The British do Holidays the Best

Sorry America, but the British know how to do Christmas and they do it good.  It's about the 3 F's family,  "footy" (that's soccer for you Yanks) and food.  Do you know what Christmas Crackers are? Well, they are not food and they are pretty amazing.  They are these cardboard tubes filled with a little gun-powder that pop when you pull them apart.  Inside are many treasures, value differs depending on the ones you buy, a joke, and a magical crown that you wear on top of your head during dinner.  I look pretty good in a hat, if I say so myself, so I love rockin' my Christmas crown!

Photo courtesy of teaandsympathynewyork.com

And of course when I think of the Holidays I think of spending my time off curled up on my couch with my doggies and kitty watching some great movies.  Here are my favorite British Holiday films:

Love Actually

Who doesn't love this movie?  Well written, cast, and edited.  Some noteworthy performances from Keira Knightley, Andrew Lincoln (pre-Walking Dead fame), Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Hugh Grant, and many more stars.  It makes you laugh, cry, and realize everyone needs a little love on Christmas. And knowing movies, I think you can guess what I've chosen as one of my favorite scenes.  That's right,the musical cover, and one of the best versions of this Mariah Carey hit


Bridget Jones's Diary

A re-imagining of Jane Austen, a British romantic comedy staring Colin Firth as Mark Darcy, holiday time in England, this could be known as my perfect movie.  Initially there was some concern over Renee Zellweger being cast as Bridget (or maybe that was just me!), but I think she does a great job. You have to want to root for Bridget even in her worst moments and I never stop liking Renee in the film.  I think any woman can relate to Bridget.  She says the wrong thing at the wrong time, does the wrong thing at the wrong time, but has a great heart, and all she really wants is a good man to love her even if she drinks, eats, and smokes a little too much! This is definitely a swoon-worthy scene where Colin Firth's character Mark Darcy tells Bridget how he likes her...just the way she is!  Oh, if there were more Mr. Darcy's...

The Holiday

Heartbroken at Christmas, house-swapping vacations, Jude Law & Kate Winslet in the same movie, yes please!  This movie takes place in LA and England but the English actors and the scenes in England are the best part for me.  Kate Winslet's cottage in this movie is what I think of, in my head, when I picture "ideal English cottage!"  Jude Law steals the show as the hunky widower who falls in love with Cameron Diaz.  I don't want to ruin the movie if you haven't seen it, but there is a reason why Cameron Diaz's character is a little stand-offish about love.  However in my favorite scene you find that she may have more in common with her wooing widower's kids and fit in this family better than she could have ever imagined.

So grab a blanket, sip a Cuppa', and enjoy these very British and very awesome movies in this Holiday story from a video store.