Christmas is my favorite holiday of the year! Spending time watching movies with my kids while sipping on hot cocoa with marshmallows is some of the best memories I will cherish! I have many great memories of when I was a kid watching Christmas cartoons while mom was cooking amazing meals and dad was getting stuff set out to put up the Christmas tree. Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, as the old song goes. Here are my top ten favorite Christmas movies! This list is comprised of mostly older films, but I feel they are still the best! Enjoy!
10. The Nightmare Before Christmas
This movie truly is its own entity. Who would have thought you could mix Santa Claus and creepy ghoulish fiends in the same film! With Tim Burton’s imagination and Danny Elfman’s musical score you are drawn into this amazing world where Jack Skellington, who is bored of Halloween, pushes the boundaries to make his own version of Christmas!
9. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
With much discretion I must include this film. There are parts in it not for kids, sexual themes and swearing, however, that aside you have one of the funniest Christmas movies ever and a good moral lesson at the end. This movie does not stop! It is one hilarious moment after another! Watch Clark Griswold host family at his house for one of the most chaotic and laughable Christmases ever!
8. A Christmas Story
This has probably the most quoted line from a Christmas film ever. “You’ll shoot your eye out!” Join Ralphie on his quest to convince his parents that a Red Ryder B.B. gun is the perfect gift for him. You have to love this kid. He goes through the shame of wearing a pink bunny suit for his mom. Just remember while you watch this film to not to forget to drink your Ovaltine!
7. Miracle On 34th Street (1994 version)
Do you believe in Santa Clause? Well if not you might after watching this classic film! Join Santa as he tries to convince little Susan Walker that there is something to believe in!
6. It’s A Wonderful Life
I must admit that I finally watched this movie for the first time last year and I was blown away! George Bailey who hits rock bottom decides that suicide is his only solution to his problems. He had spent his life giving of himself to his family and community and now he is at the end of his ropes. What he doesn’t know is that his family has been praying for him and his guardian angel, Clarence, comes to show him what life would be like if he had not been born. This is a very heartwarming film and a must see!
5. Elf
Elf is a great film for the whole family! Will Ferrell has been known for his raunchy films, but not this one. He does an amazing job at being an elf, but what he doesn’t realize is that he is actually human. Join him on his adventure through the sea of swirly twirly gumdrops and through the Lincoln tunnel as he ventures through New York to find his real dad and bring Christmas spirit back to humanity!
4. Home Alone
While Kevin McCallister is accidently left home alone as his family heads to Paris, he has one of the wildest Christmases ever throwing himself pizza parties and trashing the house while trying to fight off none other than the “wet bandits”. I love Joe Pesci in this movie! This is one of my favorite roles he ever played. This is a great film that shows you that rumors about someone are not always true. Old man Marley is one of my favorite characters!
3. How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966 version)
The Grinch (narrated by Boris Karloff) is a miserable hermit out to stop Christmas for the Whos down in Whoville. And he does. He takes their Christmas trees, presents, stockings and even the Roast Beast which he couldn’t stand in the least! Well, he thought he took Christmas away. The Whos bring the true meaning of Christmas to life in this short movie!
2. A Charlie Brown Christmas
This will probably always be my favorite Christmas cartoon. Watch as the Peanuts characters attempt to put on a Christmas pageant with Charlie Brown as the conductor. Join Charlie Brown as he tries to figure out the meaning of Christmas. And watch Linus tell the true story of Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ our Lord! This is a must watch with your kids! Let them see Christ proclaimed on TV!
1. A Christmas Carol (1951 or 1984 version)
I LOVE this film! Watch Ebenezer Scrooge as he is forced into an adventure he does not want by 3 different spirits. Watch as he fills with joy when watching his past. Watch as he fills with concern as he sees the present. And watch as he fills with terror at what might be if he doesn’t change his ways. Can this old money hungry, angry cuss stop thinking about only himself? Well, if you don’t know, you’ll have to watch it to find out!
Conclusion
While there are TONS of great Christmas movies out there, these are my 10 favorites. What are some of yours? Let me know in the comments! And “God bless us, everyone!” (A Christmas Carol)
Resources- Youtube, photo credit: travis spencer via photopin cc
