A Little Hallmark Holiday Movie Obsessed
I am holiday obsessed. Halloween is my favorite holiday, followed by Christmas, then Thanksgiving. I am that annoying type of person that decorates the first week of November for the Holidays. I plan out color schemes. I get the entire family matching pajamas (more on that later).
Christmas means so much to me in the grand scheme of writing. I remember as a kid, curling up with a blanket with my Mom and watching tons and tons of movies, especially the Hallmark Hall of Fame ones. Back then, they used to come on CBS (I think). My mama made hot cocoa. IT was thick, like Mexican style. We’d watch movies and nosh on snacks. That was our thing. She’s also responsible for the matching PJs thing. One year, she bought her entire family (we are talking tons of nieces, nephews, her sibs, etc) PJs. One of my cousins said she can’t part with them, although by now they are a bit ragged, because she knew my mother bought them.
Watching movies in those PJs have always been the best part of the holidays for me. I am so into it, that I curate a “Black Christmas Movie “ watching guide for family and friends #BlackXmasMovieCrew is our hashtag. This year is full of movies with black leads or those with major roles. And it isn’t just Hallmark. Networks are realizing that black people love good, cheesy sweet romances. Lifetime, UPTV, even OWN have holiday movies this year featuring strong black leads and with cultural nuances in mind. There are black eyed peas and greens for luck. Kwanzaa traditions. And I absolutely go nuts for it. Many of the movies are starting some of our childhood faves, all grown up: like Tatyana Ali, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Tia and Tamera Mowry, Kyla Pratt, and more. I love that the stories are becoming diverse: there are interracial as well as inter-religious stories (Hanukkah and Christmas), There are even LGBT angles in the stories of the holidays as well. Everyone loves a good holiday movie. I have a Muslim girlfriend who binges Christmas movies. Yep, everyone.
I think in some small way these movies made me the writer of romance that I am today. I’ve loved the happy endings, the small misunderstandings that lead to reconciliation. I’ve always loved the jubilation without all the titillation. (Although, there is a time and a place for that too, my friend! LOL). The warm and fuzzy feeling I experience only heightens the warm and fuzzy feeling I have around the holidays in general.
I have my DVR lined up. I even have a “Hallmark Christmas Watching Shirt” ready (you can get one too in my StoreFront: https://teespring.com/stores/themochapeach ) And yes, I definitely have my mom’s recipe for that thick, luxurious hot cocoa ready to go. Maybe this year I can get my 3 year old to partake in a little tradition (Actually, she’s more interested in Frozen and Peppa Pig at the moment). And believe it or not, sometimes my husband, with hsi very macho self, will curl up on the couch with me, our fireplace going, and will watch a holiday movie or three.
These are the times I cherish. And these times, my fanaticism over holiday movies, makes me miss my mom. And inspire me to write new stories to give future generations that “warm and fuzzy” holiday feeling, all with our traditions in mind.
By the way, you can take a look at my Calendar of Black Xmas Movies here:
