Every December I would let the hustle and bustle of the holiday season steal my joy. Not this year! I am celebrating Christmas every day with a new idea. I hope you’ll join me in feeling the joy of the season.

This idea is to watch a Christmas movie.  Unlike many others, I am not a person that enjoys watching the same movie over and over again. When it comes to Christmas movies, however, I do have a few favorites that I never get tired of.

You won’t find my two favorite movies on any top ten lists. They are both sweet and timeless films that I can watch every year.

One is The Bishop’s Wife starring Cary Grant, David Niven and Loretta Young. This movie is in black and white. Cary Grant plays an angel that comes to earth in the flesh as an answer to the prayers of the bishop’s wife, Loretta Young. What can I say? Cary Grant is Cary Grant. He makes every woman swoon. It’s cute and funny with a wonderful message. I always feel good after watching this movie.

The other movie I love is Meet Me In St. Louis with Judy Garland. This one is in color. While the movie is not focused on Christmas, one segment of the movie happens during the holidays and introduces the classic song, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, sung by Judy Garland.I was born, raised and live in St. Louis, so this has an extra special meaning for me.

The story line is that a father is given the opportunity to move to New York. This is around the time of 1904 when the World’s Fair is going to take place in St. Louis. The family is distraught over the move. The family is made up of a little girl, a teenager (Judy Garland) and an older daughter graduating from high school. Just as Judy Garland played Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, and her mantra, “There’s no place like home,” Meet me in St. Louis has the same home theme. There are a lot of great musical numbers in the show. In fact, there is a Broadway musical of the same name.

Christmas movies are a great way to bring the family together and share in the joy of the season. Do you have a favorite Christmas movie?

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulder. And he will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” – Isaiah 9:6