How to Make Advent More Like Advent and Less Like Christmas Idea #7

Idea #7: Advent Movies

I grew up watching the classic Rankin Bass stop animation specials like Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, Santa Clause is Coming to Town, and the Little Drummer Boy.  Didn't you just love those?  When Wingnut and I began having children, sixteen years ago, we collected these movies for our kids on VHS.  We used to watch them beginning just after Thanksgiving, but when I converted to Catholicism and discovered the beauty of celebrating Advent, I decided to save the more secular, Christmassy ones for after Christmas.

While there aren't any Advent movies, per se, there are several beautiful movies on DVD or VHS that are more than appropriate to watch during our season of waiting.  My childrens' favorites include The Little Drummer Boy, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and the first hour of Franco Zeffirelli's Jesus of Nazareth (we watch through the arrival of the three wise kings and save the rest of the movie for Lent and Easter). While we have not seen it, I have heard that the more recent film, The Nativity, was beautifully and faithfully done.

Does your family have favorite movies that would fit into our Advent theme focusing on the elements of faith in Christmas and Advent?  Post them here.