Alone on Christmas Day? 10 movies to watch plus their perfect snack pairings

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory  demands chocolate

When we were young, a visit to the candy store was reserved only for the very most special of occasions (all A’s on a report card, a birthday, being so well-behaved during Grandma’s visit that we even ate our homemade burnt broccoli casserole without complaining).

Well, there’s something about Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory that feels like the film version of that visit to the candy store. Just like the mixture of goodies that we chose, this film has so many delights:

• There’s suspense: Will the heroic Charlie, who’s even better than we were during Grandma’s visit, get a coveted golden pass?
• There’s rejoicing: So. Much. Chocolate.
• There’s humor: What happens to kids who are piggy?
• And oh, the music alone is enough to keep us humming happily for the next few days (bonus when you’re alone: You can sing along with the film!).

We also have to point out that we’re not alone in loving this movie. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory received Academy Award nominations for Best Music, Scoring Adaptation and Original Song Score.

And let’s not forget Gene Wilder, who was nominated for the Academy’s Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical Award. Wilder is a genius when it comes to going almost too far….but then holding himself back just enough in comedy roles such as this one.

So what should you eat when you’re watching Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory?  We recommend choosing from the following assortment:

• Frozen chocolate mints
• Chocolate covered almonds
• And (because it’s Christmas and you deserve it, darn it!) a chocolate truffle.