The Best Christmas Movie? Maybe not, but it’s my favorite!

I recently told a friend that I don’t judge anyone based on the cheesy movies they like, but the good ones… A teensy bit of sarcasm, only! If you can name a few “good” movies you enjoyed, I don’t give a damn if you deeply enjoyed “Little Nicky” (hey, I did!).

That said, when it comes to holiday films, what’s “good” is kind of masked over by what we’ve seen in droves: the marketed, the timeless, the corny but lovable, memorable and joyous stories like the claymation Rudolphs and Frostys, the 80’s to 40’s throw-back plot of “A Christmas Story,” and the heartwarming tales like “A Miracle of 34th Street”. Our favorite things to watch on holidays are all about the way we want to feel on holidays, which, unlike most other moments in life, corresponds directly with what the rest of the population is gushing over- and that’s NICE: the collective swoon over joy is nice, indeed.

With that, my favorite holiday film involves the Muppets, Michael Caine, and lots and lots of great (well, for the day of joy 😉 original songs. I freaking love A Muppet Christmas Carol. It takes me back to the days when I felt fuzzy and warm and free at the start of the holiday break. School was out, all the best Christmas movies were on, the tree was up, and the whole world felt like a musical. Not even kidding. There was a buzz that just doesn’t seem to build anymore, unless I bring it back with a Muppets sesh. So, I do this every Christmas.

The Muppets do Christmas in song, they hip-hip-hooray for the slightest pleasure, buckle at the knees in fear and ask precocious questions that bear a snarky edge (and “humph!” in the case of Mrs. Piggy). There is food, fluff and there are wonderful feelings in this tale of a Scrooge who spends decades scourging the existence of holidays, until creepy unearthly beings travel him back to the past, present and future. helping him to connect to the true purpose of his life, at which point he leads the generally jolly crowd of muppets in song about the meaning of friendship. No, it isn’t brilliantly executed like the original Dickens, but it brings forth the warm fuzzy feelings I have deep in the depths of my soul all year for Christmas!