Memory is a funny thing. It could be a song, a smell or any random thing. This time it was a movie, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

The week before Christmas my son mentioned wanting to see 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Immediately I remembered watching it as a child for the first time. It was the Disney version – with special effects galore. My family and I were gathered around the coffee table to fondue as we watched the blockbuster event. We regularly fondued. It was the 70’s man. It was the thing to do.

What I keenly remembered that night is being so engrossed with the action packed drama – harpoons flying here and there – that I harpooned myself in the palm as I was trying to put a piece of steak on a fondue fork. Fond memories…

So when my son mentioned interest in renting it, I jumped at the chance to start a new holiday tradition. Fondue and a movie. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is such a Christmastime classic, right? I’m sure somewhere it is.

Captain Nemo and the cool tripped out Nautilus…

Kirk Douglas crooning and shaking his money maker away on screen… “Got a whale of a tale to tell ya. A whale of a tale or two…”

I was eager to share this cinematographic marvel with my children.

It wasn’t as I remembered.

Let’s just say special effects have come a long way indeed. They giggled and snickered their way through it. Spoiled younguns. We all enjoyed it just the same.

I pulled out our retro fondue pot. (A garage sale treasure.) It’s the same color as the one we used during that fateful fondue fork knife incident many years ago. Avocado green. Cool. Those new plug in dealy bobs don’t have anything on my avocado green fondue pot, decked out with flowers and all.

We have a new set of fondue forks each with it’s own plastic handle in the form of different animals but I like these original ones. Wood, with a simple colored dot. So mod man.

Cooking meat in a pot of oil? What could be wrong with that?

Shrimp. Big sea monster on screen, little sea creature in the oil. The irony.

No Kirk Douglas, we don’t have any shrimp for you. Mind your own business. You’ve got a movie to finish.

Look the sea creature. Captain Nemo is gonna go pet it. Calamari anyone?

We had fun that night starting a new Christmas tradition.

The next time you’re at a loss of how to spend your weekend night why not grab a fondue pot, some oil and a good movie? It’s great fun and a change of pace.

Do you have any favorite old movies to share? Or any fun food ideas for movie night? Do tell – my fondue pot is ready to go!

Wishing you a Happy New Year full of fun memories!