IMG_4999, uploaded by [ecpark].

it’s the weekend after thanksgiving, which means it’s the official start of the “get-evan-prepped-for-christmas” season. you laugh, but i have found that after 30+ years of christmases (christmi? christmasuses?) i have developed a pre-christmas routine that boarders on obsessive.

first, we have the music. i’m currently sitting on 600+ christmas songs (from 30+ christmas albums) which means i can listen non-stop for about a day and a half without repeating the same version of a song. my itunes currently features 18 versions of silent night (my favorite is a classical russian folk recording) and if you ever want to have a conversation about the definitive recording of “o holy night” then i am your man (my vote is for the new orleans benefit version featured on studio 60 last year).

but mostly, we have the movies. and television. and cartoons. it all started about a decade ago when i noticed that the more christmas “stuff” i watched, the more likely i was to have a good christmas. this has now officially spiraled out of control, and has resulted in me watching about 20 dvds worth of goodies each holiday during November and December. actually, i have taken to throwing a “christmas cartoon extravaganza” each year to help spread the love (or share the burden, as it were).

my checklist for this year has 50+ items on it. while i certainly won’t get through more than about half of what you see here, i’ve documented the whole list so i don’t have to keep recreating it every year. if by some strange miracle i have forgotten something worth seeing, please mock my omission in the comments.

Best Christmas Cartoons & Best Christmas Specials

this selction include christmas cartoons (rankin-bass!) and several live action specials including various muppets. also included are television show episodes worth re-watching during the holidays, especially aaron sorkin productions (who has a knack for christmas that i wish he could spin into the other 364 days of his work each year).

A Charlie Brown Christmas A Chipmunk Christmas A Special Sesame Street Christmas Emmett Otter’s Jug Band Christmas Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends (“Christmas Special”) Frosty Returns Frosty the Snowman Frosty’s Winter Wonderland Grandma Got Runover By a Reindeer Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn’t Happen How the Grinch Stole Christmas It’s Christmas Time Again, Charlie Brown John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together Little Drummer Boy M*A*S*H (“Death Takes a Holiday”) Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey Olive, the Other Reindeer

Pee-wee’s Playhouse (“Christmas Special”) Robbie the Reindeer Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Rudolph’s Shiny New Year Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (“The Christmas Show”) ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas The Life And Adventures Of Santa Claus The West Wing (“In Excelsis Deo”) The West Wing (“Noël”) The West Wing (“Holy Night”) The Year Without a Santa Claus

Best Christmas Movies

some are good (miracle on 34th), some are bad (santa conquers the martians) but anything is fair game (die hard) if it happens at christmas.

About a Boy A Christmas Carol A Christmas Story Bad Santa Christmas in Connecticut Christmas Vacation (National Lampoon’s) Christmas with the Kranks Die Hard Die Hard 2: Die Harder Elf Ernest Saves Christmas Holiday Inn Home Alone It’s a Wonderful Life Love Actually Miracle on 34th Street (1947) Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

Prancer Santa Claus Conquers the Martians Santa vs. Snowman Saturday Night Live Christmas Scrooge Scrooged The Muppet Christmas Carol The Nightmare Before Christmas The Polar Express The Ref The Santa Clause The Santa Clause 2 Trapped in Paradise White Christmas

again, if i have forgotten something worth seeing, please share.