8 Holiday Movie Dates We Secretly Want to Go On
by Chiara Atik on December 07, 2010There’s just something about the holidays and romance that goes hand in hand. Need a little seasonal dating inspiration? Look no further than the movies that are being shown on TV non-stop this month.
(Fair warning: We get a little sentimental this time of year. And a little…well…cheesy. We can’t help it; there’s something in the air. If you’ll indulge us in this yuletide whimsy, we promise to never again be so sappy. But it’s Christmas, and at Christmas, you tell the truth. And you let your cheese-flag fly.)
White Christmas
Oh, White Christmas. This romantic scene between Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney takes place in a lodge in Vermont, by the fireside. Gotta say Rosemary’s black sequined fishtail ballgown and Bing’s one in million voice both add to the romance to this scene, but you as long as you have a piano, the Christmas Log channel on the TV, and a high tolerance for cheese, you can easily recreate this date. Ultimately, there’s nothing sweeter than sitting around a piano, even if you are just playing “Heart & Soul.”
Bridget Jones’s Diary
Ugly Christmas Sweaters are totally in right now, so take advantage of the trend started by Colin Firth as Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones’s Diary. He found true love wearing that Reindeer Jumper, so go ahead and wear that sweater your Grandma knit you and take goofy pictures together.
And also, if you’re ever in a position to chase your lover through the snowy streets wearing only a sweater, and then kiss passionately in front of everyone, you should do it. We know this isn’t a date idea. We’re just putting it out there.
The Bishop’s Wife
The Bishop’s Wife, starring Cary Grant, was eventually remade into The Preacher’s Wife, starring Denzel Washington. Having to choose between Denzel Washington and Cary Grant is a Sophie’s Choice we can’t bear to even think about: We suggest watching both versions this holiday season, and taking a cue from secretly-suave angel Dudley by going ice skating. It doesn’t have to be Rockefeller Center, but there’s literally nothing more Christmasy and romantic than skating around an ice pond with someone you like. How about we…go ice skating and drink spiked hot chocolate? Perfect first date.
Elf
Buddy the Elf, played by Will Ferrell, is in love with Zooey Deschanel’s character Jovie from the moment he sees her. To really impress her, he takes her to get the “World’s Best Cup Of Coffee.” Adorable. The takeaway? A diner and a cup of coffee can be very romantic if it’s with someone you love. (Yes, that’s cheesy. We’re aware. It’s Christmas. Leave us alone!)
Miracle on 34th Street
If you live in New York, this one is easy: Take a stroll across 34th Street and look at the Christmas displays! (For everyone else, you can still check out the holiday windows and lights in your hometown, of course.) But the most romantic part of 34th Street is actually when Santa gets Natalie Wood’s character (and her pretty single mom, and her new boyfriend) their dream house. So the date is this: Look through the real estate section for your dream house that you couldn’t possibly ever afford, then go to the local mall, find Santa, and wish for it. At the very least, you’ll get a goofy picture out of the deal.
While You Were Sleeping
While You Were Sleeping is often overlooked as a Christmas movie, which is a shame because it’s funny and romantic and wistful (very important components to any good holiday movie). In this scene, Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman’s character are falling, not playing in the snow, but our suggestion is to get flasks and go outside to play. Make snowmen, make snow angels, make out, whatever!
Meet Me In St. Louis
This scene is tragic. Tragic! Esther Smith has just FINALLY gotten together with the boy next door, John Truitt, at the local Christmas dance. But she’s moving away to New York! He proposes to her at midnight in the snow, begging her to stay with him. So romantic! The takeaway: Go to as many Christmas parties as possible, the kind that really require you to dress up in a beautiful satin ball gown or suit and tie, and drink champagne, and dance slowly to recordings of a soulful Judy Garland singing “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.” And maybe cry a little. Maybe.
Love Actually
LOVE the idea of taking your date to a really really really cheesy Christmas pageant. Nothing goofier and more secretly endearing than watching little kids sing Christmas songs. If you don’t have any Christmas plays to go to, try doing something else that’s traditional, whether seeing a free concert of Handel’s Messiah, a community production of The Nutcracker, or even just a sing-a-long. Just try not to end up onstage making out, mmkay?
This is just a general note to the male population: Do this, and we are yours. You Cannot. Top. This. Move. Ever.
Don’t have any romance in your life this holiday season? Settle in for a night of living vicariously through yuletide movies. And start laying the groundwork to have someone by next year….














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