The holidays are upon us and we find ourselves staying home as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
It's been a long year and you deserve a bit of cheer.
Bell Media Ottawa staff are sharing their favourite movies, books, songs, food and other holiday traditions to enjoy this holiday season.
Happy holidays!
Favourite movie: "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, in all of its retro 80s glory."
Favourite book: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
"For several years, I have reread the original in a comfortable chair by the tree. It is a story that transcends time, unfortunately, about the extremes of the 'haves' and the 'have nots'. There is redemption, generosity and, ultimately, hope. Good themes for 2021. It remains contemporary nearly 180 years later."
Favourite holiday song: "Very tough here. It has shifted over the years. Sarah McLachlan’s version of River is excellent. In the last few years, it has been the Mavericks Christmas album (Hey! Merry Christmas!), and Chris Isaak’s twangy take on the holidays."
Favourite holiday food: "A little single malt by the fire as the snow comes down. I appreciate scotch is not food, but too bad!"
Favourite Holiday Movie: Love Actually.
"We watch it every Christmas Eve after church, typically, while doing some last minute wrapping."
Favourite Holiday Book: "From days of reading to the kids, Peef The Christmas Bear by Tom Hegg. Love this story!"
Favourite Song: All I want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey.
"Or the version from Love Actually sung by uber-talented 10-year old Olivia Olson."
Song Runner Up: "Silent Night as sung by candlelight by everyone together at our Christmas Eve Church Service. A very important tradition for my parents. We will miss that, and them, very much this year."
Favourite Food: Peppermint Bark.
"My daughter and I make it together every year. Typically, the first bit of baking For the Christmas season."
Favourite Holiday Special: "The classic 1960s animated version of The Grinch. Perfection."
Favourite holiday movie: "Elf, clearly!"
Favourite holiday book: "The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsberg. I also try to re-read the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho every year."
Favourite holiday song: "O Holy Night by NSYNC."
Favourite holiday food: "Turkey dinner!"
"My favourite holiday traditions include coffee or hot chocolate by the fire on Christmas Eve and, of course, spending quality time with loved ones (even if that means doing so virtually this year)."
Favourite holiday movie: "The Holiday."
Favourite holiday book: "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra"
Favourite holiday song: "Let It Snow by Boyz II Men ft. Brian McKnight"
Favourite holiday food: "Pumpkin Cheesecake, tiramisu and chocolate toffee."
Favourite holiday movie: "Jingle Jangle (New on Netflix, instant classic)"
Favourite holiday song: "This Christmas by Donnie Hathaway."
Favourite cookies: "Shortbread."
Favourite holiday movie: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
"I’m sure it’s on a lot of people’s lists, but it is a must watch movie over the holidays!"
Favourite holiday song: "Wonderful Christmas Time by The McAuley Boys."
Favourite holiday food: "All of it!!"
Favourite movie: A toss up between “All I want for Christmas” and “Love Actually”.
"All I want for Christmas - most people have never even heard of this gem, but it’s got Thora Birch, Leslie Nielsen, and Kevin Nealon, and it’s a classic 90s creation. Love Actually- My husband and I watch it every year on “our Christmas” which happens the Sunday before the 25th! It’s just for us before the chaos of the week begins."
Favourite drink: "Mulled wine! So warm during the holidays."
Favourite holiday song: "O Holy Night by Mariah Carey. That whole album is pure Christmas perfection."
Favourite holiday food: My mom's butternut squash soup.
Favourite holiday movie: A Christmas Story.
"It’s the ultimate presentation of Christmas nostalgia and the childhood struggle of longing for that perfect gift. He really did shoot his eye out!"
Favourite holiday book: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
"I remember doing a live reading of this at Christmas time for the theatre group I was in back in Kenora, Ontario (I read the Ghost of Christmas Past section), and it's held a special place since then. Yes, it's been retold in many ways but you can't beat the original."
Favourite holiday song: Santa Claus is Comin' to Town by Bruce Springsteen.
"This version was on the Christmas mixtape that my parents would play every year as we were setting up the tree, so it's always been the 'definitive' version of this song for me."
Favourite holiday food: Eggnog.
"As Homer Simpson once said, 'We only get 30 sweet, noggy days and then the government takes it away again.'"
Favourite holiday book: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
"Ebenezer Scrooge has been interpreted as a caricature for so long that people overlook the very human reasons he grew so miserable. The importance of overcoming bitterness to become a better person is as important a message today as it was in 1843.
Favourite holiday movie: “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.”
"If Die Hard can be a Christmas movie, so can the George Lazenby 007 film. People like Elf, but does it have a fistfight while barreling down a bobsled track? Didn’t think so."
Favourite holiday song: “Song for a Winter’s Night” by Gordon Lightfoot.
"Sarah McLachlan’s cover ended up in the 1994 version of 'Miracle on 34th Street,' which canonizes the original as a Christmas song for me!"
Favourite holiday food: Perogies.
"A Holski Christmas Eve tradition which has grown to include more and more people as the years go by. A family team of three makes more than 160 from scratch. It takes hours and is worth it every year."
