When I was a kid, the major three TV networks aired Holiday Specials. My mom would make popcorn in a big pot on the stove, or if we were lucky, my brother and I’d get to shake the aluminum-foil bursting “Jiffy Pop” right on the electric burner. We’d gather on the sofa or in chairs to watch — get this — as a family – the “Holiday Special.”
Around Halloween it was Wizard of Oz and It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Christmas had a bunch of great ones. My favorite was Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, but we also watched A Charlie Brown Christmas, and my Mom and Dad’s favorite — It’s a Wonderful Life.
This Easter, I’d love to rekindle the tradition of sitting down with family to watch holiday movies together. Unfortunately, my kids are grown and live 780 miles away. I don’t think my husband will watch with me, but I can ask.
Here’s my list of must see Easter Movies:
1. The Robe. Starring Richard Burton, Jean Simmons, and Victor Mature. 1953. Won 2 Oscars.
2. The Ten Commandments. Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter. 1956. Won 1 Oscar.
3. Ben Hur. Charlton Heston. 1959. Won 11 oscars.
4. Passion of the Christ. Mel Gibson director. 2004. Not for the faint of heart!
5. God Is not Dead. 2014. Now there are more in the series that I haven’t seen: God’s Not Dead 2 (2016), God’s Not Dead: A Light in Darkness (2018), and God’s Not Dead: We The People (2021).
Do you have other movies to add to my top picks? Which of my list of movies have you watched?
You missed a few classics! How about “The Night Before Easter”, or “Peter Rottentail”, “Bunnyman Vengeance”, “Serial Rabbit 3: Splitting Hares” and finally, my favorite, “Easter Casket”. Yes, these are all real Easter Movies.
I had to look them up. You got me! 😂
I’ve heard of them and we used to have to sit in the dark living room for three hours from 12 to 3 on Good Friday when I was little so I probably did see one or two of them.
Why did you have to sit in the dark on Good Friday?
Well, not really the dark, just had the curtains closed on the front window so we wouldn’t be distracted by outside stuff. We were supposed to pray – LOL. During the 3 hours that Jesus was on the cross. Those were the days when the rules were stricter in the Catholic church. I was probably under 10 so it seemed dark to me.
Thank you for the explanation. I’ll have to ask some of my life long Catholic friends if they did that also. I converted to the faith when I was pregnant with my son.
I’ve seen the “kid” shows. I’ve also seen 10 commandments. I think they used to play wizard of oz on Easter when I was a kid. My daughter will be home this weekend though. Upside to attending a catholic college
Have a wonderful Easter with your daughter home!
Thank you!
I’m heading to the lake with the kids/grandkids today and we’ll most likely watch several of the kid shows. I saw the Passion with my daughters like ten years ago and we’re still traumatized. So we’ll be skipping that one! I’ll have to check out God’s Not Dead! That one is new to me. I also always love Harvey with Jimmy Stewart. Happy Easter to you and yours, hugs, C
I went with my son’s class when The Passion came out. He was in Catholic middle school. I remember the other moms and I being horrified! Have a wonderful Easter with your family.
We used to watch home movies in upstate from time to time. Old camera.
That would be fun. I have some old videos when my kids were babies and toddlers, but I don’t have them in a format to view them.