Last month, I mentioned some family movies of the not so scary kind of Halloween . With Thanksgiving this Thursday ( which all the branches of the Lake County Public Library will be closed that day), I decided to do a list of family friendly movies(and some TV specials) for the holiday season ( some of which may be airing between now and Christmas. I even added one Thanksgiving and one for New Year's). While all are family friendly ( and I even put in the ratings), please view them ahead of time if you feel it might be a problem for the children.
1.
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving ( 1973)- Since I haven't seen
Free Birds, I'm not recommending it, and most of the Thanksgiving movies that exist are not child-friendly ( I love 1995's
Home for the Holidays with Holly Hunter and Robert Downey Jr, but not really good for the under 7 crowd.) You can't go wrong with Charlie's last minute attempt at Thanksgiving with toast, pretzels, and jelly beans. ( ABC will be airing it Thanksgiving night, along with a Lady Gaga/Muppet special.) Rated G
2.
A Christmas Story ( 1983)- A Hoosier holiday classic, this year marks the 30th anniversary of one's boy's hope for a Red Ryder BB gun ( if only the adults would stop telling him " You'll shoot your eye out!") I look forward TBS's annual Christmas Day marathon (and those who really love the movie, the Indiana Welcome Center in Hammond presents a big exhibit each year, featuring contests and more. They even added a statue this year of Flick and the flag post. For more info, see
http://www.southshorecva.com/achristmasstory/) Rated PG.
3.
Elf (2003)- Christmas ten years ago gave us two great Christmas films, this one and
Love Actually (also a favorite of mine, but unfortunately is rated R, unless you catch it on basic cable, where they edit out the foul language and adult themes. ) I'm not really a Will Ferrell fan, but this is one of his good ones. He stars as Buddy, a orphan who was raised by elves but comes to New York to seek out his real family. A few years ago, this was turned into a Broadway musical.Rated PG
4.
Polar Express ( 2004)- The elves are little creepy, but I really love this computer-animated adaptation of Chris Van Allsburg's classic book about a young boy's magical train ride to the North Pole. Rated PG
5. Hallmark Holiday Movies- Nothing says Christmas like the sappy, happy TV movies of the Hallmark Channel ( or Hallmark Movie Channel, ABC Family, and Lifetime. Yes, Lifetime steps away from the ripped from the headlines movies during November-December). Most of the older movies are available on DVD. ( My favorites are 2008's
Most Wonderful Time of Year with Henry Winkler and 2011 's
A Princess for Christmas with Roger Moore of James Bond fame.) Not rated.
6.
White Christmas (1954)- Inspired by the 1941 song by Irving Berlin ( which was introduced in the film
Holiday Inn
and won the Oscar for Best Song the following year), this holiday
classic stars Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye as former WWII
soliders/entertainers who, along with pair of singing sisters, plan a
Christmas show at a Vermont inn owned by their former general.
7.
Mickey's Christmas Carol ( 1983)- Over the years, there have been many takes on Charles Dicken's Christmas classic ( and many interesting takes, from the computer-animated Disney movie with Jim Carrey to Michael Caine and the Muppets.) But this version featuring the appropriately-named Scrooge McDuck in the lead role and many Disney character, is my favorite.
8.
Santa Claus The Movie (1985)-This underrated gem of the 80s was a favorite as a kid (in fact, it might show up once and awhile on AMC or WGN). The film follows how a woodcutter named Claus becomes the legendary man in the red suit with flying reindeer and how he saves Christmas from a greedy toymaker (and fuchsia pops that make people fly.) Rated PG
9.
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)- I still try to catch this and Frosty every year. Charlie Brown is depressed about the over-commercialization of Christmas
till asked by Lucy to direct to the school's play. Will it put him in
the Christmas spirit,or does he need the help of Linus and a little tree? I really love when Lucy asks Snoopy to be the animals ( even a penguin!)
10.
New Year's Eve ( 2011)- There are a few kid specials ( like
Happy New Year Charlie Brown and
Rudolph's Shiny New Year) but for a full film about the last day of year, check out Garry Marshall semi-sequel to
Valentine's Day. A plethora of stars from Bon Jovi to Sarah Jessica Parker celebrate love, hope and new beginnings 2012 will bring in New York on New Year's Eve. Rated PG-13
For my runner up, I going to recommended any popular classic family movie ( like
Wizard of Oz), any Disney movie, or any popular movie series ( How about instead of watching the annoying New Year Eve countdown shows with one hit acts, do a
Star Wars marathon or
Harry Potter marathon?) I'm also adding the
Doctor Who Christmas specials ( thank you British television for giving us something new instead of repeats, movies, and last-minute holiday shows).
Happy Holidays and good viewing!
Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella by Jan Brett- The tale Cinderella has been told in many different ways ( even in stage plays and film, from Disney to Cinderfella
with Jerry Lewis). In this version, author-illustrator Jan Brett brings
in chickens, silver eggs, and a snowy Russian landscape. I especially
love the big fold out page toward the middle a fairy Silkie watches
chickens and other fowl-feathered creatures dance in a moonlit ice
palace.
Snowflakes Fall by
Patricia Maclachlan- Children are like snowflakes, no two the same but
all beautiful. Maclachan's simple tale, along with Steven Kellog's
whimsical illustrations, portray a winter season that celebrates
nature's joys, sorrows, and beauties. Also worth noting is that this
book was written as a tribute to the communities of Newton and Sandy
Hook, Connecticut (it's mentioned in the author's and illustrator's
notes at the beginning of the book) and that Random House has made a
donation to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund with the publication of
this book.
Frosty the Snowman by Steven Nelson and Jack Rollins-
Most of us know the song " Frosty the Snowman" ( or seen the 1969
cartoon with " Happy Birthday" or read the 1950 Little Golden Book by
Ann Bedford). For the 2013 book, illustrator Wade Zahares ( Red are the Apples and Window Music)
illustrates Frosty's blue and white world with reds, yellows, and an
orange sunset. Great for storytime,especially if you can get the kids to
join you in on the " Thumpy,thump,thump." It also comes with a 3 song
CD from Kenny Loggins ( he performs " Frosty" plus two other songs that
are catchy and toe-tapping but not really Christmasy.)