Gingerbread Man Aprons

Do you love gingerbread, gingerbread men and Christmas? If you do, you are going to love the fun gingerbread aprons that I have gathered together for you here on this page. 

I remember taking my boys to the bakery when they were little and their eyes lighting up when they saw the gingerbread men in the display case. Why not bring a little of that joy home permanently with a gingerbread man-themed apron?

We loved the original children's story by Paul Galdone. The gingerbread man is not, despite what you might think, a one-season wonder. His story actually takes place in another season and it is quite appropriate to celebrate gingerbread men all year long. 

1. Baking Spirits Bright is a retired, bright red apron from the Disney Parks that features Mickey and Minnie Mouse. You can find it on eBay by clicking right here.
2. The all-over print, full length apron with the black strap (shown second) is from CSybel on Etsy. You can find it here in her shop.
3. The green apron with a solid background and the image of a large gingerbread man (shown third) is from Amazon and can be found here.
4. The red checkered apron with an embroidered gingerbread boy (shown fourth) offers a warm and cheery, old-fashioned feeling. It is also from Amazon and can be found here. 
5. The final apron, the black one with the line up of gingerbread man, is available from Melanie Rose's Shop on Etsy. You can find it here in her shop.

Will you be wearing a gingerbread man-themed apron this year?

See you

in the kitchen!

Brenda 

Treasures By Brenda

MORE APRONS AND MORE CHRISTMAS 

Cooking For The Holidays? Tie On A Christmas Apron! 

If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen at Christmastime, you should definitely own a Christmas apron! Christmas Cookie Gift Ideas Love cookies and Christmas? You'll love these great Christmas cookie-themed gift ideas. 

The Best Sizzlin' Hot Barbecue Aprons 

Summertime and the living is easy. Great weather, good music and your trusty friend, the barbecue, will help you prepare some good food. Before you throw your meat on the grill though you might want to throw on a grilling apron. 

How to Make a Cookie-Themed Gift Set 

On this page, find the ingredients to create a cookie themed gift set, which include, unsurprisingly, a cookie-themed apron.

Bah, Humbug! A Romantic Christmas Novella eBook

If you're looking for a sweet Christmas story that is a bit shorter than a novel, check out this novella. As I type this today, it is actually free in Kindle or audiobook formats.

10 Great Grinch-Themed Coffee Mugs

If there's a The Grinch Who Stole Christmas fan in your life, there's a mug for him or her!

Hallmark's The Christmas Train Movie Review

Love Hallmark movies? Check out this Christmas one.

Christmas Cookie History & Traditions

Do you know when cookie day is? Discover that date and more about Christmas cookies.

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WestJet Christmas Miracles

For today’s post, I thought I would rework an old post and offer up a bit of Christmas cheer in the form of a review of an event that a Canadian airline sponsored in 2013. Here's my story. 

We were at a Christmas party when someone said, "You have to see this." They turned on the television and pulled up a video on YouTube. We all watched with amazement as the passengers from two planes scanned their boarding passes and visited with Santa Claus. What happened next, was truly unexpected. 

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS REAL TIME GIVING (2013)

See for yourself what happened in this video called WestJet Christmas Miracle: Real Time Giving or Twas the Night Before Christmas.

Quite a video, isn't it? It must have been totally unbelievable at first. The passengers on that plane will never forget that flight with WestJet and nor will I. Not that I was there, of course. I was a participant via the video, just like you will be if you watch now.

SANTA'S BLOOPERS (2013)

And don't miss the Santa's Bloopers video. I love a good blooper reel!

FLASH MOB (2012)

But it turns out that the Christmas 2013 was not the first time Westjet 'performed' for Christmas for in 2012, the employees performed as a flash mob at the Calgary airport:

With over 50 million views of that 2013 video, Westjet definitely scored a public relations coup with their Santa Claus project 'Twas A Night Before Christmas and they made a pretty memorable day for all of the passengers involved. According to one newsreel that I read at the time, Westjet was planning for the next year right away.

MIRACLE MILES (2022)

Fast forward now with me to 2022 when I discover that WestJet has another Christmas Miracle video, this one called Christmas: Miracle Miles.

A quick peek on YouTube shows that WestJet may have done a similar video throughout the intervening years. I won't share them all here with you but I will smile at the kindness displayed in these videos.

