I don't know if you guys know this or not but I live for Hallmark Christmas movies and I mean Hallmark movies not the movies that are similar but are on different channels, I mean Hallmark and Hallmark Movies and Mysteries. There is something about these movies that just make me feel good, or give me the opportunity for a good holiday cry. I guess you can call them my guilty pleasure except that I don't feel the least bit guilty.
There is a handy app and everything to make sure I can keep track of all the movies I've seen! Why do I like these movies you might ask? I know they are a little cheesy, I know there is a sameness to them, and to be honest I think that's what I love about them. I know that in the end of two hours things will turn out ok and everyone will be happy and more often than not there will be gently falling snow and the leading lady wearing a red dress. I started watching these movies at a time where I wasn't quite happy and found myself married to someone who didn't love Christmas, who didn't get the cheer and magic of the season so I clung to these movies. Though now things are very different in my personal life and I find myself married to someone who totally gets and supports my Christmas obsession these movies still bring me comfort, only now I have someone to share them with.
There are always curve balls that will be thrown your way, you may lose someone you love at the holidays, there may be a global pandemic that may keep you far away from your parents, there might be financial reasons or work obligations and countless other things that might keep you from feeling the magic of Christmas and for me I find that I can turn on Hallmark and feel better, feel warm and happy.
There was a time that I had to tear myself away from the TV in the morning to make it to work on time. I would often say "if only I didn't have to go to work and could watch Hallmark all day" I guess the saying is true be careful what you wish for! This year I find myself with so much time that I had a choice, I could go insane and be sad OR I could watch Hallmark 24 hours a day and model a perfect Christmas taking inspiration from all the movies and creating crafts and recipes from the Home and Family show. I'm sure you can guess what I chose.
Embracing the time, watching these movies, means theme meals, cozy nights on the couch where Tamy and I play our favorite Hallmark game - Sequel or No Sequel! We typically choose sequel but it's fun to talk about what we want to see in a future made up installment. These movies have always been about bringing comfort and joy (see what I did there) it might be a different kind of comfort each year but they are a safe happy holiday place and during this year that is so crazy and can be so sad for so many I am finding the joy in small towns, adopted families, new traditions, and festivals. We are bringing into our own home gingerbread houses, latkes, music, cooking and decorating, even this daily Christmas blog was taken from one of the new movies this year - bonus points if you can tell me which one!
My point to all this, yes I do have one, is that Christmas is what you make it and you are allowed to find comfort in it wherever you can, not just this year but all the time. The key is to keep hope and love in your heart, be kind and keep your mind and heart open to magic. If that means you decorated on November 1st and won't take them down until after January 6th - well I certainly won't judge you. If it means you are having a quiet Christmas with very little decorations because that is how you feel this year, I won't judge that either. Christmas should be a safe place for all of us and we all have things we are thankful for even in a year where nothing has gone according to plan. Tell me, what are you thankful for this year? And how to you plan on celebrating during this strange time? Until tomorrow my friends, Merry Christmas.
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