LIFE MATTERS TOP FIVE CHRISTMAS MOVIES

Four of my top five are movies that I grew up on. They're what I watched on Christmas Eve until the television switched over to a Midnight Christmas Eve Service from places like St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York.

5. Charlie Brown's Christmas was Charles Schulz wonderful portrayal of Christmas. Schulz was a wonderful Christian whose comic strip Peanuts often carried powerful theological observations. Charlie's Christmas was a whole lot more like mine, and certainly a cut above Ralphie's.

4. It's a Wonderful Life is generally at the top of most lists. Jimmy Stewart had a powerful portrayal of what life is like devoid of hope; but also how one life impacts another.

3. The Nativity Story is the one Christmas movie that actually compels me to worship. It is more than entertainment. In a few years of watching it, I suspect it will move to number one.

2. Miracle of 34th Street is a reminder of the simple joys of Christmas, especially for children. It is also a cautionary tale about trying too hard to take a scientific look at life instead of letting Christmas have some mystery. Plus, I love it when the US Post Office (which represents the "In God We Trust USA") recognizes Santa.

1. Next to the Nativity story, A Christmas Carol is the most spiritually redeeming of all Christmas stories. This is the one I watched as a kid (in black and white). My favorite scene is when Ebenezer Scrooge goes out of his mind with joy when he realizes he has a second chance in life.

And that's one of the most powerful lessons of Christmas - either in God's Word or in literature. God is making something new. He is giving us a second chance to live in the light, not in the darkness--to embrace hope instead of despair--to live the more perfect way of love.

10 TEN CHRISTMAS MOVIES 10-6

Each Christmas we see some wonderful Christmas movies ... and we see some real "turkeys." Despite TNT's obsession with "The Christmas Story," I have great difficulty with this ode to a totally dysfunctional family. Ralphie's phobias are simply sad. If I had that childhood, I'd want to forget it and pray my adulthood had Christmases more worth celebrating.

Hollywood has generally stayed away from movies actually portraying Christ's birth. Until The Nativity Story (2008), most of our memorable Christmas movies are about the Christmas spirit rather than an explicit religious message. With that in mind, here are my top ten starting at #10.

10. Scrooged Charles Dicken's classic A Christmas Carol is perhaps one of the most powerful vehicles describing the conflict between the greed and self-serving of humanity versus good will, brotherhood, and giving. This crazy take-off starring Bill Murray was a glitzy, fast-moving and tongue-in-the cheek assault on the crass commercialization of Christmas that defied the humility of the babe in the manger,

9. How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the original antimated version--not the insanity of the Jim Carey version (my insanity quotient was used up with Scrooged) was Dr, Suess' classic reminder that Christmas is not about materialism, it is about a heart of generosity and the greater value of relationships.

8. Next comes the sheer fun of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Chevy Chase's obsession with the perfect Christmas experience to the hilt was a powerful parable of how we place too much pressure on Christmas to bring us happiness.

7. Loyalty and friendship are the wonderful message of White Christmas. Even two theatrical schemers like Danny Kaye and Bing Crosby exhibit their better side when a friend is in need. (Normally Christmas musicals are a little too syrupy for my tastes, but this one was worth the song and dance.)

6. George C Scott's version of A Christmas Carol gave a wonderfully artistic portrayal of Scrooge as he assesses his life and its consequences.

Now check in tomorrow for the top five. How about you, what are your favorites?

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE?

Just so you know, this is not my favorite Christmas movie. Actually, it wins my award for the Most Crass Christmas Movie That Gets Replayed Too Many Times. Actually, I'd be interested in which Christmas movies have taken a special place in your heart. Watch for tomorrow's LIFE MATTERS for my personal top ten, and my "Life Matters Reasons" for why these movies are worth watching over and over.

The Missionary Who Wouldn't Retire | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

The Missionary Who Wouldn't Retire | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

THERE IS A GOD!

My hapless, hopeless Cleveland Browns FINALLY beat the Pittsburgh Steelers!

ANGELS IN TRAINING

A picture is worth a thousand words ... my caption is "Angels in Training." Any caption suggestions?

KEEPING CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS

The Christmas season has been underway for some time now. Christmas carols have been playing over the radio and mall music systems for several weeks. We are now being inundated with Christmas movies and specials on the television, especially on cable. The Salvation Army Bell ringers are now positioned outside the stores (this year I understand with credit card readers since people don't carry cash). The stores are being jammed with shoppers who don't seem to think there's a recession going on.

There have long been two celebrations of Christmas in America. The first, the cultural one, I have pretty much described it above. The latter is the spiritual celebration, the Christian holiday that proclaims the birth of Jesus Christ and the message of hope He brings.

These dual celebrations, however, often spark a "Christmas war". Marketers, mindful of the cultural celebration, try to bleach the Christ out of Christmas. "Happy holidays" is the politically correct and market smart (so they believe) way of greeting people in the season. Christians, especially those who are frustrated by the loss of respect and influence in America for Christianity, bridle at anything less than a heart "Merry Christmas" (even in the clerk or service provider has no religious affiliation or values). Already my email in-box is filled with strident jeremiads that we need to fight to keep Christ in Christmas.

Frankly, I don't stress or obsess over this issue. A hollow declaration of "Merry Christmas" is empty of meaning and about as useful as a prayer ritualistically recited in a church service. The systematic de-Christing Christmas of references to the Savior does offend me; but making it a personal affront to which I feel the need to retaliate seems inconsistent with a follower of the Prince of Peace.

Christmas is really a celebration of the Incarnation, of God loving His people enough to come in the flesh to redeem us from our sin. Philippians 2.5-11 tells us about this and declares, "Let your attitude be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but humbled himself and took the form of a servant .."

To me--Christians would better serve God by not insisting that people keep Christ in Christmas by saying "Merry Christmas" but by being Christ in Christmas. The best declaration to the world that Jesus Christ has been born is not a holiday saying or manger scenes or overt religious ceremonies, but by taking a cue from Christ--by serving people with the same sacrificial love Christ exhibited--doing it in Jesus name--serving even those who despise Christ and Christians.