T minus 7 days and counting ...

I can barely contain myself (see right). Christmas is only one week away! I've gotten no counter-proposal from the North Pole, so I must assume that my 2008 Christmas Demands are being met! I can't wait to play with my toys, especially my shiny new Husqvarna chainsaw!

But that's not what I'm here to talk to you about today. No, I have a much greater purpose. With only seven days left before the big day, I thought it would be appropriate to make a post every afternoon until December 25. Each post will describe something I love about Christmas and why I love it so much. This, my friends, is my gift to you.

Today, I want to talk about Die Hard, my favorite Christmas movie of all time. This movie warms my heart every time I see it. And, more importantly, it launched a whole subgenre of action movies that made the late 80s and early 90s worth living in. But I'm not here to lecture you about action movies. I'm here to tell you why Die Hard always gets me in the Christmas mood.

Now I have a machine gun ... ho ho ho. Now, if I was trapped in a skyscraper with a bunch of European terrorists, I probably wouldn't have the presence of mind to remind them about the Christmas season. But John McClane, being the lover of the season that he is, shows his remarkable Christmas spirit when he not only scrawls a Christmas-themed message on a dispatched terrorist, but also takes the time to put a Santa cap on his head. I can only assume that his game plan was to overwhelm Hans Gruber and his band of European terrorists with Christmas cheer. Of course, the mistake John McClane made was assuming that Commies celebrate Christmas (they don't).

Christmas in Hollis by Run DMC. You can keep your Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and your Frosty the Snowman. Nothing gets me in the Christmas spirit like Run DMC's Christmas masterpiece Christmas in Hollis. This song is played at the beginning of Die Hard when John McClane is in the limo with Argyle. For my money, you can't find a more appropriate song for the season. For your convenience, I have reproduced the lyrics:

Run:

It was December 24th on Hollis Ave in the dark

When I seen a man chilling with his dog in the park

I approached very slowly with my heart full of fear

Looked at his dog, oh my God, an ill reindeer

But then I was illin because the man had a beard

And a bag full of goodies, 12 o'clock had neared

So I turned my head a second and the man had gone

But he left his driver's wallet smack dead on the lawn

I picked the wallet up then I took a pause

Took out the license and it cold said "Santa Claus"

A million dollars in it, cold hundreds of G's

Enough to buy a boat and matching car with ease

But I'd never steal from Santa, cause that ain't right

So I'm going home to mail it back to him that night

But when I got home I bugged, cause under the tree

Was a letter from Santa and all the dough was for me

D.M.C. :

It's Christmas time in Hollis Queens

Mom's cooking chicken and collard greens

Rice and stuffing, macaroni and cheese

And Santa put gifts under Christmas trees

Decorate the house with lights at night

Snow's on the ground, snow white so bright

In the fireplace is the yule log

Beneath the mistle toe as we drink egg nog

The rhymes you hear are the rhymes of Darryl's

But each and every year we bust Chrsitmas carrols

(Christmas melodies)

Run-D.M.C. :

Rhymes so loud and proud you hear it

It's Christmas time and we got the spirit

Jack Frost chillin, the orchas out?

And that's what Christmas is all about

The time is now, the place is here

And the whole wide world is filled with cheer

D.M.C. :

My name's D.M.C. with the mic in my hand

And I'm chilling and coolin just like a snowman

So open your eyes, lend us an ear

We want to say

Run-D.M.C. :

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

So that's today's selection. I encourage you all to watch Die Hard between now and Christmas day. You won't be sorry. If you'd rather not, I still encourage you to watch the below video - if this doesn't put you in the spirit of the season, I'm not sure what will: