It's a Wonderful Life. My favourite Christmas film, I wouldn't like to say how many times I've seen this now but I never grow tired of it. 'Every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings'.This is the only Christmas film I've watched so far this year but other favourites are National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and Love Actually.
Hyacinths. I know that some people can't tolerate the heady scent of hyacinths but I love it. I think these are a pink variety and I'm looking forward to seeing them bloom. I don't really go in for houseplants but I have bought myself a Christmas cactus this year, it's got lots of buds so I'm hoping that it blooms in time for Christmas.
Family. Eleanor arrived home from university on the 9th of December and we're expecting Daniel and his girlfriend on Friday. They were supposed to be staying into the new year but it seems that Daniel's wanted back into the office in the period between Christmas and the new year so he'll have to return to Surrey after Boxing Day. It's a bit of a disappointment but at least we'll all be together for Christmas.
This Is Us. Eleanor watched this series when it was first on TV but I didn't bother. It was only later that I heard other people saying how good it was and by this time it was only being shown on Amazon. I was offered a free trial on Amazon Prime and wasn't going to take it up but I accidentally clicked on the icon to start the trial so I thought I might as well take advantage and start watching series 1. I've nearly finished it now and I have to say that I've loved it. Series 2 is also available so Eleanor and I are going to try and get it watched before she goes back to university.
Christmas music. I do love hearing all the traditional Christmas songs, but not until December. They were being played on the radio weeks before the big day, in fact there's stations which play nothing other than Christmas music, but I refuse to listen to anything Christmassy until December, by then I'm in full Christmas mode and I don't care how many times I hear any particular song. One of my favourites is Fairytale of New York by The Pogues & Kirsty McColl, another is Happy Xmas (War is Over) by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, but Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a blast of Merry Xmas Everybody by Slade.
What favourites do you have this month? How about joining me and writing a post about them?
You sound just like me except my film would be a Black & White version of Christmas Carol. I watched the first series of This Is Us and I loved it too. I love the heady scent of Hyacinths and the beautiful colours of a Christmas cactus. I don't have any room for anymore plants otherwise I would have bought one. I did lots of baking prep yesterday and that has all been frozen so Christmas is well and truly on my agenda now.
ReplyDeleteWe sound very similar. I rarely have plants indoors except for an orchid or two but I couldn't resist the Christmas cactus. I love this last week before Christmas when all the preparations are in full swing.
DeleteWe bought into Amazon prime this year and will almost certainly continue. Have you found the monthly Amazon first book which is free to prime members (or 99p) on kindle?
ReplyDeleteI enjoy Christmas films and music too - and I agree they need to be in December. Have a wonderful Christmas ��
I haven't really explored Amazon Prime at all yet, it would have been better if I'd had my trial at a less busy time of year. I think saving all the Christmas films and music until December makes it all the more special. Thank you, wishing you a very merry Christmas too.
DeleteA lovely selection as always Jo. It will be so nice for you to have all your family together for Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI really need to watch a Christmas film or two. I've never seen It's a Wonderful Life all the way through before. X
I'm enjoying having Eleanor home from uni and I'm getting excited now about Daniel coming home, he'll only be here for a few days but it's better than nothing. I've seen It's a Wonderful Life many times, I just love the story.
DeleteI don't think I've ever seen It's a Wonderful Life. Must remedy that. I always watch The Holiday, more than once each year.
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy a good boxset but I can't say I've ever heard of This Is Us - how lovely to watch it with Eleanor when she's home.
Any song that has the line 'You scumbag, you maggot, you cheap lousy faggot, Happy Christmas your arse I thank god it's out last' is alright by me. I do enjoy a cheesy Christmas song but this is the best. I love Stop The Cavalry by Jona Lewie too.
My favourite thing about December is buying our Christmas tree and spending days decorating it :)
You must watch It's a Wonderful Life, it's such a lovely film. I've only see The Holiday once and I know it's many people's favourite Christmas film but I wasn't all that struck on it. We choose straws in our house for who gets to decorate the Christmas tree, none of us enjoy doing it. Perhaps if we had a real tree it would be different.
DeleteWe always watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation too, makes our Christmas seem so normal. Does every family have a cousin Eddie?
ReplyDeleteI love National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, I've seen it so many times but I still roar with laughter at it. Ohhh, cousin Eddie, there's always one in the family, isn't there?
DeleteI love this post, Jo. You and I share some of the favorite Christmas movies. We'll probably start watching them this weekend. We usually watch Home Alone, The Santa Clause, Christmas Vacation and Elf together as a family and then my husband and I watch Love Actually on Christmas Eve before we finish filling and hanging the stockings and putting everything under the tree. I love hyacinths too, but we mostly have them around Easter where I live. I would definitely get one at Christmas if I could because they're wonderful to have in the house.
