ALBUMS

 THEN:

A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas—Kristin Chenoweth

What on Earth could you want more in your life than Glinda the Good Witch from Broadway’s Wicked singing sweet Christmas carols this holiday season? No lie, this human sugar plum fairy will make all your Christmas wishes come true. 

NOW:

 

Simply Christmas—Leslie Odom Jr.

As a crazy fan of the musical Hamilton I actually squealed out loud at the prospect of a Christmas album sung by Leslie (he was in the original Broadway cast as Aaron Burr, Sir). For the uninitiated: In short, Leslie Odom Jr. is a glitter-filled magic angel from heaven. Buy this album! Seriously. Leslie is everything.  

BOOKS

 THEN: 

Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris

Of the six holiday-themed stories from humorist David Sedaris here, my personal favorite is “Santaland Diaries,” chronicling Sedaris’ time as a Macy’s Christmas elf. “Standing in a two-hour line makes people worry that they're not living in a democratic nation. People stand in line for two hours and they go over the edge.” Drier than the driest holiday martini, it’s a perfect Christmas read. 

NOW:

 

The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher

Carrie Fisher recently discovered her old journals, written by her 19-year-self while filming Star Wars: A New Hope—quite literally a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away! Here she reflects on the journal entries for the first time with her familiar brand of honesty, self-deprecation and laugh-out-loud wit. 

DVDs

THEN:

 

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

The heartbreaking loss of Gene Wilder recently had fans worldwide dusting off their copies of this 1971 favorite, a masterful adaptation of the Roald Dahl classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Wilder’s Willy Wonka brings a manic yet tender eccentricity that made the movie a family favorite for decades to come. 

NOW: 

 

The BFG

I can’t tell you the number of times I read Roald Dahl’s BFG as a child. Let’s just say it was in the hundreds. This tale of an orphan befriended and protected by a kindly giant is the stuff of wide-eyed delight (it’s a little scary too, so be careful with your little ones). Steven Spielberg’s adaptation brings all of the childhood magic to life, thanks to the wonderfully talented Mark Rylance as the voice of BFG. (BFG stands for Big Friendly Giant, fyi.)

by Sharon Penny