 
Merry Christmas!

Brenda

MORE CHRISTMAS READING:

Hallmark Christmas Movies

How to Make a Christmas Cookie Gift Set

How to Create a Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Gift Set

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The Spirit of Christmas (2015) Movie Review

When I am decorating for Christmas, I have to take breaks to eat.   During those breaks, I kick my feet up and enjoy my dinner with a movie.  I frequently depend on the classics like "Miracle of 34th Street" or "Christmas in Connecticut" because I know the stories will be delightfully enchanting.  This year, instead of pulling out one of my faithful DVDs, I decided to watch a new movie online.   Well, at least for one of my breaks, I decided to watch a new movie. The classics still await!

After a brief search on Amazon, I found a new Christmas movie that sounded quite appealing to me.  The description of The Spirit of Christmas reminded me of one of my all time favorite movies, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.  Now, it would be most unreasonable for me to think I could happen upon a current day movie equal to The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, but I did very much enjoy watching The Spirit of Christmas. 

Part of what makes The Ghost and Mrs. Muir such a fabulous movie, are the actors that play the main characters.  Gene Tierney is timelessly gorgeous and Rex Harrison is simply a phenomenal actor that is appropriately dark, yet dignified.  By comparison, the main actress in The Spirit of Christmas, Jen Lilley, is stunningly beautiful and Thomas Beaudoin is a very handsome, distinguished ghost.  Both ghosts simply wish to be left alone in their homes.  Both women are determined to stay right where they are regardless of moody, sometimes overbearing spirits.

Plot of The Spirit of Christmas

The main story takes place current day, but as one would expect with ghosts, the past plays a huge part in the present.  Ninety-five years ago, Daniel Forsythe was returning home to his one true love for Christmas when he was murdered in the yard of his home.  Every year, he returns to Hollygrove Inn 12 days before Christmas.
 The Spirit of Christmas  
Present-day, Kate Jordan is a successful lawyer who is not successful in love.  Her career at Patton and Turner law firm comes first. And frankly, she isn't sure she even knows how to love.  

After the death of Henrietta Forsythe, Patton and Turner law firm becomes the executor of the Forsythe estate, which mostly consists of Hollygrove Inn.  As such, Kate is tasked with getting the inn appraised and sold before the end of the year.  That only gives her 3 weeks to get the job done.  The biggest problem Kate faces is getting a loyal appraiser for the property.  It is widely known that Hollygrove Inn is haunted by it's previous owner, Daniel Forsythe.

Shortly after arriving at Hollygrove Inn in Vermont, Kate meets Daniel Forsythe.  He is not at all what she expected.  To begin with, he is well dressed and she can actually touch him.  Plus, he enjoys eatting real food.  He is nothing like what she expected of a ghost.  After hearing the story of how he was murdered and how his fiance' subsequently married his brother, Kate decides her number one focus should be solving Daniel's murder so he can rest in peace.  Thereby, also resolving the ghost problem of the inn.  As Daniel and Kate start working together, digging into his past, exploring his memories, they quickly become friends.  She finds that she actually cares about him and what really happened to him. 

However, it is not that simple and Daniel is not the only ghost haunting Hollygrove.

This really is a wonderful romantic suspense Christmas movie that I can highly recommend!  So, be sure to take a break this holiday, sit back, kick your feet up and watch The Spirit of Christmas. 

 The Spirit of Christmas Purchase the DVD The Spirit of Christmas - Rent the Movie & 

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My Christmas Confession! Heart Warming Stories Make Me Happy!

Yes, I have a confession to make.  

Since my husband and I decided to get into Amazon Prime, my Television watching has increased by 100%.  I thought I'd take a moment and review why my TV habits have changed.

For years now, our television set was just a big black screen that we would show our family pictures on.  Neither myself nor my other half were interested in anything that was being shown for entertainment purposes, on most cable channels.  So our TV became our picture show instead.  Our cable was cancelled and the only thing he missed was his hockey games.  I did not miss anything about the TV.  I did start reading a lot more and that was not a bad thing either.  Then............

That all changed when he signed up for Prime!  Initially he signed up so that our items would ship for free and quickly.  He's the impatient one in our family.  What he did not fully realize when he signed up, was all the added bonuses that came along with his membership in the Amazon Prime community.

