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Merry Christmas, friends!! We're excited to celebrate the holidays here at Fishhook. To get us ready, we each picked our favorite Christmas song and movie. If you're looking for a list to get you in the Christmas spirit, look no further! 

FAVORITE SONGS

"The Christmas Waltz"
Josh: Nostalgia. This song always played when decorating our Christmas tree as a kid.

"Beautiful Star of Bethlehem" by Emmylou Harris
Ben: Every year growing up, my family would decorate the tree to this beautiful folk album. It's not Christmas without Emmylou!

"All I Want for Christmas is You" by Mariah Carey
Evan: Don't judge. I love the sacred, but this says let the party begin!

"O Holy Night"
Shayla: I feel complete and utter stillness with God when singing this song in a cappella each Christmas Eve.

Katie: It's reverent and moving. I love a good ballad, and this is my absolute favorite at Christmastime.

Meredith: This line – "A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices” – gets me every time.

"Carol of the Bells"
Lindsay: The harmonies, cadence and somberness are befitting of the season.

Marie: I remember hearing the school choir sing this every year during the Christmas concert. There's just something so beautiful about hearing it a cappella with all the different layers of voices.

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by Relient K
Carissa: It gives you all the Christmas feels. Love this band.

"Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree"
Leah: This song just makes me smile! It's fun, upbeat and makes me think of dancing around with my kids. But I also love "Silent Night." It is so peaceful. It helps me quiet and focus my heart to worship Christ!

"Silent Night"
Shawn: Harry Connick Jr. has one of my favorite arrangements of "Silent Night." I also like Mel Tormé, "The Christmas Song."

Jamie: Singing this in Christmas pageants as a kid always brought to mind sweet images of baby Jesus in the manger. Now it represents a peaceful candlelit moment during Christmas Eve services with the light reflecting on everyone’s faces. In the midst of a busy season, it’s a moment of unity, peace and a beautiful symbol of God’s gift of light to the world.

"Tennessee Christmas" by Amy Grant
Aimee: Growing up, we always listened to Amy Grant's Christmas music around the holidays. When I hear this song, I feel all the magic that Christmas brings when you're a kid.

FAVORITE MOVIES

"How the Grinch Stole Christmas"
Josh (animated cartoon version): Story of redemption.

Marie (Jim Carrey version): This is just one of those movies I have to watch every year, not for any particular reason other than tradition.

Meredith (animated cartoon version): So many reasons! I grew up watching this as a kid and was a narrator in a version of it that was adapted as a play. I can still quote the opening lines. I love its message of loving people over things, and I love that there’s redemption even for the bad guy in the end. Also the music and the visuals — and the rhymes! Who can resist Dr. Seuss?

"Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"
Ben: One word: Claymation. Plus, the crowd-pleasing, literally two-faced Mayor of Halloween Town cracks me up every time.

"Elf" and "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation"
Evan: It's a tie. One is about innocence and joy, and the other is about the reality of family.

"A Christmas Story"
Shayla: Leg lamp, pink bunny pajamas, snowsuits, Red Ryder BB gun – need I say more? Well, there is this ... "Fragile (Fra-gee-lay). It must be Italian."

"All I Want for Christmas"
Katie: I always loved watching this movie when I was growing up because it's about two kids who hatch a master plan to get their parents back together for Christmas. Funny and cute, plus who doesn't love New York City at Christmastime?

"Miracle on 34th Street" (original version)
Lindsay: Nostalgic, black and white, 1940s, NYC – need I say more?

"Christmas with the Kranks"
Carissa: It never gets old. I don’t know why. Free Frosty!

"The Holiday"
Leah: I am a sucker for a good romantic comedy!

"White Christmas"
Aimee: About 40 members of my family crowd together every year to watch this movie on Thanksgiving. For us, it officially kicks off the Christmas season! This movie gives me all the feels. It means home and family and hope for what the New Year will bring.

"National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" and "A Christmas Story"
Shawn: I don't really have a favorite Christmas movie. It’s just tradition. I always watch both of these.

Jamie: We always watch both of these movies as well. We all have ideas about what the perfect Christmas looks like when it comes to the food, the decorations, the gifts and the gatherings. And while most of us aren’t pulling squirrels out of our Christmas trees or chasing the Bumpus dogs out of our kitchens, our holidays are full of funny, quirky imperfections!

We suggest keeping your work environment fun and festive during the holidays! Here are some ideas (including a few we've done at Fishhook): 

• Air a Christmas movie at lunch
• Have everyone decorate their own stocking
• Decorate the office
• Have a cookie pitch-in 
• Take a cocoa break in the afternoon 
• Do a Secret Santa or white elephant gift exchange 
• Set up a Christmas photo booth for employees
• Have an ugly Christmas sweater party 

We know, especially at churches, that the Christmas season can sometimes feel overwhelming and chaotic. It's our wish that this Christmas, you can find time to rest and be filled with the joy that Christmas brings!

Check out the Spotify playlist of our favorite Christmas songs!