Top 7 Nostalgic Christmas Movies to Watch on Netflix this Holiday Season

by Laura | Dec 17, 2018 | Joy, Life

There’s nothing better than snuggling up with your favorite blanket, grabbing a hot drink, and finding the perfect Netflix movie to really get that Christmas feeling going. That's why I've put together this short but sweet list of the top 10 nostalgic and retro Christmas movies to watch on Netflix this holiday season. In no particular order, since I know you’ll love each one of them: 

1. The Grinch

There's a pretty good chance you've seen The Grinch before, but this season calls for a repeat. If you really want to get in the mood for the Holiday season, what better way to start than by watching the most skeptical character slowly realize the wonders of Christmas?

2. The Nightmare Before Christmas

Nobody would have ever thought of mixing Halloween with Christmas, but Tim Burton did, and oh, did it work just perfectly.

In this movie we see Jack, the king of Halloween, suddenly discovering Christmas and falling totally in love with it. Not your typical Christmas movie, but still a classic that's totally worth watching.

3. Love Actually

When this movie came out back in 2003, it made us all fall in love with the idea of falling in love during the holidays! The plot features eight different romantic stories, each one showing us a different side of what it really means to be in love.

This movie manages to be funny, touching, and extremely sweet all at the same time. It’s perfect to sit down and watch it on a cold Christmas evening. 

4. White Christmas

An unmissable classic. If you haven't watched the 1954 movie, you have for sure heard the classic theme song.  White Christmas is an inspiring holiday story full of music and flair.

5. Rise of the Guardians

This movie isn’t centered around Christmas itself, but it does feature Jack Frost, a unique combination of Santa, the Tooth Fairy, and Easter Bunny, and the Sandman all together in one film. Plus, it has that warm, fuzzy feeling every Christmas movie has, so it absolutely belongs in this list. 

6. 48 Christmas Wishes

This movie about two elves trying to save Christmas and granting wishes to a little town will definitely warm up your heart! 

7. Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas

What's not to love about a movie where Huey, Dewey, and Louie ask for it to be Christmas every day, and their dream actually comes true?! After a few days of exhausting gift exchanges and pranks, they realize that family is the true gift in during the Holidays and every other season of the year. 

Featured image via Burst

The Pursuit of Happiness or Happiness in the Pursuit?

by Laura | Jan 3, 2018 | Joy, Life

Let’s talk about happiness. We’ve been sold the idea that it comes after a certain “pursuit”. That it’s an end we reach using other means. The other day I was looking at the brightest, most colorful tulips you can think of, perfectly placed against a rustic wood wall. The color lover I am, these bouquets drew me in almost magnetically. On looking at the petals closely, however, I realized these were silk tulips: delicately handcrafted petals glued together to resemble natural flowers. Real or not, naturally occurring or not, these tulips had given me joy. They also taught me a lesson about this “quest” for happiness we subject ourselves to. Are we obsessed with finding a specific type of “happy” that conforms to a goal we’ve been sold? Are we allowing random discoveries to ignite unexpected moments of happiness? Are we missing out on the silk tulips for going after fresh ones? Are we sacrificing the joy of every other season in our lives for the momentary changes brought about by a single period? Me? I’m deciding to make this year about “happy” as a lifestyle, not an end goal. A means, not an end. A celebration of the real, not a comparison with the expected.