1. Joy to the world; the Lord is come;
Let Earth receive her King;
Let ev’ry heart prepare him room,
And heav’n and nature sing.

2. Joy to the Earth, the Savior reigns;
Our mortal songs employ,
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy.

3. No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make his blessings flow
Far as the curse is found.

4. He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness,
And wonders of his love.

One of my favorite Christmas carols! And it has an interesting backstory.

From the Wiki:

“Joy to the World” is an English hymn and Christmas carol. It was written in 1719 by the English minister and hymnist Isaac Watts. It is usually sung to the American composer Lowell Mason’s 1848 arrangement of a tune attributed to George Frideric Handel. The hymn’s lyrics are a Christian reinterpretation of Psalm 98 and Genesis 3.

Since the 20th century, “Joy to the World” has been the most-published Christmas carol in North America, even though it was not originally associated with Christmas. As of December 2009, it was published in 1,387 hymnals in North America, according to the Dictionary of North American Hymnology.

“Joy to the World” was written by English minister and hymnist Isaac Watts, based on a Christian interpretation of Psalm 98 and Genesis 3. The song was first published in 1719 in Watts’ collection The Psalms of David: Imitated in the Language of the New Testament, and applied to the Christian State and Worship. The paraphrase is Watts’ Christological interpretation. Consequently, he does not emphasize with equal weight the various themes of Psalm 98. In first and second stanzas, Watts writes of heaven and earth rejoicing at the coming of the King. Watts did not write this hymn as a Christmas carol, as the lyrics do not reflect the Virgin birth of Jesus, but rather Christ’s Second Coming. Stanza three, an interlude that alludes to Genesis 3:17–19 rather than to the psalm text, speaks of Christ’s blessings extending victoriously over the realm of sin. The cheerful repetition of the phrase “far as the curse is found” has caused this stanza to be omitted from some hymnals. But the line makes joyful sense when understood from the New Testament eyes through which Watts interprets the psalm. Stanza four celebrates Christ’s rule over the nations.” The nations are called to celebrate because God’s faithfulness to the house of Israel has brought salvation to the world.

So not actually meant to be about Christ’s birth, but about Christ’s return. That being said, once you put art into the world, it is up to interpretation. Sorry not sorry Ike, we turned “Joy to the World” into a Christmas Banger!

But speaking of Christmas. I need to wish all of you a Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Joy to the world! The Lord is come!

I hope all of you have the merriest Christmas that you possibly can!

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This is going to be a long one, so get comfortable.

I’m not a big fan of Christmas movies. I do love and will staunchly argue that the best Christmas movie ever made was IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE. I always watch it on Christmas Eve before I nestle down for my sleep. This year I decided to get more into the Christmas spirit by watching a different Christmas movie, that I’ve never seen, every day of December leading up and including Christmas day.

Here are the movies I watched and some information from Rotten Tomatoes:

Our Little Secret – 2024 (Netflix) – December 1

+ Tomatometer (Critics) – 36%
+ Popcornmeter (Audience Score) – 54%
+ Bennettmeter – 45%
+ Stars: Lindsay Lohan (Mean Girls), Ian Harding (Who?), Kristen Chenoweth (Hairspray), Tim Meadows (Mean Girls)
+ IMDB Synopsis: Avery and Logan haven’t spoken in the 10 years since they broke up. As Christmas approaches, they discover that their new partners are siblings, and both of them have been invited to stay with the family for the holidays. Avery proposes that they keep their past a secret to avoid any awkward confrontations, but hiding the truth turns out to be more difficult than it seems–and spending time together reignites old sparks.
+ Bennett Synopsis: Linsday Lohan’s boyfriend’s sister is dating her old boyfriend. For no apparent reason they decide to pretend that they have never met. Oh, I know why. Cause otherwise there is no movie. Maybe the most interesting thing in the movie is when the pastor at the church calls them “Fairweather Christians” cause they only show up to church at Easter and Christmas. Maybe the term Chreaster was too offensive?

