Favorite Holiday Television and Movie Traditions: My Picks!

When it comes to Christmas specials, movies, and television classics, there is a mind-boggling array of programs to choose from both on network TV and basic cable. Below I highlight some of the best of the best.

Movies -

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation - This classic has always been one of my favorites. It simply isn't Christmas without seeing it at least once! Everything from the car/truck scene, the sledding scene, the classic pool scene, as well as the inbreed cousins visiting for a month all make it a priceless piece of Christmas comic gold. If you haven't enjoyed this movie before, watch it this Christmas season!

A Christmas Story - It seems to me that this has become a classic only recently. Personally, I don't know where it was hiding all of these years! It was made in the early 80's, but I only saw it for the first time in 2003. Now, it too has become a Christmas tradition. "You'll poke your eye out kid!" sums up the worst fears to small children everywhere. Face it, kids always want to be treated as adults, and when they are reminded of why they aren't, it is something we can all identify with as we've all been there ourselves. In "A Christmas Story", that common experience is turned into comedy gold. With TBS showing 24 hours of "A Christmas Story" from Christmas Eve throughout Christmas day, you can't help but catching a showing!

Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" (1938 black and white version) - This is probably one of the scariest Christmas stories of all - and the 1938 black and white version is probably its scariest portrayal on screen. As a child, I didn't watch it as it was too scary, but I've grown to truly cherish this version as an adult. Dickens' classic tale teaches the true meaning of Christmas.

It's a Wonderful Life - I know that it is cliché, but it is the quintessential Christmas movie. Quite honestly, I hadn't watched the entire movie until a couple of years ago, but now, it is also a must-see at this time of year. It makes your realize just how many people would have been affected if you had never been born. It should be mandatory viewing in every business school!

Television Specials -