It’s Christmas eve and my hubby and I just came back from spending one night in Duluth, which is a couple hours north of Twin Cities. We specifically went there to see Bentleyville right at Canal Park, the largest FREE Christmas lights display in the USA (perhaps even the world) where you could tour over 4 million lights in a 20-acre park along Lake Superior. As if that wasn’t awesome enough, they also gave away free cookies and hot chocolate. Bless Mr. Bentley and the town of Duluth for such an annual holiday treat!
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Well, I thought I’d celebrate Christmas with a few of my favorite things. And y’all know I love movies so here are five of my favorite Christmas scenes over the years.
You gotta start w/ the classics… and It’s A Wonderful Life is definitely my favorite Christmas-themed film that can be appreciated any day of the year. It’s such a joyous and rousing finale, complete with the Christmas/New Year’s staple songs Hark the Herald Angels Sing and Auld Lang Syne. Is it any wonder people love returning to Bedford Falls at the end of every year?
Of course when it comes to the most romantic scene of Love, Actually, one would likely think of Andrew Lincoln’s ‘To me you are perfect’ declaration to Keira Knightley… but as far as the most memorable Christmas scene… it’d have to be this one. Not only did Olivia Olson have a glorious voice singing Mariah Carey’s Christmas hit, it’s also a sweet, romantic yet cheeky scene that makes this British ensemble holiday flick a joy to watch year after year.
A message of hope and peace doesn’t get more poignant than this one set during wartime. I’d say this is a film that should be a Christmas staple given the historical significance. Joyeux Noël is an underrated 2005 film about the World War I Christmas truce of December 1914, depicted through the eyes of French, British and German soldiers. Starting with the Scots with their bagpipes, all the way to the moment a German soldier singing Adeste Fideles holding a small Christmas tree, it’s hard not to tear up watching this amazing scene.
Christmas is also a pretty romantic time of the year. There’s something about the snow and twinkling lights that make you all warm and fuzzy. This scene from an unabashedly sweet rom-com While You Were Sleeping utilizes a Wintry Christmas scenery beautifully as the two leads first realize they have feelings for each other. Who doesn’t love Sandra Bullock, and though I don’t normally picture Bill Pullman as a go-to romantic lead, he’s got such an aw-shucks charm here that made me root for these two to be together.
Many of you already knew that I lost my mother when I was sixteen (on my 16th birthday to be exact). It’s been over two decades now but one never gets over such loss and it’s especially tough during the Christmas season. That’s why this scene in You’ve Got Mail gets me every time. Meg Ryan’s Kathleen is reminiscing on her late mother as she decorates her Christmas tree in her shop… wishing her mother were still alive to counsel her. “I’m missing her so much I almost couldn’t breathe…” It always hits me hard as growing up in Jakarta, my late mom and I always decorated our Christmas tree together every December… and I’ll cherish those wonderful memories forever.
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Those are beautiful pics, Ruth! That sounds like a great way to get into the spirit. I am sorry you lost your mother at such a young age. There a few films every year I insist on watching just because it puts me into the Christmas spirit. They are yours, too. I haven’t seen “You’ve Got Mail” for ages, but I remember the scene you mentioned. Have a Blessed day. Thanks for the Christmas card! It came yesterday. 🙂
Hey Cindy! I ended up watching Scrooged on Christmas eve and binging on Westworld on Christmas day, so it’s been a nice mellow weekend. Glad you got the card. Hope you have a blessed weekend wherever you are. I take it you’re traveling in IL now?
Nope. Everyone is coming to me! We had snow! When you get a second, check out the pictures I took yesterday. It was a wonderful day.
Wow you got snow! Yeah I saw your gorgeous pictures, I LOVE snow-covered branches.
All the snow has melted. It’s sunny and 64 today. Hope your MN snow isn’t too deep and your temps decent!
Well good thing you captured those snowy branches in time! Snow on the ground takes a while to melt here but usually by afternoon they’re gone from the branches. It’s gonna be about 35˚ today w/ sun today, balmy! 😉
Enjoy!
It’s a great list. My absolutely love ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ and I have this thing which I’ve been doing for last 2 years that I watch ‘You’ve Got Mail’ at moment it strikes 12 on Christmas Day. It’s becoming kind of a ritual and feels good. I love that movie so much!
Hello Shivani, welcome to FC! Glad you love It’s A Wonderful Life too… and You’ve Got Mail never got old for me despite the dated technology. It’s a great ritual you have there 🙂
I had no clue about Duluth’s Christmas lights being the biggest in the country or the world! I haven’t been to Duluth since 1994, was up there with a couple of friends touring U of D, I thought about attending that school after I graduated high school.
I don’t really have any favorite Christmas scenes in movies but I do love the opening scenes of Die Hard 1 & 2, both took place during Christmas Eve. Also, a few scenes from Enemy of the State had some Christmassy feel to them.
Hey Ted, hope you’re enjoying your Christmas weekend. I hadn’t heard about Bentleyville until this year and it was Ivan’s idea to spend a night there, and we definitely picked a good day as it was nice and relatively warm in Duluth to spend a couple of hours outdoors.
Yep, Die Hard has definitely become a Christmas staple, I totally forgot about Enemy of the State.
Great list, Ruth! And your photos are amazing.
Thanks Steph, merry Christmas to you!
Hi, Ruth:
The Christmas Tree lighting sounds like a fine way to spend an evening.
I always get a kick out of Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye’s time buying, minimalist, lip synching rendition of “Sisters” in “White Christmas’. Also Danny Kaye’s take on “Choreography”. Wondering how Bob Fosse would have choreographed and arranged it?
Can’t forget Darren McGavin’s “Fra~Jee~Lay” delivery of his “Special Award” Leg Lamp in ‘A Christmas Story’.
Hi Kevin! Apparently the Christmas tree at Bentleyville is even taller than the one in Rockefeller Center. Thanks for sharing your fave Christmas movie scenes!
Lovely list! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas! I love the You’ve Got Mail, While You Were Sleeping and It’s A Wonderful Life moments. One of my favorites is the dance in Meet Me In St. Louis and the ending of Scrooge (1970); the score in that movie is simply wonderful.
Hello Katy, hope you are too. My hubby and I spend Christmas day bingeing on Westworld 🙂 We actually watched Scrooged for the first time on Christmas Eve eve, so yeah, that was a wonderful scene indeed!
Beautiful, heartfelt post Ruth. I hope you enjoyed a fabulous weekend!
Hello there Paul, er Maggie 🙂 Yes it’s been a wonderful weekend, here’s to a great New Year!
My favorite one is The Bishop’s Wife ‘1947’ with Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven. Very funny
What a coincidence, the 1947 TBW with Cary Grant as the Christmas Angel is my favorite too! He is a hoot in that part 😉
Hi DeMonk and Becky, yes I remember that’s a lovely film. I believe there’s a remake right, I haven’t seen that one.
Yes, great choices, I love all of these too!😊
Yes, the loss of a parent is difficult and maybe even more so at so young an age. My sympathies go out to you.
Merry belated Christmas(is that even a thing?). Anyway, hope your Christmas was nice!
Hello Esther! I’ve made my peace w/ my late mother’s passing, but yeah it’s always tough during Christmas. Hope you had a lovely Christmas too, it was definitely a white Christmas where we are 🙂
Haven’t had a white Christmas here in a few years but we even so had a good one. 😊
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