The Merry Gentlemen – 2024 (Netflix) – December 2

Tomatometer: 44%
Popcornmeter: 23%
Bennettmeter: 10%
+ Stars: Britt Robertson (Dan in Real Life), Chad MIchael Murray (Freaky Friday)
+ IMDB Synopsis: To save her parents’ small-town performing venue, a former big-city dancer decides to stage an all-male, Christmas-themed revue.
+ Bennett Synopsis: Lady that is too old to be a Broadway dancer goes home and saves the Dad from Family Ties music club that holds about 10 people by teaching a janitor how to be a stripper. No full monty. ‘

Hot Frosty – 2024 (Netflix) – December 3

Tomatometer: 76%
Popcornmeter: 54%
Bennettmeter: 60%
Stars: Lacey Chabert (Christianmingle: The Movie), Dustin Milligan (A Simple Favor)
IMDB Synopsis: Widow Kathy magically brings a snowman to life. His innocence helps her heal and find love again. They bond before the holidays, but he’s doomed to melt.
Bennett Synopsis: Widow (cause there is always one in a these movies) accidentally makes a snowman come to life by putting a magic scarf on him. But he probably isn’t hot. I’d say mid at best. Unless you seem him with a beard. Then I can see it. But I’m not expert on the beauty of men. If my girl Lacey was the snowwwoman brought to life. Hot Frosty makes sense. Craig Robinson plays one note over and over again as the Sheriff that pursues Mid Frosty for running down the street giving off the full monty.

Haul Out the Holly – 2022 (Netflix) – December 4

Tomatometer: No score
Popcornmeter: 45%
Bennettmeter: 55%
Stars:Lacey Chabert (Christianmingle: The Movie, Hot Frosty), Wes Brown (Glory Road)
IMDB Synopsis: Emily arrives home hoping to visit her parents, only to find that they are going on a trip of their own. While she stays at her house for the holidays, her HOA is determined to get Emily involved in the neighborhood Christmas festivities.
Bennett Synopsis: A horror story about the evils of living with an overbearing HOA.

Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up! – 2023 (Netflix) – December 5

Tomatometer: No score
Popcornmeter: 39%
Bennettmeter: 45%
Stars: Lacey Chabert (Christianmingle: The Movie, Hot Frosty, Haul Out the Holly), Wes Brown (Haul Out the Holly)
IMDB Synopsis: As the holidays approach, Emily and Jared are looking forward to celebrating the holidays together again, this time as a couple. Emily, now embracing Evergreen Lane’s uniquely festive spirit, is ready to work with Jared, Ned, Mary Louise and Pamela to make this year’s Christmas celebrations the best yet – even if being the HOA president’s girlfriend doesn’t stop those dreaded decorating citations. When a house on the block goes up for sale, it causes quite a stir with residents. When the soon-to-be neighbors turn out to be holiday royalty, it looks like this year’s competition is about to heat up. As the welcoming committee prepares for the new arrivals, only one thing is certain – this Christmas, Evergreen Lane is going to sleigh.
Bennett Synopsis: Reality television stars move in and our tormented by the overbearing HOA.

A Merry Scottish Christmas – 2023 (Netflix) – December 6

Tomatometer: No score
Popcornmeter: 56%
Bennettmeter: 8%
Stars: Lacey Chabert (Christianmingle: The Movie, Hot Frosty, Haul Out the Holly, Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up), Scott Wolf (Go)
IMDB Synopsis: Follows estranged siblings Lindsay and Brad as they travel to Scotland at Christmas to reunite with their mother Jo.
Bennett Synopsis: Lacey Chabert and her boring brother go to Scotland and find out they are the product of inbreeding, I mean if they are nobility. Then they have to decide on whether or not to be the products of inherited wealth. Tough decision. Not my girl Lacey’s best film.

Miracle in Bethlehem, PA – 2023 (Netflix) – December 7

Tomatometer: No score
Popcornmeter: 68%
Bennettmeter: 15%
Stars: Laura Vandervoort (Smallville), Benjamin Ayres (Who?)
IMDB Synopsis: Just before Christmas, Mary Ann adopts a baby girl to raise alone. She and the infant spend the Christmas stuck in Bethlehem, PA, due to bad weather. Her only choice when the inn is full is to stay with Joe, the brother of the innkeeper.
Bennett Synopsis: Single mom Mary and her newly adopted baby have to stay in Bethlehem with Joe, who’s house in like a barn. Get it. Look! They are so clever! Mary also seems to treat her mom like garbage for no particular reason.

The Christmas Quest – 2024 (Hallmark) – December 8

Tomatometer: No score
Popcornmeter: No score
Bennettmeter: 18%
Stars: Lacey Chabert (Christianmingle: The Movie, Hot Frosty, Haul Out the Holly, Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up, A Merry Scottish Christmas), Kristoffer Polaha (Who?)
IMDB Synopsis: An archaeologist, her ex-husband who is a Norse language expert, search for legendary treasure in Iceland during Christmas. Others join the hunt, leading to a thrilling race to secure the treasure before the wrong people obtain it.
Bennett Synopsis: Lacey Chabert as Indiana Jones? Yes please! But not in this movie where the only fun part is saying Yule Lads.

Holiday Touchdown A Chiefs Love Story – 2024 (Hallmark) – December 9

Tomatometer: No score
Popcornmeter: No Score
Bennettmeter: 65%
Stars: Joey King’s sister, Tyler Hynes (Who?)
IMDB Synopsis: Alana Higman, a die-hard Kansas City Chiefs fan and her family are competing to win the team’s Fan of the Year contest, in a process judged by the director of fan engagement Derrick.
Bennett Synopsis: I wanted to hate this movie, cause the Chief fanbase in pretty insufferable and their stadium is a dump, but dang it I actually liked it. Joey King’s sister is pretty charming and anybody that is a sport fan will definitely be able to relate to the story and the pay off at the end is earned. Although the green screen in the midfield scene is reminiscent of the green screen in THE ROOM. That means it is atrociously bad.

Meet Me Next Christmas – 2024 (Netflix) – December 10

Tomatometer: 69%
Popcornmeter: 53%
Bennettmeter: 55%
Stars: Christina Milian but the real star is Kalen Allen.
IMDB Synopsis: In pursuit of a fairytale romance with the man of her dreams, Layla must race through New York City to get her hands on the hottest ticket in town: the sold out Pentatonix Christmas Eve Concert.
Bennett Synopsis: Christina Milian meets a rando at the airport, but they are both attached but they agree that if they are both unattached next Christmas they will meet at a Pentatonix concert the following Christmas, but this is all just a pretense to see some absolutely terrible acting by Pentatonix. Just really bad. But the cousin character redeems the movie. But if I met some hottie at the airport that told me she would meet me at a Pentatonix concert next year at Christmas if her current boyfriend cheated on her, I’d pass. I know she is just going to hook up with the guy that tries to get her a ticket to that concert. I’ve seen that movie before. Well, I’ve seen it now.

Tomatometer: No score
Popcornmeter: 56%
Bennettmeter: 38%
Stars: Rachel Skarsten
IMDB Synopsis: When a snowstorm diverts Kate’s first private flight en route to Switzerland to Christmas Island, she must team up with an air traffic controller to secure her dream job as the family’s pilot.
Bennett Synopsis: Movie that tries to push the lie that rich people aren’t terrible at their core. They just need to make a Christmas tree out of lobster cages to not suck. Not here for your right wing propaganda movie! Okay, it had its moments.

I Believe in Santa – 2022 (Netflix) – December 12

Tomatometer: No score
Popcornmeter: 28%
Bennettmeter: 9%
Stars: Christina Moore, Tom Ducey
IMDB Synopsis: Love is a gift. But when you find out the man you’ve fallen for still believes in Santa, do you accept it – or send it back?
Bennett Synopsis: Send it back.

That Christmas – 2024 (Netflix) – December 13

Tomatometer: 66%
Popcornmeter: 73%
Bennettmeter: 75%
Stars: Bill Nighy, Brian Cox
IMDB Synopsis: It’s an unforgettable Christmas for the townsfolk of Wellington-on-Sea when the worst snowstorm in history alters everyone’s plans, including Santa’s.
Bennett Synopsis: Who is more irresponsible? Adults? Kids? Both? But the storyline with the nice twin and the naughty twin is very endearing.

