The holiday season is in full swing at URI, and you can be sure students are patiently counting down the days until those end-of-the-year celebrations. Whatever you celebrate, we can all appreciate a break from classes and the chance to catch up with loved ones. It’s also the perfect time to crack out your winter favorites! As I get older, I find it harder to create that special winter holiday feeling. But through music and movies, it’s much easier to get into the snowy spirit!
Read along for some of my favorites!
Music
- A Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack – Vince Guaraldi Trio
- When I was younger, my brothers and I would sit on the floor in front of the TV in our pajamas and wait for the Charlie Brown Christmas Special to air. I’ve watched it so many times, but I never really remember the plot – it’s always been the soundtrack that hits home for me. When I want to savor the spirit of the holidays, you can bet this album is on repeat. Check out my favorite tracks on the album: Linus and Lucy and Skating.
- The Head and the Heart – Self-Titled
- An Indie-Folk favorite, this album feels like the drive home during winter break. A little moody, a little whimsical, and full of beautiful piano. With its easy melodic harmonies, it’s a special album to revisit in the wintertime. Down in the Valley and Coeur d’Alene reminds me to take it slow and savor the quiet time. And, if the snow has you feeling a little blue, Winter Song offers its listeners peace during these cold months.
- Boygenius Holiday Solo Releases
- I’m not one for traditional holiday songs, but when singer-songwriters Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker cover the classics, I can’t help but press play. Bridgers’s quiet and calm cover of Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, Dacus’ guitar-heavy version of Last Christmas, and Baker’s rendition of Perry Como’s A Dreamer’s Holiday will get your attention this year. This album is great for those who love the holiday spirit, but can only listen to Mariah Carey so much.
Movies
- Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
- This half Halloween and half Christmas movie is a stop-motion film that is a favorite of many. The animation is beautiful, the songs are catchy, and the score is spectacular. The plot is incredibly unique too! You follow the King of Halloweentown, Jack Skellington, on his discovery of a land of snow, gifts, and never ending Christmas. Enchanted by the holiday, Jack tries to bring it back to Halloweentown. Mischief ensues, villains are thwarted, and you get to watch a strange cast of characters fall in love with the holiday season. If you love alternative holiday picks, this one’s for you!
- The Polar Express
- Should I have outgrown this movie by now? Maybe. But to me, it’s a winter essential. The movie somehow still has the same magic and charm that it did when I was younger. Watching it feels like hot cocoa, warm socks, and new pajamas – comforting and familiar. It reminds me of being a kid, of how big and magical the world felt. It’s got all the corny, cheesy Christmas tropes you could want, a hero’s journey, and a happy ending. You can’t go wrong with this Christmas classic!
- Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel
- If you’ve never watched a Wes Anderson movie, strap in. As a director, Anderson is known for his visually stunning sets, artistic attention to detail, and captivating color grading. Everything feels magical in a Wes Anderson movie – it’s all bright and shiny and sort of feels like a fairytale. It’s not the typical holiday movie – it has murder plots, conspiracy, and art theft, but it also has a snowy backdrop, themes of friendship and new beginnings, and lots of enchantment.
Those are my music and movie holiday essentials! I hope you have the chance to watch and listen to some of my favorites. On behalf of the Campus Recreation team, we hope you have a happy holiday season!
By Milo Heard