There are a lot of things that make the holidays fun, but for me, there are only a few things that make it feel like CHRISTMAS.

I love all of the oldie movies like White Christmas, Holiday Inn, It’s a Wonderful Life, and Miracle on 34th Street. I’ve even added a new movie to my Christmas list – Elf, with Will Ferrell. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve re-enacted the escalator scene.

But for me, Christmas doesn’t begin until I’ve seen The Muppets A Christmas Carol. We bought a VHS copy when it came out in 1992, and we’ve been watching it on Christmas Eve ever since.

We replaced the VHS twice before it came out on DVD. Then I bought three copies – one for me, and one for each of my kids.

If you haven’t seen it, you’re really missing out. The Muppets add a whole new dimension to Charles Dickens’ story, including a soundtrack chock-full of fun, amusing, and even emotional songs.

But the star of the show is Michael Caine as Scrooge. Though he’s no singer, the most pivotal, emotional moment of the movie is a duet Scrooge sings with his lost love. Sadly, this version of the movie is no longer available. I’ve been crying during that scene for 17 years, sometimes I cry just hearing the song.

Speaking of songs, there are a few that are a MUST for me to feel like it’s Christmas. The first is, of course, “It Feels Like Christmas,” from The Muppets Christmas Carol soundtrack.

Second most important Christmas song for me is “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays” by NSYNC. Stop laughing. It came out the same year as a really special Christmas for our family. My favorite line is, “It’s a message from above, God sends you His love, everything’s okay. Merry Christmas, happy holidays.”

And finally, watch the video below. It’s a song from Celine’s Christmas CD (but she sings with Andrea Bocceli on the CD.)

Now tell me YOUR favorite Christmas traditions.