THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – CHRISTMAS IN BALSAM FALLS (2014)

Putting her seemingly glamorous Hollywood life on hold, Evie Lee (Charleene Closshey), is forced to return to her small hometown of Balsam Falls, Tennessee, after the sudden death of her father.

Following the funeral, much to her younger brother's dismay, she is left the family's once-thriving Christmas tree farm and finds that the estate has a massive inheritance tax bill to pay.

As a result Evie is forced to choose between pursuing her music career and saving her family's legacy, while being constantly badgered by a potential buyer, Becky Tamora (Tiz McWilliams), and fielding calls from her employer Babette (Skyler Stonestreet).

Tyler Ritter provides the romantic interest as she tries to decide where her place in the world is.

Robert Loggia, Booboo Stewart and Naomi Judd also feature in this heart-warming musical holiday tale. 

THE BEST CHRISTMAS STORIES – THE GIFT OF THE MAGI

 

The Gift of the Magi is a short story written by O. Henry, about a young married couple and the challenge of secretly buying Christmas gifts for each other on a shoestring budget.

It is an endearing and sentimental tale with a moral message about unselfishness and thoughtfulness.

 

With virtually no money to spend on gifts Jim sells his watch to buy combs for Dellas lovely hair and Della seels her hair to buy a chain for Jims watch.

So they end up with useless gifts they cannot use but as a result have given each other the most precious gift in the world, their love.

FULL OF THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

 

Come Christmas day

I will be full of Christmas spirit

Buck fizz with my breakfast

Is only the start of it

Then a sherry with the vicar

After the candles have been lit

And aperitif before lunch

Maybe Vodka or a Gin and it

Wine with every course

Brandy when the pudding is lit

Liqueur with coffee

Then more brandy as we sit

Then when the day is over

I whish shoe a ferry Hacky Fhrismit

FESTIVE FEELING

Christmas is the time for living

Spreading love with the gift giving

So at the festive time of year

Fill your heart with Christmas cheer 

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – A CHRISTMAS GETAWAY (2018)

 

Claire (Alexandra Breckenridge), is a savvy venture capitalist from New York City, who decides to escape to the quaint town of Glastenbury, Vermont for the holidays, following an uncharacteristically bad company floatation.

She chose Glastenbury for her getaway because of its reputation as a great Christmas Town with many traditional activities and a famous festival.

And as she is not the kind of person to do nothing she books in as a guest of the Fortenbury Bookstore, which entitles her to run the Store for the duration of her stay.

However upon her arrival, Claire finds Christmas celebrations have been cancelled by the town after a devastating autumn flood and the bookstore in a dire state of disrepair.

Unshaken she immediately takes on the challenge to revitalize the store, but clashes with the owner, Andrew (Jamie Spilchuk), who initially rejects all her proposed improvements, though she finds an ally in his Aunt, Mrs. Tumulty (Jane Alexander).

Gradually Claire wears him down with her infectious optimism and revives his yuletide spirit and inevitably romance blossoms, until Claire discovers that Andrew is planning to sell the bookstore in the New Year.

Which begs the question “Will the spirit of Christmas be enough to change Andrew's mind and encourage him to follow his heart?”

THE BEST CHRISTMAS STORIES – CHRISTMAS NOVELLA # 5 - The Haunted Man and the Ghost’s Bargain

 

The Haunted Man and the Ghost’s Bargain, A Fancy for Christmas-Time

 

The Haunted Man and the Ghost’s Bargain, A Fancy for Christmas-Time was written by Charles Dickens.

It’s perhaps more often known as The Haunted Man and the Ghost’s Bargain or even just as The Haunted Man.

It was the fifth and final Christmas novella and was first published in 1848.

It is more a story about the spirit of Christmas than about Christmas itself, in the same style as A Christmas Carol, the first in the series of Christmas books.

But instead of Ebeneezer Scrrooge the story centers on a Professor Redlaw and those close to him.

Redlaw, a teacher of chemistry is an embittered man who often broods over wrongs done him and grief from his past life.

He is haunted by a spirit, who takes away all of his grief and sorrows but without them he develops uncontrollable anger and bitterness as he interacts with those from in his sphere.

The moral of the tale is that you have to remember past sorrows and wrongs done to you and forgive those responsible.

The novel concludes with everyone back to normal and Redlaw, like Ebenezer, a changed man.

MOTHER CHRISTMAS

The birth of Christ

Is the reason for the day

Santa Claus does his part

In his magical way

Rudolf and the other reindeer

Pull the loaded sleigh

Decorations and lights

Put Christmas on display

And festive songs and carols

Have a part to play

But it takes a mother

To make it a very special day