Tis’ the season for watching your holiday favorites.

For many families, the lead-up to Christmas is a time to sit in front of the television and watch, and sometimes re-watch, the holiday films and television specials that have become as much of a tradition as decorating the tree, hanging up lights and drinking eggnog.

The stories on the screen are as comforting as a roaring fire and a cup of hot cocoa. 

“A Christmas Story” follows Ralphie’s quest to find that elusive Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun under the tree, and his father’s fondness for a certain all-time tacky lamp. In “It’s a Wonderful Life” we watch George Bailey discover his life is precious after all and, by doing so, help an angel named Clarence gets his wings. “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” gives us a heaping of holiday hilarity as Clark Griswold tries his hardest to put on the perfect Christmas celebration. 

Everyone has a different favorite holiday movie and they’re usually quite passionate about their holiday viewing, with some folks even debating that the iconic action movie “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie. 

That passion about holiday movies is no different for the people who work at The Daily Iberian, as evidenced by the responses below. Staff members were all asked what their favorite holiday movie was, why it was their favorite and to share a memory that makes that movie special to them.

As to be expected, the responses were as varied as the people that work at The Daily Iberian.

Still special after all these years

For many of the staff, the traditional TV specials (many broadcast on CBS) from the mid-1960’s to early 1970’s are essential watching in their households. A list that includes the stop-motion classics “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “The Little Drummer Boy” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” along with the beloved animated short films “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “Frosty the Snowman.”

“I am almost 60 years old and my favorite Christmas show is, without any doubt, ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,’” Circulation Director J.P. Poirier said. “I watched it last week and if it comes up again before Christmas, I’ll watch it over and over. It’s funny how Rudolph, even though many years ago, was laughed-at and berated because he was different. Sounds like this same history repeats itself today.”

“I love all those old TV shows like Rudolph, Frosty, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, and Charlie Brown Christmas,” Advertising Account Executive Sandy Courrege said. “I miss cuddling up with my kids and watching them as they came on. My favorite part was when they saved all the misfit toys on Misfit island and gave them to children!”

Business Manager Mandy Seneca meanwhile prefers all of the special holiday musical shows that come on during the holiday season — as hearing those old standards being brought to life brings back memories for her.

“I’m not a sit-down movie watcher,” Seneca said. “I do like the Christmas music shows. I like listening to all the old Christmas carols, gets me in the Christmas Spirit. It truly reminds me of back in the day when friends used to get together and go Christmas caroling.” 

“A Charlie Brown Christmas” was the most popular TV special pick of the staff.

Assistant Sports Editor Neal McClelland picked the iconic special for the music. 

“It’s not a movie, but the one Christmas show I watch and love is the original, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” McClelland said. “The main reason is that it was my first introduction to jazz music and to Vince Guaraldi in particular. In fact, I have the soundtrack CD at work and listen to it very often late at night when I’m working. Listening to Guaraldi’s work allowed me to have access to other jazz masters and started a lifelong love affair with jazz.”

News Reporter Corey Vaughn echoed that sentiment.

“I will always watch the “A Charlie Brown Christmas” CBS special from 1965 when it comes on TV,” he said. “The soundtrack happens to be my favorite Christmas music as well. Also, “Die Hard.”

Stockings of hi-jinks

Senior News Editor and Outdoors Editor Don Shoopman also is a big fan of the classic Bruce Willis flick, but he is also a fan of modern holidays films. 

“I really like “Die Hard,” which isn’t a traditional Christmas movie,” Shoopman said. “I really like “Home Alone” and “A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965).” My current favorite is “Christmas with the Kranks.” I think everybody can see a little bit of themselves in at least one or more of the characters. I believe the storyline is a good one with some intriguing subplots. Nora Krank puts her foot down to nix a planned and paid-for Caribbean cruise after the couple learns that their daughter, Blair, who’s in Peru serving in the Peace Corps, is coming home with her fiancee for Christmas, which is less than 24 hours away. Luther, Nora’s husband, doesn’t take it too well but reluctantly agrees to get ready for Christmas while still pining for the cruise.