ReplyDeleteElf's another great Christmas film. I've never seen The Santa Clause, in fact, there's quite a few Christmas films that I've never seen, we tend to watch the same old favourites. I must admit that I don't usually buy hyacinths at Christmas time, I usually wait until spring but I saw these and couldn't resist.
DeleteYou've nailed it on the head with It's a Wonderful Life and Christmas Vacation - my top two favourites as well.
ReplyDelete'This is Us' is also on my watch list. We have Prime but sometimes offerings are different depending on which country you are in so I'll have to check. And how wonderful that the family is all together for Christmas - it's as it should be!
It's a Wonderful Life and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation are two totally different films but they're both brilliant. I'm really enjoying This Is Us, I hope that Eleanor and I manage to get the second series finished before she has to go back to uni. I'm starting to get excited about Daniel coming home, it's nearly ten months now since I've seen him and I'm missing him so much, it'll be great that we're all together at Christmas.
DeleteThat was a lovely post Jo & it's a sort of "getting to know you" better & what makes you tick. Thank you & as for me this month, I think it's just -frizzled brains-, with too much happening. UK visitors land at 11.30pm on Wednesday & of course Melbourne airport is t'other side of city to us, so could be a very late night. I also owe you an email. Oh dear! Take care & hope you are keeping warm this weekend.
ReplyDeleteIt's very busy at this time of year. It will be lovely to have some visitors over from the UK for Christmas, I'm sure the late night will be worth it.
DeleteIt's A Wonderful Life has to be my favorite , too. I just love it. I missed This Is Us, it is all the rave over here but when it first came on I tried to record it and it didn't happen for some reason. Now I am two seasons behind. Boo hoo! I hear it is wonderful. Enjoy our family.
ReplyDeleteWatching It's a Wonderful Life at Christmas has become a bit of a tradition, it really puts me in the Christmas mood. It's a shame you missed This Is Us, perhaps you could catch up on it as I'm doing, I just home I manage to get the second series finished before my free trial is up.
DeleteI love "Fairytale of New York". I think it's because it's a bit "rude" and such an unexpected Christmas song that you always have to sing along with! Enjoy your family around you at Christmas! :o)
ReplyDeleteFairytale of New York is just what you don't expect from a Christmas song, so different from all the other ones. I'm really looking forward to my family Christmas.
DeleteA nice post with some good choices for your favourite things, especially the James Stewart film and the hyacinths. xx
ReplyDeleteI know you enjoy James Stewart films too, he was such a great actor and It's a Wonderful Life is one of my favourite films.
DeleteWhat a Christmassy post. I've just bern to see the Last Jedi at the cinema and was so taken with the Sky Cinema advert about a Mum, daughter and the Sound of Music. You can see it on YouTube, I had tears in my eyes!
ReplyDeleteAhhh, I've just watched it on YouTube, it's lovely. I haven't been very taken with any of the Christmas adverts on TV this year.
DeleteI've got one of those little fireplaces with the family stockings hanging on it, it gets lots of comments by visitors.
ReplyDeleteGreat post with some lovely things.
We got the little fireplace quite a number of years ago, in fact we've definitely had it for at least seven years as it featured in my Christmas blog post that year. It's like getting old friends out each Christmas.
DeleteLovely post again Jo, I do like to read these Raindrops on Roses posts :-)
ReplyDeleteWe have an Echo and I've been listening to the Christmas station through that, you get a great variety of songs too which is good.
I too bought a planter with Hyacinth bulbs, I love the smell, so lovely. Hope you have a great week.
I think it's the Christmas music which gets me in the Christmas spirit more than anything else. I've bought my hyacinths much earlier than I usually do but I just couldn't resist them when I saw them.
DeleteA lovely festive post Jo, I second all your faves! How lovely to have the family together for Christmas.xxx
ReplyDeleteI was hoping that we'd all have longer at home together but I shall make the most of the time we do have.
DeleteThanks for posting this... I think I need to get myself properly into the Christmas spirit with a December post of my own. Jx
ReplyDeleteI'm feeling right in the Christmas spirit now, I've been wrapping presents today and watching The Polar Express, I've never seen it before.
DeleteI love this post, Jo and might take you up on your suggestion and write a 'favorite things' one of my own. By far the best part of the holiday for me is having friends over for lunch or dinner this past couple of weeks, and the big family get-together on Boxing Day. My posting may have to wait until after that. Merry Chistmas, Jo! P. x
ReplyDeleteI'd love to read a post about your favourite things. Having all the family together is by far by favourite part of Christmas. Thank you, merry Christmas to you too.
DeleteLovely post Jo.
ReplyDeleteThe best thing about Christmas is family ...and it will be so nice for you to have all your family together for Christmas.
Have a lovely time.
All the best Jan
Daniel's arriving home on Friday night, I'm so looking forward to seeing him, it will make my Christmas.
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