I probably wrote about this movie last Christmas too but oh well. I got it from Netflix and watched it again tonight. I’m going to have to buy it to include in my Christmas movie selection.
The movie stars Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis and Dan Aykroyd. The Kranks (Tim and Jamie) have decided that since their only child is off at the Peace Corps for the holiday season, they are going to skip their neighborhood Christmas and go on a cruise instead. Christmas is a huge deal in their neighborhood – everyone decorates their homes to the hilt including huge 8 ft Frosty the Snowmen ornament on their roofs.
When word gets out that the Kranks are skipping Christmas, everyone binds together to make life miserable for them as they count down to cruise day which happens to set sail on Christmas. They finally get everyone alienated enough to leave them alone when their daughter calls. She has decided to fly home to surprise them for Christmas and is bringing her new fiance who has never seen a “real American” Christmas.
The Kranks have to scramble to get their house decorated, food purchased, decorations up and people invited over for their annual Christmas Eve party. Irritated neighbors decided that the real meaning of Christmas was to help their fellow man so they all end up pitching in to make it the best Christmas ever.
It is predictable but funny. I’ve decided to start watching Christmas movies now to help me get in the spirit of the season this year. This was the first one – I will probably watch Scrooged next weekend.
Unfortunately, the movie not only made me look forward to Christmas, it also made me sad. You see, one of my big plans for moving back home was to have the holidays at my house. I wanted to have a townhouse big enough to have all my family and friends over for Christmas dinner. I wanted to decorate to the hilt, complete with electric train around the real tree. I wanted tacky lawn ornaments and cheerful music. I wanted to dress my dogs up like reindeer. I wanted a ton of gaily wrapped presents under the tree, etc.
However, it isn’t going to happen again this year. I have a tiny miniature fiber optic tree and that is about it. My apartment is way too small to have a party. So it is sad to me that here comes Christmas in two months and I’m still not settled in. I’m still not where I want to be though I’ve been home a year and a half now. Doesn’t seem right. {sigh}
