Christmas Chill Out Guide: Docs, Movies & Books To Enjoy
Content is king and at Christmas time, there’s more of it than ever! We’ve got some recommendations on how to indulge some of that free time with some movies, documentaries and books to enjoy this December.
DOCUMENTARIES
The Movies That Made Us
Available on Netflix, this is a trip down childhood lane for millennials with looks at festive classics Home Alone and Die Hard (it’s a Christmas movie!), as well as Ghostbusters and Dirty Dancing. Relive these classics through the eyes of those involved in the filmmaking process.
I Am Santa Claus
What does Santa do for the 11 other months of the year? This documentary follows four Santa Clauses to find out what life is like between the festive season. An eye-opening look at who you take your child to visit every year.
MOVIES
Little Women
The newest iteration of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel set in 19th century New England is released on Boxing Day but is already gaining massive Oscar buzz thanks to its ridiculously talented cast (Meryl Streep! Laura Dern! Saoirse Ronan! Timothée Chalamet! Florence Pugh!). It may not be a Christmas movie per-say, but the book does begin and end at Christmas, so it counts!
The Irishman
Again, not a Christmas movie but you’ve got plenty of those at the click of a button. The Irishman is now available on Netflix and brings DeNiro, Pacino and Pesci back together to tell the story of a hit man’s history with a notorious crime family. Scorsese directs and the quality ouzes.
BOOKS
Adam Kay: Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas
If you’ve read This is Going to Hurt, Adam Kay’s follow up is going to be just the thing to curl up with this Christmas. Kay is a master of mixing humour, gross-out body stuff and heartfelt, touching moments. In this book, he gives insight into the life thousands of NHS staff who work over Christmas live.
Kate Atkinson: Festive Spirits, Three Christmas Stories
One of the UK’s best-loved and prize-winning authors returns with a collection of three festive-themed short stories. Perfect for someone wanting something shorter to dive into without compromising on quality.
Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol
We’ve all seen the muppets version, but have you ever read the original? Dive into a classic with the original 1843 telling (sorry, no Miss Piggy in this one) of Scrooge and his visits from the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future.