Weekend Plans Post: Wrapping up Christmas Shopping
Okay, we picked up Monopoly for the youngest nephew and the oldest nephew asked for decor for his new apartment and so we picked up a Star Wars poster for him and a poster frame that cost twice as much as the poster. All in all, we spent within 5 bucks of the same amount on both of them and so I’ll say that we’re good. I have to do some light shopping for coworkers (~$10 bottle of wine for my peeps, ~$15 bottle of wine for my boss’s admin and one for the facilities guy, and a book of Biblical Archaeology for my boss).
And then… golly. I think we’re caught up until next year.
Oh, I have to stop by Entertainmart and pick up a Christmas DVD to watch at Mom’s on Christmas Eve. Two years ago, we watched Scrooge. Last year, we watched A Muppet Christmas Carol. This year? Oh my gosh. I don’t know what to watch for this year.
Jeez. What Christmas movie do you guys watch with your fam? Don’t pull “Die Hard” out on me. Mom won’t be down with watching that and if she were the slightest bit inclined, I’d pick up Violent Night first. Maybe Fatman. I will say that I was surprised to find out that Sylvester Stallone’s “Cobra” is a Christmas movie (pay attention to 0:40 until about 1:04):
I’ve never seen more than clips of Elf and I’m not sure that that would be entirely inappropriate.
Maybe I should just give up and pick up Home Alone or A Christmas Story.
To sum up, this weekend will be spent agonizing over one of the last few presents to get for Christmas and then doing laundry and running errands and squeezing in a game night somewhere in the middle there.
So… what’s on your docket?
(Featured image is “Laundrycat”. Photo taken by Maribou.)
“Elf” is fun. Depending on the age of any kids present, there’s one “up yours” joke and maybe a tiny bit of innuendo but it’s basically a good-hearted movie. There are some laugh out loud moments (at least for me), mainly focusing on the incongruity of a 6-foot-plus actual-human got up as an elf and sincerely being part of Elf Culture. Has a happy ending.
Home Alone is fun, too, and I was surprised about how much “heart” it had (the subplot with the old man estranged from his son) but you do have to suspend disbelief about the cartoonish violence that in the real would would have killed Harry and Marv. Some people prefer Home Alone II, which is set in a hotel and has a Tim Curry small part as a smarmy concierge.
I mostly watch the “classics” – The Bishop’s Wife is a favorite of mine. But a lot of those are maybe a little slow paced for young kids, I don’t know.
You can probably also find the old Rankin-Bass specials to binge. Years and years ago what used to be ABC Family would show all of them, including some of the less-well-known ones like Nestor the Donkey and The Christmas Snow on a Saturday a few weeks before Christmas.
Next week is finals for me – mine are all written, so it will just be the grading once they’re done. Tonight I have to go out to dinner with a group of people; we are interviewing a potential new colleague today and traditionally we take them to one of the two really good restaurants in town for a meal. (the favorite place was all booked up with Christmas parties so it’s going to be the expensive place instead)Report
The youngest there will be mid-40’s. The sensibilities of which I am most worried are that of my mother’s.
Okay. Elf sounds like it’d be sufficient. (And I have swung from enjoying Home Alone to mocking it to liking it again.)Report
I mean…”A Christmas Story” is right there…but you’d probably put your eye out!Report
If you’re extending to “Christmas occurs during the movie’s events”, then “Trading Places” counts. Being an early-80s R-rated Eddie Murphy comedy, it is extremely funny; being an early-80s R-rated Eddie Murphy comedy, there’s lots of F-words and sex jokes and several topless scenes. (And the heist the heroes pull at the end is totally incomprehensible if you don’t know how commodities trading works.)
There’s always “Christmas Vacation”, which manages to have an ending juuuust uplifting enough to count as a Happy Movie. It’s PG-13 instead of R, so the language is “one F-word, some S-word” and there’s only one topless scene (and that’s just sideboob, although there is implied full nudity offscreen.) Although at this point in 2023, “Christmas Vacation” has become part of the American Christmas Movie Canon and so just about every adult will have seen it at least once and know what to expect. (TBS is now running it on repeat overnight, and running ads for the movie during the movie which I hope is an intentional joke because it certainly reads like one.)Report
Trading Places, thank goodness, has hooters. I will not be subjecting Mom to those.
You know, I’ve never seen Christmas Vacation (though I have seen clips). I don’t think that I’ll subject Mom to that either due to the words “National Lampoon” which she will associate with me trying to pull a fast one.Report
I started writing something on non-Christmas Christmas movies.
Let’s see if I actually finish it before Christmas …Report
Here’s a long shot Christmas movie you’ve never heard of but that I saw several years back when I had all the pay movie channels. It’s called ‘Last Holiday’ and stars Queen Latifah. I believe it is based on a book.
Basic premise is she gets what she believes is a terminal diagnosis and resolves to spend her last few weeks/Christmas at a holiday resort in Europe. Gerard Depardieu cameos as the master chef. Timothy Hutton plays the rich antagonist who (along with his girlfriend) learn some lessons. It is not too much of a spoiler I don’t think to say this is a gentle, heartwarming film and it has a happy ending.
It is funny enough. There is a bit of sexual humor but at a PG 13 rating probably nothing a mom can’t handle. I found it enjoyable so if you want a dark horse give it a try.Report
I will throw it past Maribou.Report
Actually your mom and I have watched that one together already. (And I have watched it myself separately a second time when it was on a streaming channel and I was in the mood.). I really enjoy it, but i don’t think she’ll want to watch it again. She liked it! But not so much as to rewatch it.Report
I am glad to hear someone else out there saw and enjoyed this film. However I am also disappointed, I thought I had something no one else would come up with, and certainly would never have thought you’d already seen it!Report
If animated and streaming works for you, I recommend Klaus (on Netflix). It is PG and safe for kids and Mothers, but also entertaining for adults. The animation style is striking, and it has J.K. Simmons as the voice of Santa
And if you haven’t seen it, Prep and Landing is a great funny short (22 minute) animation, available on DVD and on Disney+Report