Because we have Prime, we are now able to watch many varied and wonderful shows that cable companies don't offer.  I haven't even scratched the surface of what's available on Amazon Prime.  

So here's part of the confession:  I go to Prime Movies and look for fun and new Christmas Specials.  After all, it is that time of year.  There are so many movies that I have never heard of before.  There is a category called Family and Kids Movies!  That is exactly what they offer!    I know when I pick something from this category, that I won't need to worry about the content being for "adult audiences".  

Family Movies is full of wonderful films that are good for all ages.  There are animated movies and movies from all over the world.

I just happened to come across a movie called the Christmas Story.  I expected the usual Santa Claus story and while it was along that line, it was a whole new story to me.  This one had a twist in it that made it a real heart tugging movie.  Filmed in Finland and Lapland, the scenery is breathtaking and the actors are pretty good too.  There is no one in the movie whose name I recognized, but, there is talent out there in the world too.

Prime not only offers you TV that you will enjoy watching, but books (with membership you get 3 free books a month), and music.  So these have all been added bonuses for us.  My other half just wanted to save money on shipping and time.  What he got was a whole lot more!  

All together I would say that getting Prime for your family would be a gift that will keep on giving long after Christmas is over.  Those are the kind of gifts I like and would really enjoy!  I'm sure there is someone out there that feels the same way and has not yet taken the plunge into the world of Prime.

I had given up watching Television for over 4 years and now that we have Prime available to us, I know that when the itch to watch something hits, I can get a show that I  know I will enjoy.

If you don't have Prime yet, consider it for your family.  I'm sure that you won't regret it.

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The Santa Clause Movie Collection Review

A few days ago, I was looking for a movie to watch so I could take a break from work.  I wanted a movie that would be easy to watch.  Not one that required a lot of thought or emotional investment.   Comedy preferred.  After scrolling past dozens of Christmas movies, my husband recommended "The Santa Clause".   My first reaction was negative simply because I am not really a big Santa fan, however I am a Tim Allen fan.  Since nothing else appealed, I thought why not!  It turned out to be a really good choice and I ended up watching all 3 movies in the Santa Clause collection.  The movies were lighthearted and funny.  Perhaps, even enchanting and magical.  That was the perfect combination for my movie day. 

Tim Allen never ceases to entertain!  I highly recommend spending a day in his company and watching Tim magically become Santa.

Plot of The Santa Clause Movies

Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) is a divorced father who spends most of his life working. He is pressed for time as he is rushing home on Christmas Eve to meet his ex-wife who is dropping their son off to spend the night. As was obviously the norm during their marriage, Scott and his wife's conversation turned into an argument when Scott discovered his ex-wife and husband told his son, Charlie, that Santa was a myth.  He felt that was a decision that he should have been consulted about beforehand and not just informed of after the fact.

 The Santa Clause DVD
(Full Screen Special Edition) Scott wishes to make his son's Christmas Eve perfect.  He tried to make the perfect dinner, but burned the turkey.  They ended up having to eat dinner at a restaurant.  He read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" to his son, but Charley fall asleep while he was reading, or at least it appeared he was asleep.

After Scott had gone to bed himself, Charley heard a noise on the roof and ran to his father's bedroom.  Scott immediately ran outside without getting dressed to investigate and saw Santa on his roof.  He yelled up at the man on his roof and startled him so bad that Santa fell off and onto the snow covered ground in front of him.  Searching him for identification, Scott found a business card inside the coat that simply identified the man as Santa Claus.

When Charley came running out, he saw the reindeer on the roof and wanted to climb the ladder that mysteriously appeared.  Of course, Scott followed, but he was freezing.  When he looked back at the spot where Santa had landed, the man had disappeared but his clothes were still laying there on the ground.  He grabbed the suit and started up the ladder.

Charley and Scott climbed into the sleigh and at Charley's insistence, Scott put on the Santa outfit.  The reindeer took off!  They delivered gifts miraculously appeared in the Santa bag at each house where the reindeer stopped.  Then, Scott said "let's go home" and the reindeer took them to the North Pole.  It was there that he discovered that by putting on the Santa coat, he had agreed to become Santa as stated on the card inside the Santa suit.  Of course, as with many legally binding contracts, the clause was written so small on the card, that Scott could not read it without a huge magnifying glass.  They were "returned" home the next morning, but Scott immediately started noticing a difference in his appearance.  He gained a lot of weight and even after he had shaved, a beard would immediately start growing back.  He was becoming Santa whether it wanted it or not.

