[lunatic]

Ultimately, both German and British Christmas is about food, family and fun - so there's plenty of overlap. Oh, and plenty of alcohol as well. Can't beat a nice gluhwein or feuerzangenbowle!

On that note, there is this old (1944ish) German movie "Die Feuerzangenbowle". It's a classic and they made it back in the day as a sort of feel-good movie that lifts your spirit however bad the present is. This movie is usually shown around Christmas and I really still like it, even though I have seen it many times already.  It is probably similar to what "It's a wonderful life" means in the US. I am pretty sure I will see it on Christmas this year again. I don't know if there is an English dub, but if there is, you might want to check it out. It's one of those movies that really makes you feel better, just ignore the young teacher who advocates for order and strength (a really minor role, but you know... 1944ish... They had to please the censor somehow.).
Drinking actual Feuerzangenbowle is also great, but I think all places where you usually get that are going to be closed this year. Well, next year again...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_Feuerz...1944_film)

[Raion]

You know what I'll check that movie out.

[lunatic]

You can find the German dub with English subtitles on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZmGexSp_nE

I just checked. The subtitles are okay, but not great. They are speaking very fast at times und the subtitles can't really catch up. Some of the funny bits are lost in translation. Most people really like the various accents. This would be lost in a dub anyway. It's probably not worse than watching Anime with subtitles.

Back in 1944 they actually had problems getting the movie approved. Apparently the Nazis were concerned about the subversion and disrespect of authority in the movie. Heinz Rühmann, in the starring role, personally organized a showing of the movie to the leaders to convince them that the movie was really very harmless and funny. The saying goes that Hermann Göring, then head of the airforce and 2. in the state, personally approved... So it's really a movie about the good old times made in the darkest of times. Still a heartwarming movie, though.