Traditional festive entertainment

[andyram]

Considering we are close to the New Year and the end of the festive celebrations this may be a little bit late. However, during a recent family get together we were discussing the traditional television programmes and films that are watched every year.

Mum and Dad were bemoaning the loss of the various Christmas specials from departed comedy duos such as Morecombe and Wise and The Two Ronnies. Mum always watches The Snowman at Christmas and it has become something of a Christmas tradition for them. She also always watches the Sandra Bullock film "While You Were Sleeping" each Christmas holiday.

In our house we have a number of Christmas films on DVD which are traditionally watched each year. These include "National Lampoons Christmas Vacation" and the Tim Allen "Santa Clause" movies. We also have to watch the Royle Family special that features Tom Courtney - the funniest of all the specials.

The question is -.what festive entertainment do you / have you enjoyed annually at this time of year.

[Dagworth]

We always find time to watch The Nightmare Before Christmas on Christmas Eve.

 

Andi

[grandadbob]

Every year we watch Scrooge  (Musical version with Albert Finney) and also the Alistair Sim version, both usually watched a couple of days before Christmas.

Nothing at all was watched Christmas Day and Boxing Day - we decided to enjoy ourselves instead.  Laptops, iPads and phones were banned and even the youngsters joined in with that.

Lots of conversation, games and laughter. It was one of the best Christmases we've had. 

[Ozexpatriate]

Everybody gathers around the Festivus pole, for the airing of grievances and the feats of strength.
 
Oops, I'm sorry, that's an episode of Seinfeld.
 
I found myself enjoying "Arthur Christmas" on Christmas morning. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is a long time favourite, having almost wet myself at the cat's demise laughing so hard when I first saw it in a cinema. Sadly when I caught up with it this year, it was the neutered version with all the naughty words removed (but not overdubbed):
 
The dialogue goes something like this:
Clarke: "Oh, the silent majesty of a winter's morn... the clean, cool chill of the holiday air... an <silent pause> in his bathrobe, emptying a chemical toilet into my sewer..."
Eddie: "<silent pause> full"

 

In recent years I have watched the Dr Who Christmas Special. On Sunday I forgot about it and caught up with it on 'on demand' cable during the week.

[Arthur]

 

I've all of the BBC's 'Ghost Story for Christmas' films on DVD, I'm a bit of an M. R. James fan too, so I always watch one or two over the Festive period.

 

So far this year that's been 'The Tractate Middoth' and 'The Stalls of Barchester Cathedral' which I realise, as I write this, are the last and the first of the BBC's productions.

 

.

[Horsetan]

Traditional festive entertainment here tends to be avoiding most of the relatives.

[Zomboid]

On the actual day we try to avoid having any TV on. Lately it's been my parents and me, and this year I advised them on the DLC for Civilisation V and other IT related issues they were having, after a pre-dinner hike.

Probably a bit unusual...

[andyram]

Must admit we don't watch television on Christmas Day. We broke the rule for the Mrs Brown's Boys special this year, but that's mainly due to the fact our Christmas was littered with illness.