So! Are you celebrating the holidays? Have you finished your holiday shopping? Made all those delish holiday treats? And now you are a little stressed. Yes? Well, now is the time to sit down, relax, and let Gabriel Byrne entertain you! He will get you into the holiday spirit in no time! heart

Listen

To Gabriel Byrne’s reading of this traditional holiday poem–his voice sets the mood for Christmas Eve wonderfully and you will be transported back to some distant past (your past?) as you lose yourself to his words. Enjoy!

Watch

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse is the perfect holiday film for the entire family. Or couples. Or singles. Or groups of friends. Or everyone! Gentle, funny, whimsical, and wry, this beautifully realized animated version of Charlie Mackesy’s brilliant book sets the warmest tone for the holiday season. And Gabriel Byrne’s voice of the Horse lends just the right amount of both gravitas and dry humor to the proceedings. Steaming on Apple+ TV.

If you want to cover all of the traditional seasonal American holidays, Carrie Pilby is the film for you! Carrie begins her journey, complaining all the way, at Thanksgiving; struggles with family and past and expectations through Christmas; and then blooms at the New Year. Gabriel plays her dad, the source of some of her frustration and also her fatherly knight in shining armor. New York City plays the romantically snowy backdrop. Witty, emotional, and full of great characters, Carrie Pilby will make you smile, laugh, and cry (just a little). Try Netflix or Amazon for streaming possibilities.

MY favorite Byrne-ing Holiday Film is Little Women. You know the one–with Winona Ryder as Jo, Christian Bale as Laurie, and Gabriel as Professor Bhaer. From 1994. Sigh. Waiting for Gabriel to show up in the second half of the film is a good indicator of your level of commitment to art. Be patient! He and his Jo are worth it! Plus you can sing along to Deck the Halls, which is always a great distraction during the holidays. Try Netflix or Amazon for streaming possibilities, plus this pops up on the big pay channels all the time.

Finally, for a truly Byrne-ing New Year’s celebration, there is End of Days. Gabriel decked out in Armani, gleefully terrorizing New York City on the eve of the millennium, is both a hoot and a lesson in how to steal a film, suavely and inexorably, from Arnold Schwarzenegger. It’s a great way to ring in the New Year, if wild theatrics and some shocking religiosity are your thing. And who doesn’t love theatrics?! Again, try Netflix or Amazon for streaming possibilities, plus the big pay channels often run this on New Year’s Eve because they just know their viewers are in love with Satan (when played by Gabriel Byrne). wink

Have a lovely holiday season and be sure to check back here in 2024, which will gift us with TWO new films and more from our favorite Irishman! Best to Byrneholics Everywhere!

Stella heart