The ending was expected, but still cute.  The story was fun and easy to watch.  When I noted that was a "Santa Clause 2", I wanted to continue watching.

I actually liked the second movie even better.

The Santa Clause 2 Movie Plot

In this movie, Scott, who is now Santa, is informed that he must marry if he wishes to remain Santa Claus.  The story is mostly about him seeking a wife and how he met the woman who would end up becoming Mrs. Claus.  However, my favorite part of this movie had to be Comet, the reindeer.  I also liked that they included a council of other fictional characters like mother nature, father time, the Easter bunny, the tooth fairy, and more.  Those characters made this movie truly delightful.

Between the dialog of the fictional figures, the animated reindeer and Tim Allen, I found myself laughing out loud several times during this movie. Plus, it is truly amazing how much Tim Allen looks like a plump, rosy cheeked Santa.

 Santa Clause 2
(Full Screen Edition)

The Santa Clause 3:  The Escape Clause Movie Plot

In this final movie, we are introduced to "Jack Frost" who wants equal status with Santa, mother nature, father time and the rest.  When Frost discovers the secret of the "escape clause" for a serving Santa, he devises a way to trick Santa into returning to his former life so Frost himself can become Santa Claus.

All of these movies were filmed and released over a decade ago, but I just discovered them.  Since I enjoyed watching them so much, I decided the collection should be reviewed and recommended to anyone else who may have missed seeing them in the past.  I can tell you based on my own experience, that even those of us who do not fully embrace Santa Claus, will still enjoy these delightful movies.

 The Santa Clause 3-Movie CollectionCheck Price The Santa ClauseCheck Price The Santa Clause 2Check Price The Santa Clause 3: The Escape ClauseCheck Price

 

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My Favorite Hallmark Couples Reviewed

Hallmark has become synonymous with the light romantic comedy with a family friendly happy ending - is that a bad thing?

Ah yes, I have seen quite a few Hallmark movies and through the years a few actors have hit upon a winning chemistry and their movies spurred sequels. Yes, Hallmark fans are aware the story lines are romantic, perhaps formulatic. Long lost loves reuniting is a frequent theme - and we are ok with that! Opposites attract and fall in love - and we are ok with that! The commoner and the royalty fall in love at the palace - and we are ok with that!

Enjoy a few of my favorite Hallmark couples and series; bookmark these movies for a nice two hours of happy entertainment.

Lacey Chabert And Brennan Elliott

The All My Heart series:

This duo have been dubbed the Hepburn And Tracy of The Hallmark Channel and their chemistry and comedic timing are evident. The All Of My Heart series began when both inherited a run down country inn; although neither knew each other prior to the inheritance.

Different worlds and different goals collide as they decide to renovate the home into a Bed And Breakfast.

Travel along their humorous journey of inn renovation when roommates turn into soulmates.

 All Of My Heart
All Of My Heart: Inn Love
All Of My Heart: The Wedding

and now teaming together on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Channel in Crossword Mysteries.

Jack Wagner And Josie Bissett

Seventeen years after Melrose Place and this duo has teamed up for The Wedding March Hallmark movies.


Mick (Jack Wagner) and Olivia (Josie Bissett) are college sweethearts who unexpectedly meet when Olivia's daughter books her wedding at Mick's charming country inn. Of course Olivia's daughter had no idea of their history and the inevitable sparks of unresolved sweethearts begin to fly.

Once again it is the chemistry that is difficult to ignore as the romance progresses. The quips and banter is witty and natural just as one would expect with long time friends and former co-workers.

The Wedding March Series
The Wedding March:
The Wedding March 2: Resorting To Love
The Wedding March 3: Here Comes The Bride
The Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New

Rachael Leigh Cook And Brendan Penny

Enter the gorgeous scenery of wine country as this couple navigates competing family run wineries and learning to love their craft and each other along the way.

 The In the Vineyard series highlights the witty banter, competitive humor and likability of the couple.

Add to the mix the very different ways each approaches the business of the vineyard and each other which allows the chemistry to shine.

In The Vineyard Series
Autumn In The Vineyard
Valentine In The Vineyard
Summer In The Vineyard




There are of course more favorite Hallmark movies, click here to find my Top Ten Hallmark Christmas movies.

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A Brush With Christmas (2022) - Great American Family Movie Review

If you are looking for an easy Christmas movie to sit back and watch, I recommend "A Brush With Christmas".  It doesn't require intense concentration or a great deal of emotional investment, it is simply pure entertainment that provides a welcome distraction from the holiday stresses in your own life.

This is the first movie I have seen starring Jillian Murray or Joseph Cannata, and I found them both adorably endearing.  Murray is the perfect choice to play the part of a sweet, devoted & self-sacrificing daughter and Joseph Cannata makes an excellent concerned friend/boyfriend who tries to be helpful.

___

I watched "A Brush With Christmas" on PureFlix.com.  My husband gave me an early Christmas gift this year as soon as we discovered the site.  We signed up to the streaming service and he gave me a 1 year subscription.  It was the perfect gift for me!  Great American Pure Flix is dedicated to offering "the best in quality faith, family, and hometown-values entertainment".  I have already watched several movies on PureFlix and I love it!   

A Brush With Christmas Synopsis

Charlotte (Jillian Murray) is an artist, a painter to be more precise, but she works alongside her mother in the restaurant that was her father's dream.  She loves the family legacy and embraces being head chef, but her heart is really in painting.  

It is not unusual for an artist to work to pay the bills and "create" in their off time.  However, Charlotte's mother requires more of Charlotte in the restaurant than a normal job would demand.  That responsibility is even greater during the holidays when business is booming.

A Brush with Christmas

Charlotte is torn between the restaurant and her own desire to paint a Christmas picture to submit for the local art festival.  Time is limited, which makes it impossible for her to do both things well.  Under additional pressure from her mother, Charlotte makes the difficult decision to literally trash her half finished Christmas picture and focus on the extra seasonal demands at the restaurant.

______

Wyatt Graham (Joseph Cannata) is very successful and well known in the art world, but he is taking a much needed break from his job.  While business offers him a way to use his artistic ability, computer generated art is not as fulfilling for him as holding a pencil and drawing.  He is happy to be visiting his friend, David, who just moved to Bayside and he hopes to spend time back with his "drawing board".  

When David enters him in the city Christmas art festival, Wyatt is pretty excited to gather supplies and start creating, but finding the subject to draw proves to be a little more challenging.  Plus, he finds himself distracted by a lovely local artist.

 

More Great American Family Movie Reviews

Twas the Text Before Christmas (2023)

A Dash of Christmas (2023)

From Chicago With Love (2023) 

Accidentally Engaged (2016)

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ReviewThisMovies.com

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Christmas Jars - Movie Review

Watch Christmas Jars - Free Online Streaming

This time of year I am looking for inspirational movies in keeping with the true spirit of Christmas.  I love stories with heart, so when I came upon Christmas Jars, I knew I had found my kind of holiday movie.

Based on Jason F. Wright's New York Times bestselling novel, this film is for anyone who appreciates a focus on kindness, generosity, hope, forgiveness, compassion, and family.

As the movie begins, Hope Jensen, a 22-year-old aspiring writer is going through really hard times. Just when she is at her lowest, Hope discovers that someone has left a jar filled with coins on her doorstep.

The mystery of who committed this random act of kindness grips Hope.  She goes into full investigative journalist mode in her quest to uncover the perpetrator of this anonymous generosity.

Of course, there are twists and turns along the way, for that is the nature of life, and a good holiday movie.  Hope does find the beautiful individual who left her a gift much bigger than a sum of money.  Things become complicated, however, when she must choose between protecting the identity of her benefactor or achieving the long-awaited dream of publishing the feature that skyrockets her career.

This isn't a spoiler review, so I am being careful not to reveal too much.  Let's just say there will be elements of romance and finding what you have always needed.  In wrestling with her moral dilemma, and coming out on the other side, Hope experiences the power of compassion, forgiveness, and chosen family.

