All I want for Christmas is to send this wish your way
I finished up the last of my holiday cards today, so hopefully they'll get to their respective addresses before people leave. Fly, merry little cards, fly like the wind!
And now, some seasonal recommendations! Some of my favourite things to get me in a happy Christmassy mood.
Movies:
The Shop Around The Corner ~ I love this movie muchly. Fantastic dialogue, brilliant supporting characters, and, best of all, young Jimmy Stewart. ♥ I don't much like the girl, but everyone else is great. I love mischievous little Pepi and Mr Pirovitch who flees every time someone wants an "honest opinion" and sweet little Rudy who saves the day ... and did I mention young Jimmy Stewart?
Love Actually ~ I saw this movie three times in the theatre. I'd had kind of a crappy year when it came out, so it was the perfect movie to remind me that "love actually is all around". It still makes me happy every time I watch it. Also, it has one of the most amazing casts ever. So many awesome actors all in one place. Plus, Hugh Grant rocking out in Downing Street AND singing "Good King Wenceslas". :)
Music:
Album: Wintersong by Sarah McLachlan ~ This is such a wintry delight of music. My favourite song right now is "Song For A Winter's Night", but she also does a gorgeous version of "The First Noel/Mary Mary". And, really, all the songs are lovely. It's perfect for background music whilst wrapping presents or decorating the tree or curling up with a mug of hot cocoa. [ Amazon or iTunes ]
Song: "You're A Mean One, Mr Grinch" by Sixteen Feet ~ Okay, nothing can be as awesomely perfect as the version in the movie, but this is pretty cool too. This version is by an a cappella group from Swarthmore College. They've added a stanza about Swarthmore, but really it applies to all liberal arts colleges. :P Download it [ here ].
Books:
Four Dolls by Rumer Godden ~ If you're like me, you're thinking, "Dolls? Four stories about dolls?" I'm not a big fan of doll/toy stories usually. I appreciate The Velveteen Rabbit as a children's classic, but it's not one of my favourites. These stories, though, are pure magic. Two of them are Christmas stories, and the other two, interestingly, are about boys and dolls (because boys can like dolls without being "sissies", although you don't see that message enough). Anyway, these are amazing stories. My favourite is "The Story of Holly & Ivy", which you can get as a separate, gorgeously illustrated book (Amazon). The collection of all four stories is sadly out of print, though. But hopefully you can find it at your local library.
Who's That Knocking On Christmas Eve? by Jan Brett ~ A Scandinavian tale of devious trolls out to steal Christmas dinner. A girl fends off the trolls with the help of a travelling boy and his pet polar bear. Brett's illustrations are lovely and wintry, and it's great fun to hunt out the smaller details hidden in the pictures. [ Amazon or your local library ]
Enjoy! :)
And now, some seasonal recommendations! Some of my favourite things to get me in a happy Christmassy mood.
Movies:
The Shop Around The Corner ~ I love this movie muchly. Fantastic dialogue, brilliant supporting characters, and, best of all, young Jimmy Stewart. ♥ I don't much like the girl, but everyone else is great. I love mischievous little Pepi and Mr Pirovitch who flees every time someone wants an "honest opinion" and sweet little Rudy who saves the day ... and did I mention young Jimmy Stewart?
Love Actually ~ I saw this movie three times in the theatre. I'd had kind of a crappy year when it came out, so it was the perfect movie to remind me that "love actually is all around". It still makes me happy every time I watch it. Also, it has one of the most amazing casts ever. So many awesome actors all in one place. Plus, Hugh Grant rocking out in Downing Street AND singing "Good King Wenceslas". :)
Music:
Album: Wintersong by Sarah McLachlan ~ This is such a wintry delight of music. My favourite song right now is "Song For A Winter's Night", but she also does a gorgeous version of "The First Noel/Mary Mary". And, really, all the songs are lovely. It's perfect for background music whilst wrapping presents or decorating the tree or curling up with a mug of hot cocoa. [ Amazon or iTunes ]
Song: "You're A Mean One, Mr Grinch" by Sixteen Feet ~ Okay, nothing can be as awesomely perfect as the version in the movie, but this is pretty cool too. This version is by an a cappella group from Swarthmore College. They've added a stanza about Swarthmore, but really it applies to all liberal arts colleges. :P Download it [ here ].
Books:
Four Dolls by Rumer Godden ~ If you're like me, you're thinking, "Dolls? Four stories about dolls?" I'm not a big fan of doll/toy stories usually. I appreciate The Velveteen Rabbit as a children's classic, but it's not one of my favourites. These stories, though, are pure magic. Two of them are Christmas stories, and the other two, interestingly, are about boys and dolls (because boys can like dolls without being "sissies", although you don't see that message enough). Anyway, these are amazing stories. My favourite is "The Story of Holly & Ivy", which you can get as a separate, gorgeously illustrated book (Amazon). The collection of all four stories is sadly out of print, though. But hopefully you can find it at your local library.
Who's That Knocking On Christmas Eve? by Jan Brett ~ A Scandinavian tale of devious trolls out to steal Christmas dinner. A girl fends off the trolls with the help of a travelling boy and his pet polar bear. Brett's illustrations are lovely and wintry, and it's great fun to hunt out the smaller details hidden in the pictures. [ Amazon or your local library ]
Enjoy! :)