It snowed all day, the day before yesterday, lulling us into it’s clean bright world.
Then, yesterday, with a snide attempt at a grin the snow began to melt into muck. The two big cows are still on the concrete yards but Sheila and her calves have turned the hay corner of the salad bar field into a mire.
But that’s ok as this is part of the plan. It is a winter field and it will freeze soon and will be resown in the spring with my special mix.
Looks like today is the last of the warm weather, we drop below freezing tomorrow and stay there for the forsee-able future.
As you know later in the month (weather permitting) I intend to fly into Calgary then I will drive up into the mountains to have Christmas with my son and his family in Canmore.
My daughter in law LOVES Christmas which will be a lovely foil to my honed dislike of the whole affair. She was asking me if there are any Christmas traditions I had. I rather gloomily – Eeyore-like – said I had none, I spent many many Christmas’s alone, my children always went to their fathers family for Christmas, and I was perfectly happy with no traditions at all thank you very much. Old Grinch!
Truthfully I liked having Christmas Day to myself I wrote about it here.
Anyway as the conversation progressed I did remember a tradition of mine. Other than steak and mashed potatoes which I might not get away with – The MOVIE. I always watched a movie on Christmas day. For years it was Breakfast at Tiffanys.
But what movie to watch – I have no idea.
What was your favourite movie this year? I thought I might make a list of Movie suggestions – finding one that all three of us have NOT seen might be quite the challenge. Have you seen any good movies lately? What was your favourite? During the summer season I never get to the movies, and we do not have enough signal to support NetFlix so I am out of the loop. (Terrible for someone who used to work IN the film industry).
I am looking forward to your suggestions.
I hope you have a lovely day.
celi
PS Not necessarily a Christmas movie, just a movie you loved.
The Kitchen's Garden 
68 responses to “The Morning After”
My traditions are The Holiday (just for myself), A Child’s Christmas in Wales, and The Snowman. The Snowman always makes me cry at the end, and the flying scene is so beautiful!
A Child’s Christmas in Wales is an old, old favorite. No child to read it to anymore, but it’s on our local NPR radio station every year & Dylan Thomas is still brilliant every time. So many laughs & satisfying sighs.
I’m with all of the sentimental Farmy Fellows above who revisit Love Actually when possible. Besides its being a sweet, feel-good film I just flat-out enjoyed, the first time Richard and I saw it was in its first release and, unlike our usual slowness, we didn’t wait for it to appear on TV but saw it in a lovely movie theatre. Better yet, we were in London at the time, and as the opening of the movie unfolded we joined all of the other moviegoers in the room in a loud, appreciative AHHHHH! and applause: the mall scene was filmed at the very shopping centre we were in, around the massive Christmas tree we’d all passed on our way to the cinema. *Plus-perfect, non?*, especially in the context of that fairytale sort of story.
Whatever you choose to do—or NOT do—may your holiday be precisely what you wish it to be, your *own* fairytale.
xoxo,
Kathryn
I’m on a Stephen King kick – and isn’t there some tradition of watching scary movies at Christmas, in Ireland and the UK? Not scary at all, but the Green Mile, Shawshank Redemption or Stand By Me are three of his best movie adaptations.
Deciding on a common preference and watching a movie on Christmas Day is a great tradition – quiet, simple way of spending time together and good far any weather. I left my suggestiions above but would also add we enjoyed The Lady in the Van http://m.imdb.com/title/tt3722070/, and another Aussie, good family movie Oddball http://m.imdb.com/title/tt3401748/ 🙂
What fabulous suggestions and comments! About not having a TV. I just bought myself portable DVD player which you can watch at home or while traveling etc. I got it for $50.00 & I think I’m going to enjoy it. ; o ) Wow – below zero… YIKES!! Here in western Massachusetts were still pretty warm, considering the time of year.
I loved Il Camino (with Martin Sheen, it’s in English) but although marvellous and uplifting, quite draining. Wizard of Oz for me otherwise!
Haven’t been to Cinema this hear (and do not own a TV set). But got a suggestion for you and family: One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest – maybe known by all already but worthseeing all time. Or – far back in time – one of Charly Chaplin’s old movies…. They are so well done. All of them.
Oh, believe it or not, there is a site on wiki called ‘List of made-for-television and direct-to-video Christmas films’ for everyone… 😉
Funny that, isn’t it?
My family always watched The Miracle on 34th St, It’s a Wonderful Life & A Christmas Carol – the English one on Christmas while mom put dinner on the table, finished laundry & did dishes. I watched the same movies with my Ex after going out to our favorite little cafe – yes, open on Christmas – to have breakfast with all our single friends who had nowhere to go. Now that I’m old & single, I buy all kinds of finger foods & fruit & sit them next to my knitting. I often just listen to audio books – Thrillers & Mysteries are my fav – while I knit or I watch my old VHS movies – Independence Day is one of my favorites!!! I love the scene where Will Smith punches the alien in the head & hauls it out onto the sand while muttering. I crack up every time. I don’t do laundry, dishes, cook, put up with relatives or do any indentured servitude of any kind. Now that’s Independence Day.
Another Christmas curmudgeon here 🙂 ! Have never seen the reason to celebrate the pagan Saturnalia festival which Emperor Constantine turned into ‘Christmas’ in Rome over 300 years after Jesus Christ – an expensive holiday for most at that!!! Oh but of best films there are many . . . . my very all time favourite being the Danish ‘Babette’s Feast’ – if one wants a real feel-good movie not of the “Pretty Woman’ or ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ variety, this still easily available: one which won so many awards [even Hollywood did not dare say ‘no’] And it is all about food, glorious food . . . and well, curmudgeonly people who wake up to themselves . . .
Ha – I have watched Babettes Feast so often! I just love it! and yes – the FOOD! those quail! .. c
Hope you and I have made just a few people curious ’cause they would not be disappointed! Yule or no Yule!! [Oh I just keep on thinking of that poor tortoise being carried in knowing what was going to happen . . . ]
I’m not a huge fan of Christmas but I go along with the family’s plans. It’s worth it as one son in law is a chef and we have an absolutely wonderful meal! I do enjoy watching the whole family intermingling and enjoying each other – lots and lots of laughter. Not a huge fan of watching movies, the thought of sitting still for a couple of hours does not appeal, especially in a theater. I did however watch one a couple of the grandkids brought over on a dvd. It was called Second Hand Lion and was just a nice little story with a message and a lot of laughs.
I like to watch Love, Actually at Christmas time. In fact, it’s time to watch it again.
Besides the usual XMas films one I like to watch over the holidays because it’s such a nice statement on the human condition is Local Hero a wonderful quirky little film
My daughter and I just saw Edge of Seventeen – there were some great lines. Brooklyn was good, so was The Young Messiah. If you like foodie movies and you haven’t seen it, The Hundred Foot Journey.
How long ago it seems when we used to immediately line up at the movie ticket booth to see the latest films – and then discuss them over and over again : themes, sets, choice of actors/actresses/ costumes/ set designs/ laughing over slips or anachronisms.
I am so out of the loop of current movies.
i do love to watch the old Miracle on 34th Street each year as I can remember watching it when very small with my dad on our little B/W tv set. (by now I could probably say the entire script) And I love Bing Crosby’s Holiday Inn and White Christmas (best in BW) because of the singing and dances.
I’ve been looking for Breakfast at Tiffany’s recently. Always liked Audrey.
Maybe you’ll get a moment during Christmas – outside: quiet, white snow, and bright sky. More and more that’s the Christmas I want. A bit of peace and calm all silent before you.
Anyway prepare to jingle –