Favorite Holiday / Christmas Shows & Movies

Don't you just love the variety and increasing number of Christmas and Holiday movies and television movies / shows now on television and --in increasing numbers--on dvd's? Years ago, we only got to watch a few animated Christmas shows--and maybe a couple of movies that were run a few times every year, from "Holiday Inn" to "White Christmas" to "Christmas Carol" to Miracle on 34th Street and a few others. Now, we get to watch those --along with so many versions of those movies / shows--AND --over the past ten years in particular --we have so many NEW productions --animated programs, big screen movies, and ( especially for me ) television movies --and most particularly --those produced by Lifetime and Hallmark! As someone who loves to "escape" life through reading and a limited niche of television shows--this explosion in "remakes of older productions" --along with the explosion of new, original productions that are Christmas and holiday based --allows me to "escape" throughout the year! I'm clearly not the only person who feels that way--as there wouldn't be all these new productions --and/or releases on dvd ( I still have maybe 50 holiday / Christmas movies on vcr too ) wouldn't be happening unless there was a substantial audience / market for them! Because there are now so many movies and programs available--we're blessed to be able to watch these shows over and over again throughout the year! I watch 2-3 every week --52 weeks a year--especially as I have trouble sleeping --and can often be found in our den at 3:00 in the morning escaping into pleasant, "feel good" shows. The number of us doing that --throughout the year--is growing--perhaps a reflection of how uncertain, hard, and daunting life has become ...and I'm grateful for the opportunity to escape like this! I connect with Hallmark in particular on Facebook---and have / and do--encourage them to release dvd's even faster than they are! What's your favorite 3 programs / movies?

Still loving lights

Lol...I noticed when I recently returned here that one of my last posts was about lights--holiday lights --Christmas lights--white lights ( for the most part during the "non-Christmas / holiday" season )---and how I enjoy seeing more people and businesses with light displays all year round! We now have two indoor trees ( don't like the word "artificial --but not growing --how's that ) --about five feet tall counting the bases ---and we keep them lit --with white lights--all year. The other decorations are changed throughout the year, to keep with the seasons--and are pretty minimal--just enough to accent the lights --and the time of year. Right now --as winter draws slowly ( here in New England, very slowly, as we are experiencing a snow storm today through tomorrow ) to a close--we have a birds nest and pinecones --a few other "woodsy" decorations along with white lights ....and our decorations are always intended to make the trees look natural and lifelike. Beautiful during the day ...warm, bright, peaceful, and comforting at night. During the holiday / Christmas season ( which extends from just prior to Thanksgiving through January ) include deer / reindeer --a Christmas tree--some bushes--and our statue of Mary that is the focus of a spotlight .....the rest of the year the shrine to Mary, next to a three foot tall pine shrub, are lit...and the light pole at the end of the walkway stays lit until mid-April---and will be covered with white lights again in October .... We have noticed even more homes and businesses with light displays year round..and why not? The world seems to be out of control...so much mean-ness and tension...and the world moves so quickly ...way too quickly for many of us....our lights and I suspect the lights left lit throughout the year by others is just an effort to present a welcome..a sense of peace....something to prompt a smile and momentary sliver of calm .....and a reminder that there is more to just life here ..the lights for some of us anyway also reflect the stars in the heavens....a presence beyond what we can see .... As far as I'm concerned, we need more peace, more calm, more smiles ...and more lights....