Now that December has officially begun, we can all watch Christmas movies in a socially acceptable manner. Although ABC Family offers their Countdown to the 25 Days of Christmas, nothing beats watching the actual 25 Days of Christmas.
In reality, the Countdown to the 25 Days doesn’t even celebrate Christmas—ABC Family basically uses the Countdown as an excuse to play all the Disney movies they don’t feature on their Fun Days. Not that I’d complain—my love for Disney transcends all bounds—but if you’re going to advertise a Christmas special, more than 25 percent of your movies should be Christmas related (I did the math—the statistics are sad). If you want to watch a slew of nostalgic holiday movies, wait until December for the true heart-wrenchers.
This year, ABC Family has created one of the best lineups yet. I once made a list of all the Christmas movies I must watch during December (I’m very dedicated), and ABC Family only missed about five of them. Compared to the 13 Nights of Halloween, which didn’t even feature half of my favorite Halloween movies, the 25 Days of Christmas has really hit the mark. Sure, you can celebrate the holidays by merely watching the movies as they play, but to really get into the spirit of Christmas, add a little flare to your marathon:
Choose the right room
Which room is your Christmas tree in? While regular lamplight works fine, nothing beats watching Christmas movies under the soothing glow of string lights. If you can’t sit by the tree, feel free to decorate your TV-watching room yourself. Pinterest is bound to provide plenty of ideas.
Find your favorite blanket
You can’t watch a Christmas movie without a blanket. It just doesn’t work. I don’t care if you pull out your baby blanket, slip out the knitted afghan your grandma made, or take the thickest throw from your brother’s back—no movie atmosphere is complete without a human burrito.
Prepare your preferred holiday beverage
While watching your favorite characters sip hot chocolate or spiked eggnog by the fireplace, warm your fingers with a soothing beverage and enjoy the feeling of the steam against your rosy cheeks. Imitation is the best form of flattery, after all.
Suit up
A fluffy blanket is not enough—slip into your favorite PJ bottoms or sweats and a T-shirt. Skinny jeans and a blouse don’t mesh well with curling up on the couch. Who can enjoy the holidays when you have to stand up to readjust the fit of your pants?
Break out the tissues
With ABC Family showing movies such as "Frost" (the live-action version), "Prancer," "The Polar Express,"and "The Year Without a Santa Claus," there is a slim chance of making it through the month without your ducts raining nostalgia tears on your face. Better to use some Kleenex rather than your sleeve to mop up that flood.
Invite your friends
The more the merrier (pun intended). The best way to justify your sobbing is to sob with friends. And let’s be honest, we judge the quality of the ABC Family Original Movies based on the attractiveness of the male love interest. Mario Lopez in "Holiday in Handcuffs"? Yes, please!
Snuggle up
Once you’ve collected the above-mentioned essentials, all that’s left to do is sit down, bundle up, and crank the volume. To maximize coziness, you can cuddle with a pet, too!
Happy Holidays!
