When I was a little girl, my days were filled with the likes of, wait for it, Barbie.

Barbie dolls and especially, Barbie movies.

I remember the olden days of Toys R Us, where the purchase of a special Barbie doll would also include the movie that the doll was a part of.

I also remember making my entire 1st grade class read the Barbie book my mother had bought for me. Afterwards, I made my entire class watch the movie that the book was derived from, while I beamed with delight at how awesome my choice in movies were.

I guess some things haven’t changed. And to be honest, looking back, I must’ve been the most annoying ENTJ classmate.

That was before girlhood took over the years of my adolescence, where being a girl suddenly ensued horrid thoughts about what other people thought about us. What we wore, how we acted, and how we quantified our value by how many boys liked us.

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Barbie in the Nutcracker celebrates itself as the first Barbie movie ever produced. It is simple but elegant, incorporating many musical and plotline elements from the original ballet. Barbie stars as Clara, who dons an elegant sorbet pink square-neck nightgown with the most gorgeous lace detailing for the majority of the movie. Her outfit is completed with a signature heart locket.

I especially love the beginning of the movie, when Clara and her family are in her grandfather’s living room. The dark wooden paneling, roaring fireplace, and beautifully decorated tree are only some of the many elements from the scene that bring feelings of warmth and coziness.

One must not underestimate the cinematic and intellectual quality of these old Barbie movies. The script and dialogue houses quite intelligent vocabulary for what is deemed as a “movie for young girls.” Barbie is quite stylish and her style remains true to the olden times that the movies are often set in. The first couple movies incorporate elements of fantasy, such as dragons, castles, spells, and talking creatures. They make for truly enjoyable movies that I still find such pleasure watching to this day.

So for today’s recommendation, it is the original Nutcracker Ballet score by Tchaikovsky, which the motel adores playing every year once Christmas comes. An accompanied recommendation is Barbie in the Nutcracker, which provides a light introduction to the Nutcracker storyline and its musical tracks.

I loved the movie so much, a couple years ago I bought a bare wooden nutcracker and painted it the same colors as the one in the movie. I take it out every year and marvel at it during the season. It is these small, personal things that make the festive season all the more enjoyable.