THE MOVIE which makes me think of Christmas is not a traditional one like The Snowman or Home Alone but rather Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
It’s almost certain that one broadcaster will take up a whole week of prime time programming to show all seven films during the festive period and the first wizard adventure will always be my favourite of them all.
Harry had never celebrated Christmas until he went to Hogwarts and the utter joy in his eyes when he realises there are presents for him underneath the tree in the Gryffindor common room reinforced how important Christmas can be in bringing people together.
And as an audience, we know life is going to get considerably harder for ‘the boy who lived’ so the magic of his first Christmas at 11 years old is heart warming.
Christmas is a busy time of year for me with a lot of birthdays and a large extended family to see, nothing says Christmas to me quite like getting home from work or last minute shopping than seeing Harry Potter is about to start.
I look back fondly on the festive season when I was young – my family would inevitably end up on the sofa, each clasping a mug of tea or hot chocolate and wrapped up in a blanket to watch a movie.
With the soft light of the Christmas tree decorations and the smell of pine in the air too, it is still my favourite way to unwind at Christmas and Harry Potter is always one we can all agree on in our house.
As if Christmas wasn’t magical enough for me as a child, I always wanted to dine in the Great Hall under the illusion of the night sky, filled with floating candles. And the tables where delicious food just appears!
I also think J K Rowling started the trend for ‘bad’ Christmas jumpers by having Molly Weasley send both Harry and Ron hand-knitted jumpers embellished with their first initial – the perfect present, in my eyes.
Life is very busy these days and even more so at Christmas so spending quality time with my family – even if it involves a collective nap in front of the TV – is second to none for me.