Though the movie is associated with a faith organization, there are no religious overtones.  It is simply a wholesome family film that can be enjoyed by all.  Originally released in November of 2019 as a special one-night theater event, Christmas Jars recently made its debut on television.  Both the original novel and the movie have spawned an ever-expanding kindness movement.  Millions of dollars in spare change has been collected and distributed to individuals in need.

In conjunction with seeing the movie (I've provided you with this link to watch it for free online), I encourage you to visit the Christmas Jars website to be moved by the personal stories of recipients of that kindness.  There is so much goodness that often goes unreported by the news networks.  I found that these true stories were a reminder that it is the small acts of love that change the world for the better—one person at a time.

As I was working on this review, and doing my own Hope-esque search for the backstory behind this movie, and the phenomenon of the Christmas Jars, I discovered something really wondrous.  The author of the book, Jason F. Wright, actually started the tradition of the Christmas jar with his wife and young children back in 2004.

When they were looking for a new family tradition that would make the holidays extra special, they decided to place all of their spare change in a jar throughout the weeks leading up to Christmas.  Then, they would select someone—an individual or family—who needed some encouragement.  That first jar contained about $88.  On Christmas Eve, they crept up on the chosen family's porch, placed their jar of coins by the door, rang the doorbell, and then ran to hide behind some bushes.

Here's where it gets really good.  In 2005, when Wright's book was first released, and had not yet achieved NYT bestseller status, he found himself downsized at work and a bit financially strapped.  It was at that moment when someone anonymously left Wright and his family their very own Christmas jar.  The tradition had gone full circle.  How beautiful is that?

It may not seem like much, but as you will read from the testimonies, a Christmas jar can be miraculous to the one needing a miracle, or a reminder that they are seen and loved.  I am filling my own jar of coins even as we speak.  On Christmas Eve, I plan to leave someone a little bit of tender loving kindness.  For what are the holidays if not a time to be a messenger of hope and light?

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Review of Classic Movie Night

 A classic movie night is a great way to share an evening with friends, good food, and watch some great old movies.

Starting Our Classic Movie Night

    In early 2006 several of our friends and us decided to get together for a night of entertainment.  There were three couples involved and we decided we would enjoy having dinner together and then watching a classic movie.  When we started we decided to take turns hosting the evening and the host would provide the meal and the movie choice. 

      Over the years the evening has evolved and  now our monthly evenings ended up being about 4-6 times a year. We also now all contribute to the meal with one person bringing the entree, one the side dish and a third the dessert.  Over the years we have had breaks due to health issues and Covid but we always get back to all wanting to have our evenings together.  Everytime we meet we have a great time and say we must do this more often.  But then, life happens and it ends up being several months before we get together again.

   Back in 2006, the first movie we saw was Casablanca with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.  We felt it was the perfect movie to start our "Classic Movie Nights"

 Here is a link to Casablanca on Amazon.  You might want to choose it for your first "Classic Movie Night"                 

Casablanca

The first year we got together we would sometimes see two movies when we got together. We have since decided that we would rather just watch one movie, leaving plenty of time for a discussion on the movie and other conversation.

Keeping Track of Our Movies

    One of the things I started right from the beginning is keeping a list of all the movies we watched.  My daughter gave me a great little book.  This little journal book gives you a page for each movie you see.  I list the title, director, stars and date we watched it.  There is also places for ratings and comments.  Over the years we have referred back to this book whenever we are looking for another movie to watch.  When someone says we already saw that one as a group, we just pull out the book and check.  Our memories can sure play tricks on us.  Here is a link to this movie journal on Amazon.

Movies to Check OUt

Choosing the Movies to Watch

    Choosing the movies to watch can be a fun part of the night too.  We all see each other at other times in the month so we will have discussions on what to watch.  We all prefer different types of movies so we try to alternate who makes the final decision and we have each been enriched by watching movies we might not of watched if we weren't in the group.

     One discussion we have had over the years is to determine what is and isn't a classic movie.  We have checked lots of lists online for ideas but basically it comes down to an old movie that we really would like to see.  Usually we try for something at least 50 years old.

One of our favorite movies we have watched is 12 Angry Men. This  movie stars Henry Fonda, Lee J Cobb, Ed Begley, EG Marshall and Jack Warden.  When we talk about good movies we have watched over the years 12 Angry Men always enters the discussion.  It was the movie we saw the second time we got together. 

Here is a list of some of our other favorites over the years.  There are many more and I would say that in the 40 plus movies we have viewed we only found a couple that none of us liked.

• Breakfast at Tiffanys
• Stagecoach
• Fortune Cookie
• Double Indemnity
• Some Like it Hot
• Manchurian Candidate
• Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
• Pride of the Yankees
• African Queen
• Birdcage
• On the Waterfront
• Citizen Kane
• Sabrina
• Key Largo
• True Lies
• The Quiet Man

Theme Nights

Sometimes we have theme nights.  Recently for a night near Valentines Day we watched a romantic comedy. When Harry Met Sally.   During the political elections we watched a comedy My Fellow  Americans with Dan Akroyd, James Garner and Jack Lemmon.

    In December we try to watch a Christmas classic.  Among others we have watched Going My way and The Bishop's Wife.  Here is a review fellow reviewer Cynthia did on The Bishop's Wife.

https://www.reviewthisreviews.com/2021/12/the-bishops-wife-classic-movie-review.html

Future Choices

We are always looking for good movies to watch.  If you have a favorite please list it in the comment section so we can consider it for a future "Classic Movie Night".  

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Catering Christmas (2022) Movie

When scanning the current Christmas movies, I came across Catering Christmas starring Merritt Patterson and Daniel Lissing. It is a great romantic movie to add to your "must see" Christmas movie list. As a matter of fact, I plan to watch it again.

I was not previously familiar with Merritt Patterson, but after seeing this movie, I really like her.  I have seen Daniel Lissing in other movies, notably When Calls the Heart series where he played the part of Jack Thornton.  He was extremely popular on that series because of his gentle and caring demeanor.  That personality trait shines through in Catering Christmas as well.

While this movie may be predictable, it is still entertaining.  Both main characters are adorable and several times made me laugh. It is always nice to find an uplifting movie to watch and I highly recommend this movie.

Catering Christmas (2022) Review

As the owner of a catering business, Molly Frost (Merritt Patterson) is working hard to succeed in her community, but she needs clients.  All to often, she loses bids to cover events to her competitor.  When she is approached by Jean Harrison to cover the local Christmas Gala sponsored by the prominent Harrison Foundation, she is over the moon, until she finds out she will have to compete to get the job. Jean requests that she come to her home and prepare a meal for her evaluation and comparison to the other caterer.  

Molly is in need of a sous chef to help her prepare the meal and quickly hires her employee's friend.  She doesn't know him, but she trusts her friend/employee.  The "friend" is to meet her at the Harrison estate.  When the unknown man enters the Harrison kitchen, Molly assumes he is her sous chef for the day.  Intrigued, Carson Harrison (Daniel Lissing) plays along, until the real sous chef shows up!

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Jean Harrison is ready to pass the torch of the Harrison Foundation to her reluctant nephew, Carson.  He is a successful photographer and is not ready to accept full responsibility of the foundation, but he does agree to help his aunt by taking over this year's annual gala.  His first task will be to set the menu for the evening.  He doesn't really care and is content to pass that off onto the caterer, but Jean does not approve of the dinner selections.

There are big adjustments and changes for everyone involved.  It is rather entertaining to watch the various relationships evolve. I even found myself laughing a few times.

 

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Top 5 Valentine's Day Hallmark Movies Reviewed

Hallmark and Valentine's Day do seem like a well matched pair! While romance and comedy remains the theme of Hallmark movies and of course a fan cannot forget the  the catch phrase "It's complicated" and a mug of the requisite hot cocoa in movies all year long (Hallmark fans do have a sense of humor too!)

Valentine's Day does bring an extra dose of romance, chocolate and love is in the air at Hallmark. While Hallmark premiers movies all year there are always a few movies each season that stand out as perennial favorites. This year and in no specific order are older Hallmark movies which will be sprinkled throughout the Valentines' Day season of movies. The top 5 Valentine's Day Hallmark movies are ...

Love, Romance, Chocolate with Lacey Chabert and Will Kemp

Cannot have Valentine's Day without a little or in this movie alot of chocolate! European villages, royalty and the annual chocolate competition and chocolatiers fill the small screen as the chemistry develops between village visiting Chabert and Village chocolatier Kemp.

