I love seeing my family around the holidays, but there’s only so much I can take. I need distractions from all that togetherness, good cheer, passive-aggressiveness, awkward conversation, etc.
Sure, booze helps, but it’s also good to have some solid entertainment choices for the holiday weekend. I’ve got 1 movie, video game, and TV show recommendation each for when you need to do something with the fam, and for when you need to decompress afterward (or, if you are sneaky enough — during: “Yeah, I just need to run out for some batteries and more tree flocking chemicals. Should be back in two hours.”).
For Watching/Playing With Family
Movie: Elf
I have yet to meet someone who dislikes Elf, even if they don’t normally go in for holiday movies. It had just the right amount of humor, charm, and weirdness to please everyone.
Game: Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)
Along with Goldeneye on the N64, this is one of the best split-screen multiplayer games of all time. And it’s perfect for the holidays since the violence is cartoonish and the button-mashing nature of the game makes it fun even for people who never play games. Plus it’s awesome to see grandma beating the crap out of your cousin as Princess Peach.
For a newer game, I recommend Mario and Sonic at the 2012 Olympic Games.
Show: Doctor Who
Despite some of the adult themes — loneliness, depression, the difficulties of inter-galactic, inter-species romance — the fantastic campiness and humor of Doctor Who is great for all ages. Pop in one of the David Tennant Christmas specials and get everyone hooked on Who.
For Watching/Playing to Escape Family
Movie: Die Hard
My favorite holiday movie. I got the Blu-ray collection last year, so I can watch in high def whenever I want. Also acceptable: Die Hard 2. It’s not as good as the first, but I love seeing the shots of Dulles Airport from 20 years ago.
Game: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Playstation 3 or Xbox 360)
The only problem with Skyrim is that you’re not going to get very far into if you only have one or two days. I’ve been devoting a wife-complaint-inducing amount of time to it over the last couple of months, and I’m probably not even halfway through the main quest. But I’ll have you know that Shlomo the Wood Elf is head of the Thieves Guild, head of the Mages Guild, leader of the Order of Assassins, and commander of a mercenary group. So my hours have not been spent in vain. If you have some time off over the holidays, I’d invest it in Skyrim.
Show: Breaking Bad
There’s nothing like watching the trials and tribulations of a chemistry-teacher-turned-meth-cook who’s battling cancer to make you feel pretty good about having to spend a few days with your family. The basic synopsis of the show always sounds bleak, but the writing and acting is so good that everyone should be watching. Bonus: the first season is so short that you can knock it out in a long night if you really want some good alone time.
However you’ll be celebrating this year, happy holidays!