Favourite holiday movie: "Elf and The Holiday."
Favourite holiday book: "Harry Potter series (obviously)."
Favourite holiday song: "My guilty pleasure, cringing admitting it hahaha, but Justin Bieber’s version of Mistletoe."
Favourite holiday food: "Every Chanukah, my family makes brisket. It’s my great grandmother’s recipe. This year, my partner and I made our own for the first time and had a dinner, just the two of us. Hoping to get everyone back together next year."
Favourite holiday movie: Home Alone
Favourite holiday book: How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
Favourite holiday song: Santa Claus is Comin' to Town by Bruce Springsteen
Favourite holiday food: Eggnog
Favourite holiday movie: It's a Wonderful Live (1946).
"I feel it really gives an emphasis on what matters most during this time of year. Not taking the little things for granted. Spending time with the ones you love. It really hits home for me."
Favourite holiday book: How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss.
"A classic by Dr. Seuss. Not much else to say."
Favourite holiday song: Feliz Navidad by José Feliciano.
"So much fun to sing along to. After a year like this, we need something that brings joy and puts a smile on our faces. This song does exactly that for me. Every single time."
Favourite holiday food: Stuffing.
"It hasn't always been my favourite. But ever since my Grade 10 Hospitality class made it 10+ years ago, it's my hands-down choice. For those wondering, I prefer it on the side of the turkey."
"Growing up Jewish, the holiday didn’t fully register until Christmas Vacation came out! My Dad loved this movie and would quote certain scenes with me and seeing that Oscar snubbed film always brings back memories of my Mom’s homemade latkes and lightning the menorah!"
Favourite holiday movie: "Home Alone. Our whole family watches it multiple times every year."
Favourite holiday book: "The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams, to remember the magic of toys."
Favourite holiday song: "Kenny and Dolly Once Upon a Christmas the FULL album! The soundtrack to tree decorating and cookie decorating my whole life."
Favourite holiday food: "My mom’s famous Christmas tourtière."
Favourite holiday movie: "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. It’s a classic. What more is there to say?"
Favourite holiday song: All I want for Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey
"Growing up on Christmas morning we would ALWAYS put on her Christmas album when opening presents in the living room and it would play all day."
Favourite holiday food: Eggnog
"Is it a food? I don’t care—it’s alarming how much I can drink and pairs well with adult beverage ;)"
Favourite holiday movie: "I was going to go with Die Hard (it is SOOOOOO is a Christmas movie) but instead, I’m going to go with 'Family Stone'. It’s a heartwarming-funny-makes-you-ugly-cry comedy drama about a family at Christmas and most importantly the casting is EVERYTHING (Claire Danes, Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Dermot Mulroney, Craig T. Nelson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Luke Wilson & Brian White)."
Favourite holiday book: "It used to be the Sears Christmas Wish Book and now it’s all about the LCBO’s Food & Drink Holiday Issue."
Favourite holiday song: "Mariah Carey 'O Holy Night'. Her voice is just so amazing and incredible and this version gives me the chills every time."
Favourite holiday food: Torta di Mandorle
"My Zia Antonietta makes this every Christmas and has been for as long as I can remember. It’s delicious and goes amazingly well with espresso. I look forward to it every year and have to hold myself back from inhaling it all in one sitting. I could learn how to make it myself but that’s what my sister is for!"
Recipe here: https://food52.com/recipes/66421-torta-di-mandorle-italian-almond-tart
http://www.ricettemania.it/ricetta-torta-di-mandorle-3419.html
Favourite holiday movie: "It’s a tie between The Santa Clause with Tim Allen and A Muppet Christmas Carol."
Favourite holiday book: ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas (A Visit from St. Nicholas) by Clement Clarke Moore.
"I love the classics."
Favourite holiday song: "I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas by The Drifters, Sleigh Ride by the Ronettes and Underneath the Tree by Kelly Clarkson."
Favourite holiday food: "Spiked Nog (I prefer a liquid holiday diet)"
Favourite holiday movie: The Muppet Christmas Carol
Holiday Song: "Any song off Brett Eldredge “Glow Deluxe” Christmas album – Frank Sinatra vibes – OR Pentatonix 'Hallelujah'."
Holiday Food: "CARBS OF ANY SORT (stuffing, bread, pie, bring it)"
Favourite holiday movie: "How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the TV cartoon version."
Favourite holiday song: "Music from the Nutcracker. It became a tradition that we play it while opening gifts."
Favourite holiday food: "Sorry. Boring. Turkey with home-made gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, a nice colourful palate of vegetables (corn, carrot and peas work)."
Favourite holiday movie: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
"'The hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap danced with Danny F*#%ing Kaye!' To this day, my father and I can’t say Danny’s name without his middle name."
Favourite holiday book: "The credits of Christmas Vacation"
Favourite holiday song: "Mary’s Boy Child by Boney M"
Favourite holiday food: "Shucking oysters and downing them with a little vodka and Tabasco sauce."