Pass the comedy, please – memorable Christmas dinner scenes in movies
Ah, the Christmas feast. It’s something we plan for weeks and consume over the course of hours. Then we spend months at the gym getting the excess off our hips and midsections. It’s also something that has catalyzed memorable Yuletide film scenes over the past century as the turkey, pumpkin pie and other comestibles become backdrop to holiday shenanigans. So without further ado, we present for your consideration some of the ones that we think stand out above the rest. Now bring us some figgy pudding. “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (Airs on AMC; streams on HBO Max and Spectrum): Clark (Chevy Chase) wants to have the perfect Christmas but as with the all things Griswold, nothing is. Including the turkey, which is so dry there is only air inside when Clark carves. And then there is Aunt Bethany, who when asked to say grace instead gives the Pledge of Allegiance. To which everyone responds “Amen.” “Elf” (Airs on AMC; streams on HBO Max and Spectrum): It’s a sweet and savory Christmas for North Pole elf Buddy (Will Ferrell) in this 2003 holiday comedy, when he reconnects with his birth father (James Caan) and consumes his first meal with his new family – spaghetti and maple syrup. Which is followed by a long, foghornlike belch. “The Santa Clause” (Airs on Freeform; streams on Disney+): It’s on to Plan B for Christmas Eve dinner for divorced dad Scott (Tim Allen) early in this 1994 classic when he burns the holiday turkey and is forced to take his son (Eric Lloyd) to Denny’s – which it turns out is out of just about everything. “Almost Christmas” (Airs on FX and Freeform; streams on Spectrum): All Walter (Danny Glover) wants is a nice Christmas dinner with his grown children in this 2016 family comedy but it’s clear from the little jabs crisscrossing the table that all is not well. That breaks out into all-out hostility when one storms away and and all reveal that they are not happy with their aging Dad for selling the home where they all grew up. “Bad Teacher” (Streams on HBO Max): No, this 2011 comedy isn’t a Christmas movie but a hilarious scene ensues when singleton teacher Elizabeth (Cameron Diaz) is taken in by a student’s family for the holiday and the less-than-virtuous educator tries to administer a little tough love to her charge when his crush on a classmate becomes painfully obvious.