A year ago this week we finally bought a flat-screen TV. With our one Black Friday purchase came the need for a new entertainment center and cable package. My parents had given us a gift card for the entertainment center, so we were covered there (although, based on the way it sags in the middle, we did not exactly choose wisely).
But when faced with a plethora of cable packages, our budget played a pretty strong factor. I felt good about what we ended up choosing and in the past year, I’ve only had one regret. [Surprisingly, it’s not the loss of my beloved VCR, though I won’t lie. I do get nostalgic every once in a while…especially when I remember my Tae-Bo tape and the lack of a DVD equivalent.]
No, my regret is that we chose a cable package WITH NO HALLMARK CHANNEL.
Luckily, this is only relevant for about six weeks of the year. But – I bet you know where I’m going with this – this IS those six weeks of the year.
Even more than no longer having a faux mantel (aka, the top of our old entertainment center as pictured above…which, actually, I do miss terribly!!) to decorate for Christmas, the loss of opportunity to watch Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel makes me question our belated journey into the 21st century.
I mean, really, is a DVR and sharp HD picture THAT important?
Well, as predicted by so many of you early (haha!) adopters, I adore my DVR and can’t quite remember how I ever lived without it. But the next few weeks without Hitched for the Holidays, A Holiday Engagement and SO MUCH MORE might just break me.
Hopefully you won’t be suffering this same sadness and can fill your evenings with hot chocolate and cheesy movies. As for me, I’ll be left with only ABC Family and Lifetime to fill my Hallmark void. It’s a tall order, but I think A Very Merry Daughter of the Bride, Love at the Christmas Table, Holiday High School Reunion, and the 12 Men of Christmas just might be up to the challenge.
And in case you haven’t planned ahead (what?! You thought cooking and shopping should take precedence over a Christmas movie marathon spreadsheet? CRAZY.), here are a few links to help you out:
The Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas
The Lifetime Channel’s Movie Schedule
ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas
What’s YOUR favorite Christmas movie?
National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. Thanks for posting the holiday movie schedules. Enjoy the holidays!
Oh man, I haven’t watched Christmas Vacation in so long. I think I’ll need to find that one this year and watch it again!
Oh, Mary! I feel your pain. I do have the Hallmark Channel but I don’t have ABC Family. I’m glad we can both watch the Lifetime Christmas movies.
We’ll always have Lifetime… ;)
There’s always the new one once a year on one of the networks.
Still can’t believe I missed this one. :(
It was pretty bad…even on the cheesy Hallmark scale. My first problem was Andy Garcia as a Southerner. But, I still watched it and enjoyed the commercials.
Andy Garcia…as a Southerner…does not compute…
My all time favorite Christmas movie (at 48 years old) is still How the Grinch Stole Christmas – the original cartoon version. It just doesn’t seem like I am in the right Season if I don’t see that movie. Of course I now have it on VHS and DVD.
Second runner up is The Year Without a Santa Claus. My sister and I still call each other to sing the heat miser song. LOL! Not very spiritual choices but they are very nostalgic for me.
Thanks for sharing the list too!
The Grinch – animated, because the other one is crazy creepy – is one of my favorites, too!
My favorite Christmas movie is Angel of Pennsylvania Avenue; 2nd up is the trio of Santa Clause movies
I love those Santa Clause movies, too! :)
Oh, Mary. You’re so funny. :) If I had the Hallmark channel I’d gladly give it to you. ;) The lack of a mantel does stink though, and I remember thinking some of the same things when they “forced” us to change from VHS to DVD. What was wrong with VHS?? Haha.
My absolute favorite Christmas movie is Christmas Vacation. But I also like Elf, A Christmas Story, White Christmas, and Home Alone (that counts, right?). And one that probably nobody else has heard of and is probably cheesy enough to play on the Hallmark channel, All I Want For Christmas. Unfortunately, ours got eaten by the VCR and I have yet to look for a new one. That just seems silly somehow, even though it is for some reason one of my favorites.
Okay, I saw a movie called All I Want for Christmas on Lifetime a few days ago. But maybe it’s a different one? Is there anyone famous in yours? I am so curious – I need to see this movie! :)
Probably not the same. This one is apparently from 1991: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101301/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Hey, the kid in it is in “A Far Off Place”! Isn’t that one you and Sandi liked?
Yep, it is!! And no, definitely not the same “All I Want…” movie! :)