“The proper Christmas spirit prevails in the end when he gives the cruise tickets to a lonely couple across the street while wife, daughter, future son-in-law and, most importantly, neighbors party hearty. The movie pretty much was panned by critics who get the big bucks. I’ll always give it a thumbs up, though.”

“Home Alone” was another popular favorite of the staff. 

The story of bratty 8-year-old Kevin McCallister, who is accidentally left behind by his family on a Christmas vacation and then proceeds to thwart a pair of burglars with Looney Tunes-style traps, has become a modern classic, with both it and its popular sequel “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” becoming must-watch viewing.

“I love Classic Christmas Comedy movies and my favorite is a heartwarming holiday family classic, “Home Alone,” with Macaulay Culkin (so cute),” receptionist Judy Toucheck said. “Amy and I sit and watch this movie over and over again — as if it were our first time. We love it! It touches our hearts and tickles our funny bones. 

“Before we pop the movie in we set our environment for our adventure. We pop some popcorn, turn the fireplace on (we have an electric one — so if it’s hot we use just the fire scenery but if it’s cold we use the heat — the beauty of electric fireplaces), grab our blankets to snuggle and turn the movie on and enjoy each others company and many laughs! Nothing more beautiful than seeing your child happy! Priceless!”

“Home Alone is my favorite,” Advertising Account Executive Tina Partsch said. “It is such a great perspective of life through a small child’s eyes in a large family. It’s endearing, comically, and has stood the test of time at least for my generation.”

Another staffer that chose a comedy was News Reporter Danny Fenster.

“Shortly after I graduated high school, Comedy Central aired a Hanukkah-centric seasonal holiday movie. “The Hebrew Hammer,” starring Adam Goldberg, is one of a tiny number of films in the genre — Adam Sandler’s “Eight Crazy Nights” is about the only other I can think of off-hand. While it is largely hyperbolic and over-the-top in its depiction of the American Jewish experience during Christmas, it does, in one particularly funny opening scene, use hyperbole well to show how lame the game of “dreidel” is when compared to the season’s hottest games and toys on most children’s Christmas wish lists. Otherwise, it’s not a great movie. 

“But the hands-down, number one Christmas movie in my house was always “Scrooged,” starring Bill Murray. More than Michigan’s changing seasons, “Scrooged” in December and “Groundhog Day” in February marked the beginning and end of winter for the Fensters. Bill Murray was and remains a saint in my father’s eyes. Plus, my dad looks like oft-Murray-collaborator Harold Ramis.” 

The Christmas Spirit

Not everyone chose side-splitting comedies as their holiday favorites. Many a staff member selected films they felt possessed the Christmas Spirit.

“I would have to say that I have two favorite Christmas movies,” Advertising Account Executive Karla Borde said. “First has to be “Elf.” This was really the first Christmas movie that me and my kids sat and watched together and continue to watch when they come to the house. The other is “The Polar Express.” For me this embodies Christmas. It is the movie that always makes me cry happy tears and makes me believe.”

Films that have that all-important spirit topped the lists of many other Iberian staffers.

“Christmas movies are my favorite thing to watch this time of year,” Business Office Clerk Beth Renard said. “The Hallmark channels are usually my go-to spots for a Christmas movies.  One of my favorites would be, “A Princess for Christmas.” It shows how life can have many twists and turns but in the end, you can find happiness.  The main character starts out as a maid in a hotel that is down on her luck, she is hired to be a Nanny for a Royal family and ends up falling in love with the King. Most of the Hallmark movies give me that warm fuzzy feeling.”

For the Classified Department’s Delilah Allen and Delores Houston, their favorites provide them with a fuzzy feeling. 

“I so enjoy watching “The Preacher’s Wife” time and time again because it reminds me of my upbringing,” Allen said. “My grandfather was a pastor, I sang in the church choir and Whitney Houston’s soulful voice is almost as good as my mom’s. Hahaha. I love how God’s help appears in the form of a charismatic angel. I appreciate the movie’s portrayal of the struggles of family and community as well as their struggle with faith, but also teaches us that both are resilient and when the two parties compromise — and with a little help from above — things can get resolved.”

