Part of our holiday traditions, even watching Christmas movies or listening to Christmas music, is because it has been passed down from one generation to the next — like watching “White Christmas” while decorating the Christmas tree because that’s what you did while growing up.
Watching holiday movies have become part of many winter celebrations, just like going caroling, singing Christmas songs around the tree or singing carols in church.
Watching Christmas movies brings the viewer into a fictional world. They affirm the viewer’s ethical values and social morals. They can provide solace and reaffirmation of courage to work through a difficult situation, offering the viewer hope.
Main plots of Christmas movies are often about overcoming a materialistic gift buying and gift giving view of Christmas. It brings forth the true meaning of Christmas about goodwill and family love. Christmas movies are about reuniting with family and transformation as in the movie “Christmas Carol”.
The top five Christmas movies, according to imdb.com/list, are “It’s a Wonderful Life”, “White Christmas”, ” Miracle on 34th Street”, ” A Christmas Story” and National Lampoon’s Christmas”. Here in Highland County, some of the favorites are “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, “White Christmas”, “The Nativity Story”, “A Christmas Story”, and “It’s a Wonderful Life”. Movies can be borrowed at the libraries in Highland County.
Christmas songs often have bells and are filled with sentiment and a longing for the past. Christmas songs promote nostalgic, warm and fuzzy feelings. Christmas songs become a classic because there is a connection to what one songs refers to as the most wonderful time of the year. Songs let listeners remember years past, bring family and friends together, and they allow listeners to reflect on the past year’s blessings.
Christmas music is generally cheerful, convenient for any occasion and great for all ages. All most everyone knows the words to Christmas carols, which means anyone can sing along. The words of songs are one of the last things people remember as they grow older.
According to cardschat.com, the most popular song is “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey. Other popular songs include, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”, “Last Christmas”, and “Jingle Bell Rock”. In Highland County, favorite songs include “Silent Night”,” O Holy Night” and “Mary, Did you Know”.
Sources for this story included imbd.com/list, timeout.com, theconversation.com, synchedin.com, singingsuccess.com and odysseyonline.com.
Jackie Wolgamott is a stringer for The Times-Gazette.
