So, here it is. We're getting down to crunch time. The big jolly guy takes to the stage Sunday night. And, we're all suppose to have that Christmas spirit, right? I'm sorry, but sometimes it doesn't quite hit me. I suppose, the fact that I don't have to get into buying too many presents anymore takes me out of the game a little. I haven't rubbed elbows with the anxious crowds at Macy's for a few years. So no, sometimes it takes a while for that holiday feeling to grab me.
The wife and I never had children, so we have not had to go through the toy purchasing frenzy that many parents find themselves in at Christmas time. We've had small hints of it back when the nephews were young. Having them over to help decorate the tree always brought that Christmas spirit to the front. Wrapping up presents for the other nieces and nephews when they were kids was always fun. They're all in their thirties now and probably buy they're own toys.
No, these days I have to dig a little deeper to bring out that Christmas spirit. I've tried the Christmas music and not right after the turkey dinner on Thanksgiving. I waited until the first week of December. Then, after a few days of Bing and Nat it just wasn't doing it for me. So, I had to turn to my old stand by - Christmas movies!
Now, I'm not one to sit and watch hours of the Hallmark Channel. Did they start playing Christmas movies Labor Day weekend? I know some people like it but I really can't watch much of that kind of thing. That would get me in the spirit of canceling cable.
So, I'm more of a Christmas classics type. The first one out of the gate was "Holiday Inn". I actually put that one on the weekend after Thanksgiving which is fine, it has a lot of holidays not just Christmas. I played with the idea of watching "It's a Wonderful Life" but I've gone through George Bailey's life so many times that it's not quite as wonderful as it once was.
What I decided was I had to go with a trump card, appropriate this year I suppose. Scrooge that's the ticket! "A Christmas Carol"! But, which version? There's a lot to choose from. Dickens little tale been box office gold over the years. I've always been partial to the Reginald Owens version, although the Cratchit kids are a bit annoying in that one. In 1979, there was a made for TV version called "An American Christmas Carol" with Henry Winkler playing a Scrooge like character set in the Depression. It's worth watching. I also recommend a British made version with Alistair Sims. They skipped the real title and called it "Scrooge".
Of course, there are animated versions. Disney came out with one in 2009 with Jim Carrey. That one might be geared towards the kids a little, but it's done well. I have a real soft spot for the 1962 cartoon version, "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol". That might just be the one that will do it for me.
Since I picked a few versions on DVD in the past couple of years, I think that's what I need to do to get the yuletide juices flowing. I'm sure Mr. Magoo and Reginald Owens could make the spirits bright. Then, I'll be ready to welcome Christmas and get myself comfortable that night to witness a true holiday classic, the annual Dr. Who Christmas Special. God bless us, everyone!
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