“My favorite Christmas movie is “This Christmas.” It’s a 2007 romantic musical comedy-drama all in one,” said Houston. Some of the stars in the movie are singer-Chris Brown, Loretta Devine, Idris Elba, and others. “The story centers on the Whitfield Family, whose eldest has come home for the first time in four years. The Whitfield family overcome many trials and obstacles during the Christmas season. They have lots of secrets that finally come out; some have to face reality.

“I like it because it has so many storylines to it. I watch it every time it comes on. This movie makes you laugh, sing, dance, cry and cheer. At the end, everything and everybody come together to enjoy ‘this Christmas,’” she said.

The classics

Tech Life Editor Vicky Branton selected one of the all-time old Hollywood black and white standards — the 1942 Irving Berlin musical “Holiday Inn,” starring Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby, which of course gave the world the iconic song “White Christmas.”

“It is the original movie introducing the song “White Christmas,” Branton said. “It is a fabulous classic movie musical with a great story premise of an Inn that features holiday entertainment themes all year long. Classic songs and moments are pitted against a love triangle mystery woman that Bing loves but won’t admit to until Fred discovers who the mystery woman he met one night in a drunken state at the inn, steals her away and they partner for the movie version of the success at Holiday Inn. The final movie scene recording of White Christmas reminds the girl of the guy she left behind (Bing) and the simple life at Holiday Inn. 

“The later “White Christmas” is a close second, which also stars Bing reprising the song with Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney, but the Classic black and white original that has not been over exposed is my movie treasure.” 

Publisher Christina Pierce went back to the black and white era too.

“Without a doubt, my all-time favorite Christmas movie is “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Pierce said. “George Bailey is a small-town man whose life seems so desperate he contemplates suicide.  He had always wanted to leave Bedford Falls to see the world, but his own good heart led him to stay. He sacrificed his education for his brother’s, kept the family-run savings and loan afloat, protected the town from a greedy banker, and married his childhood sweetheart. 

“As he prepares to jump from a bridge, his guardian angel intercedes, showing him what life would have been like for the residents of Bedford Falls if he had never lived.  I’ve seen this movie dozens of times, and it brings me to tears every time. It’s not so much George’s realization of his impact on his world, but his realization that he loves the life he is living. This movie, to me, is all about love for friends and family and the value of not doing great things, but doing small things in a great way. It reminds me to take my heart out and read it every so often. At least every Christmas,” she said. 

For Belinda Boudreaux, who works as a clerk in the editorial department, there is only one movie to watch during Christmas and it isn’t “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

“My favorite Christmas movie is and always will be “A Christmas Story,” Boudreaux said. “There are so many aspects of that movie that I love but I think the best is how the father of the family reacts to every situation in their daily lives. He is funny (to me anyway) because I can see the humor in how he deals with life’s little moments when working and raising a family. The poor mother just tries to keep the peace and she succeeds most of the time. And the main character, Ralph, works so hard to get Santa to bring him a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas, especially after being told so many times that ‘you’ll shoot your eye out.’” 

“My family has been watching this movie every Christmas since our children were little and now we have introduced it to our grandchildren,” she said.

Justin Bourque from the Circulation Department agrees. 

“My favorite is “A Christmas Story.” It’s a very funny and entertaining classic holiday movie that has become a tradition to watch. It’s not only about Christmas and the Red Ryder, carbine action, two hundred shot range model air rifle, but also about the emotions and logic of childhood. 

“I’m sure most of us can relate to Ralphie, such as wanting that one gift that everyone thinks you’re too young to have, simply because “You’ll shoot your eye out, kid.” I love this movie so much that I often find myself reading the word fragile as “Fra-gee-leh” on random packages,” he said. ”

“Oh, and you can forget ‘It’s a leg!’ I really can watch this movie over and over and never get tired of it!”

Sports Editor Chris Landry had many favorites, including the old TV specials and movies such as “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Scrooged,” but his absolute favorite was “A Christmas Story.”

“My all-time favorite would have to be A Christmas Story, though. A tale of a kid yearning for that one special toy (Ralphie says “I want an official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle!”) to which everyone from his mother to department store Santa says “You’ll shoot your eye out.” The situations and lines never get old for me, even though the movie is now more than 30 years old.”