Last Christmas – 2019 (Max) – December 14
Tomatometer: 46%
Popcornmeter: 81%
Bennettmeter: 61%
Stars: Emilia Clarke, Michelle Yeoh, Henry Golding
IMDB Synopsis: Kate is a young woman subscribed to bad decisions. Working as an elf in a year-round Christmas store is not good for the wannabe singer. However, she meets Tom there. Her life takes a new turn–that seems too good to be true.
Bennett Synopsis: So much great Wham! music that takes the lyrics of the literal song a little too literal. But Emilia Clarke is watchable in anything. Even as a depressed, alcoholic, heart transplant survivor that finally finds her direction while volunteering at a homeless shelter. Plus a cameo by Andrew Ridgeley!

A Sudden Case of Christmas – 2024 (Hulu) – December 15

Tomatometer: No score
Popcornmeter: No score
Bennettmeter: 5%
Stars: Danny DeVito, Andie McDowell, Wilmer Valderrama
IMDB Synopsis: An American couple bring their 10-year-old daughter to her grandfather’s hotel in Italy to tell her that they are separating. Hoping to bring them back together, she asks to celebrate one last Christmas together, even though it’s August.
Bennett Synopsis: Am I bad person for rooting for divorce? Cause I was rooting for divorce.

The Holiday List – 2024 (Peacock) – December 16

Tomatometer: No score
Popcornmeter: No score
Bennettmeter: 2%
Stars: Brittany Snow, Lucas Bravo
IMDB Synopsis: A woman sets out a well-intentioned plan of bringing her dysfunctional family together in the wake of the family’s matriarch, her mother-in-law.
Bennett Synopsis: So bleak and dreary that even Sexy Chef from “Emily in Paris” can’t even save it.

Best Christmas. Ever! – 2023 (Netflix) – December 17

Tomatometer: 40%
Popcornmeter: 19%
Bennettmeter: 40%
Stars: Heather Graham, Brandy, Jason Biggs
IMDB Synopsis: Friendships are put to the ultimate test over a boastful holiday newsletter.
Bennett Synopsis: I miss Christmas letters. I miss Christmas cards. I don’t get any, but I miss them and that may have pulled me a long ways in this movie until they get to the solar powered hot air balloon. What? Movie kinda circles the drain after that.

The Grinch – 2018 (Peacock) – December 18

Tomatometer: 49%
Popcornmeter: 59%
Bennettmeter: 57%
Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Pharrell Williams, Rashida Jones
IMDB Synopsis: A grumpy Grinch plots to ruin Christmas for the village of Whoville.
Bennett Synopsis: It is definitely not in the league as the Boris Karloff Grinch, but a far sight better than the wretched Jim Carrey version. The pop culture references definitely dated it pretty fast!

Krampus – 2015 (Peacock) – December 19

Tomatometer: 66%
Popcornmeter: 52%
Bennettmeter: 60%
Stars: Adam Scott, Toni Collette
IMDB Synopsis: A boy who has a bad Christmas accidentally summons a festive demon to his family home.
Bennett Synopsis: The creativity of the monsters is incredible. A pretty phenomenal cast, especially for a horror movie. But the story is… mid.

Red One – 2024 (Prime) – December 20

Tomatometer: 30%
Popcornmeter: 90%
Bennettmeter: 70%
Stars: J.K. Simmons, Chris Evens, Dwayne Johnson
IMDB Synopsis: After Santa Claus is kidnapped, the North Pole’s Head of Security must team up with a notorious hacker in a globe-trotting, action-packed mission to save Christmas.
Bennett Synopsis: The best part of this movie is the extreme attention to detail it gives to how Santa would be able to deliver presents to billions of children in a single night. The rest is kind of boiler plate action. Of course J.K. Simmons was magnificent!

