It’s a cold winter night and you find yourself all cozied up to a fire, with a mug of hot chocolate, ready to relax. You reach for the remote, but suddenly- your big brother puts on football, your grandpa starts snoring like a freight train, and your parents have had a little too much wine and are stumbling down memory lane (Dad used to be in an 80′s hair band, what?)! The holidays typically mean you’re surrounded by family. And if your family is anything like mine, we tend to drive each other a liiiittle nuts during the holidays. There’s only one solution to the madness: Corralling everyone into one room, popping in a good movie, and letting laughter commence!

Everyone has their favorites, but here are my top five fun flicks to help keep your family sane during the holidays!

A Christmas Story -”FRA-GEE-LAY!”

How many times have you wanted to quadruple dog dare your friends to try and lick a frozen pole? Or have you ever wished your dad would just take that darn leg lamp out of the front window? Don’t you wish your bright pink bunny footie pajamas were socially acceptable? This movie is perfect for you. Trust me.

Christmas Vacation – “Little full, lotta sap.”

The Griswold’s could make any family look like the Von Trapp’s. This movie has all the basics: Christmas tree catching on fire, woman getting attacked by squirrel, and Chevy Chase. If those aren’t reasons enough to love this hilarious holiday flick, I just don’t know what is!

Love Actually – “Let’s go get the s*** kicked out of us by love!”

There’s just something about the holidays that puts me in the mood for love. Maybe it’s the mistletoe, maybe it’s the showering of gifts. Either way, I’m a sucker for an uber romantic holiday movie! Who wouldn’t want the one and only Andrew Lincoln (Walking Dead, anyone?) to show up at their door with cue cards confessing his love? It’s almost too romantic to handle! Almost.

Home Alone – “KEVINNNNN!”

Little Kevin McCallister is pretty much a parent’s worst nightmare. He’s a smart-mouthed trouble-maker, but gosh is he cute! So cute his parents forget about him, leave for a trip to Paris, and then utter mayhem ensues! If you don’t already know about the after-shave/face slap/Macauley Culkin scream scene, well, now’s your chance!

Elf – “I just love to smile, smiling’s my favorite!”

Cliche as it may be, Elf is too stinkin’ adorable and heartwarming to not be a favorite! Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel are perfect, and this is definitely a movie to help restore your holiday spirit! Don’t believe me? Try making it through the first ten minutes without cracking so much as a smile – I dare ya! “Bye Buddyyyy!” Totes. Adorbs.

Now it’s time to sit back, relax, and enjoy some holiday movies!
Have fun, snow angels!

XoXo

(images courtesy of thereelbits.com, fanpop.com, houseofgeekery.com, and mymodernmet.com)

Summer is fast approaching, and I have a feeling that She & Him‘s new album Volume Two will be essential part of my summer soundtrack.

If you aren’t familiar with She & Him, here’s the breakdown:

The band consists of M. Ward, a indie singer-songwriter who rose to fame out of the Portland, Oregon, music scene, and Zooey Deschanel, one of our favorite actresses here at Lulus.com. M. Ward was impressed by Zooey’s singing in the movie Elf, and after she sent him some demos, he insisted she record them proper. Thus, She & Him was born.

I first heard of She & Him almost two years ago to the day, when I was asked to record a video review of their first album, Volume One, for the college radio station I was working for. I’ve had them stuck in my head ever since.

The pair just premiered the video for their new single “In the Sun” that’s absolutely adorable. Check it out below: 

Their sophomore album, Volume Two, hits stores March 23, so mark your calendars.