to the book, the four March sisters take their Christmas money from mean Aunt March and spend it on their mother, and then give away their breakfast to a poor family--very touching considering how lavish their breakfast would have been considering it was during the Civil War. This after the mother gives money so that an old man can go visit his dying son in D.C.
Marmee March: So you're going to Washington?
Elderly man: Yes, ma'am; my son is sick in the hospital there.
Marmee March: Oh, this will be an anxious Christmas for you. Is it your only son?
Elderly man: No, ma'am. I had four; two were killed, one is a prisoner.
Marmee March: You've done a great deal for your country, sir.
Elderly man: Oh, not a mite more than I ought, ma'am. I'd go myself if I was any use. Thank you for the overcoat.
Marmee March: Wait a minute...[giving him some money] I hope you find him better.
Elderly man: Thank you, ma'am. God bless you; merry Christmas. Merry Christmas!

13. I haven't seen it in years but I remember watching Miracle on 34th Street around the holidays when I was a kid; and we watched the old black and white version, not the colorized version, or God forbid, that horrible remake that came out in the 90s. The best scenes are when Susan gets her new home and you see Kris Kringle's cane inside, and also the courthouse resolution:
Fred Gailey: "Your Honor, every one of these letters is addressed to Santa Claus. The Post Office has delivered them. Therefore the Post Office Department, a branch of the Federal Governent, recognizes this man Kris Kringle to be the one and only Santa Claus."
Judge Henry X. Harper: "Uh, since the United States Government declares this man to be Santa Claus, this court will not dispute it. Case dismissed. "
14. What better way to end, then with the scary Santa from A Christmas Story (see #4). His infamous scene: pushing Ralphie down Santa's North Pole slide with his boot while hollering, "HO HO HO!" I love it--and so did my Dad, I would do an impression of that as often as possible.
MERRY CHRISTMAS! ~Monster

Comments

Anonymous said…
The Ref is a great Christmas flick. Some of my other favorites are: Bad Santa, Lethal Weapon, and Die Hard!
Never seen any of those--will have to add them to my growing list. Thanks librarianwoes. :)
JennPav said…
Why I didn't even think of some of these. That's great! I love you the most for introducing me to what will always be one of my favorite movies ever: Better off Dead. And reading the Charlie Brown Christmas monologue was a little reminiscent for me of memorizing Robert Frost for some reason. Not sure why...

Something there is that doesn't love a wall....
Ah, good times watching Better Off Dead in high school. Glad I could introduce it to you friend!

Popular posts from this blog

sample retirement acceptance letter

meditating through my HULK SMASH