Very Very Valentine with Danica McKellar and Cameron Mathieson

This is a charming movie with believable chemistry as the characters are best friends - or are they?

Flower shop owner plus the best friend who pines for the flower shop owner, masquerade ball and flower contest keep the backstory interesting as the flower shop owner McKellar preps for Valentine's Day.

My Secret Valentine with Lacey Chabert and Andrew Walker

The future of the family winery is at stake with Chabert trying to save the families legacy. Walker portrays a smooth sales representative in hopes of convincing the family to sell and so the clash between the characters begin. The chalkboard enters as the third character (wink) as the board becomes the conversation link. The chemistry between the actors make this rom com a must see in the Valentine's Day rotation.

And of course it is always Christmas at Hallmark! Enjoy the 2023 Christmas movie reviews here in case you missed any during the holidays.

Vineyard Series with Rachael Leigh Cook and Brendan Penny

The Vineyard series is a threefer with three movies in the popular series: Autumn In The Vineyard, Summer In The Vineyard and Valentine In The Vineyard. The movies center around two feuding families in gorgeous wine country and the inevitable sparks between the younger generations of Cook and Penny. As the movies progress so does the relationship between the characters and their trials and tribulations with fulfilling their vineyard dreams. The third installation is the Valentine In The Vineyard - no spoiler alert - the relationship between the characters builds with each movie and Valentine's Day does make an appearance.

The series is based on the St. Helena Vineyard books and filmed in gorgeous British Columbia.

 Cooking With Love with Ali Liebert and Brett Dalton

TV producer meets temperamental and uncooperative chef as he lands ever so temperamentally in her cooking show which needs a fill in chef. Fill in chef is not happy and the back and forth begins. Cute and funny rom com filled with Kimberly Sustad is a strong second female lead and adds favorably to the mix. Liebert also starred in the A Gift To Remember and its' sequel which are Hallmark fan favorite films to watch and re watch.

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The Christmas Train Hallmark Movie Review

The Christmas Train is a wonderful star-studded Hallmark Hall of Fame Christmas movie.  The movie is based on the book by David Baldacci.  This movie originally aired in 2017, but I only recently discovered it on the Hallmark channel. 

During the holidays, I occasionally need a break from cooking, company, noise, and the annual chaos generated by a large family. Please understand, I wouldn't change a thing, but I do still need brief intermissions in the midst of our family multi-day holiday gatherings.  That is when I grab my iPad, seek out a quiet spot, and watch a Hallmark Christmas movie.  Works like a charm!  After the movie, I am refreshed, happy and ready to interact with real people again. 

I really needed a good movie to watch the day I happened upon The Christmas Train.  It turned out to be the perfect movie with a cast of fabulous actors who were all endearing for various reasons.  Every passenger on The Christmas Train had their own story and their own reasons for being on a train the week of Christmas.  From a film director, a writer seeking a new story, to the quirky, nosy woman who seemed to be overly interested in everyone, they all added value to the movie.  

 

The Christmas Train Synopsis

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Tom Langdon (Dermot Mulroney) was the last person Eleanor (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) expected to encounter on the Christmas train and she was the last person he expected to see.  It is immediately obvious to everyone that they already know each other and that there is "history", and pain, between them.  

Max Powers (Danny Glover) is the film director who believes Tom and Eleanor should set aside the past and work together to write a new film for him.  They reluctantly agree to collaborate, only because Eleanor couldn't find another form of transportation.  

As Tom and Eleanor interact with the other passengers, tidbits of their past together are shared.  But what really makes this a fun ride, is the combination of the stories of the passengers and their willingness to befriend one another. 

We have all had an "Agnes" (Joan Cusack) in our life. The nosy "neighbor" who seems to know everything about everyone.  We learn a lot about each passenger thanks to Agnes making their business, her business, and then sharing it with others.  

There is also an eloping couple who become important to the story because both Eleanor and Tom must dredge up old memories in order to offer advice to this struggling couple.  Even Max gets involved with helping them find their way to the altar.  

There are several other passengers on the train who are important to the complete story.  I'll let you discover them for yourself! 

 

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If you enjoy a sweet romantic movie, then you will love The Christmas Train starring Danny Glover, Joan Cusack, Dermot Mulroney, and Kimberly Williams-Paisley. 

After seeing the movie, I definitely want to read the book now!

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