Spirited – 2022 (AppleTV) – December 21

Tomatometer: 70%
Popcornmeter: 80%
Bennettmeter: 75%
Stars: Will Ferrell, Ryan Reynolds
IMDB Synopsis: A musical version of Charles Dickens’s story of a miserly misanthrope who is taken on a magical journey.
Bennett Synopsis: I’m a sucker for a good take on “A Christmas Carol”. This is particularly clever and it took me a minute to accept the ending, but I did. And now I’m at peace with it. Also, great music. And if you don’t like it, Good afternoon to you sir!

Fred Claus – 2007 (Disney+> – December 22
Tomatometer: 20%
Popcornmeter: 45%
Bennettmeter: 90%
Stars: Vince Vaugn, Paul Giamatti
IMDB Synopsis: Fred Claus, Santa’s bitter older brother, is forced to move to the North Pole to help Santa and the elves prepare for Christmas in exchange for cash.
Bennett Synopsis: This should put to rest once and for all the very inaccurate notion that I am an elitist. My favorite Christmas movie of the 25 has an astonishingly low score on Rotten Tomatoes! Me? An elitist. Hogwash! Horse pucky! As Sabrina Carpenter might say, Nonsense! And maybe it is because this movie corrects, if I may be so bold, the flaw in the Santa Clause “character”. Fred utters this line and I think it embodies what should be the true Christmas spirit:

“Nick, there’s been one thing that’s been eating at me since I’ve been here. That Naughty-Nice List that you got? There’s no naughty kids, Nick. They’re all good kids. But some of them are scared. And some of them don’t feel listened to. Some of them had some pretty tough breaks too. But every kid deserves a present on Christmas.”

The Christmas Break – 2023 (Hulu) – December 23

Tomatometer: No Score
Popcornmeter: 22%
Bennettmeter: 26%
Stars: Justin Long (Jeepers Creepers), India Mullen
IMDB Synopsis: A married couple travels from Chicago to spend Christmas with the wife’s family in a small town in Ireland, for a holiday that will test their patience–and their marriage.
Bennett Synopsis: I was really just here cause I want to go to Ireland next year and the scenes of Gaelic football, but other than that, not much to see here.

Fatman – 2020 (Peacock) – December 24
Tomatometer: 44%
Popcornmeter: 84%
Bennettmeter: 0%
Stars: Mel Gibson, Walton Goggins
IMDB Synopsis: A rowdy, unorthodox Santa Claus is fighting to save his declining business. Meanwhile, Billy, a neglected and precocious 12 year old, hires a hit man to kill Santa after receiving a lump of coal in his stocking.
Bennett Synopsis: While that sounds like it could be a fun movie. It isn’t. And what it neglects to mention is that Santa and his elves are building weapons for the United State military. Everything about this movie makes me want to puke from the lame action scene near the end where Santa gets stabbed and the shot in the eye and Mrs. Claus shoots the assassin in the back to the ending where Santa goes to the kids house that hired the assassin to threaten him. All of it is puke.

Mary – 2024 (Netflix) – December 25

Tomatometer: 31%
Popcornmeter: 37%
Bennettmeter: 35%
Stars: Noa Cohen, Anthony Hopkins
IMDB Synopsosis: In this timeless coming-of-age story, Mary is shunned following an otherworldly conception and forced to flee when Herod’s insatiable thirst for power ignites a murderous pursuit for the newborn.
Bennett Synopsis: This movie was created to answer the age old questions: Was Mary a hot 24 year old Israeli supermodel. Yes, yes she was. Could Mary jump off a burning building shortly after giving birth to Jesus? Yes she can. Was Joseph good with a sword? Yes. But not good enough to save Mary’s dad from being killed. Could Joseph murder somebody? He sure could! What would it be like if Hannibal Lecter and King Herod were the same person? Pretty weird.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. Thanks to Elizabeth, Michelle, and Scottie D. for some of the suggestions for Christmas movies. I don’t know I will do this again next year. We will see where I’m at on the Ebeneezer Scrooge character arc next year.

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I said this would be a long one. Go ahead and pour yourself another cup of nog. Time to share the rest of the pictures I took on my brief solo trip to the Des Moines Arts Festival:

Still my favorite!

I don’t necessarily hate winter, but I’m ready for it to warm back up so festivals and farmer’s markets come back! I miss you so much! Soon, though, soon enough.