Start the holidays right with these Christmas movies
“Elf”
No list of Christmas movies would feel complete without including “Elf.” This modern classic stars human Will Ferrell who is adopted by elves at the North Pole. It follows his adventure to New York to find his birth father and ultimately save Christmas through the power of holiday cheer. Equal parts hilarity and heart, it’s hard not to love “Elf”—if not for its touching holiday message about family and togetherness, then for its iconic and oh-so-quotable one-liners. After all, “the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”
“White Christmas”
If you’re more in the market for something musical, then “White Christmas” is not one to miss. This flick may be from 1954, but it has undeniably held up over the years. It follows two war buddies turned song-and-dance duo who team up with a sister act to help save their old General’s struggling Vermont Inn. Full of comedy, romance and show-stopping musical numbers, “White Christmas” has been around for decades for a reason.
“A Christmas Story”
Another older movie, “A Christmas Story” is nothing less than classic. Stringing together scenes from a family’s very memorable Christmas in the ‘40s, this movie is all about the efforts of Ralphie as he tries to convince his doting mother, foul-mouthed grumpy father and one very ruthless mall Santa that the best Christmas present for him is a Red Ryder BB gun. With a 24-hour marathon every Christmas Eve on TBS, “A Christmas Story” is one of the best movies to curl up on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa this time of year.
“Home Alone”
A Christmastime staple, “Home Alone” packs the most festive hijinks into an hour that a holiday movie reasonably could. Funny, exciting and with the perfect amount of heartwarming holiday sentiments to round it out, this is my personal favorite on the list. Kevin McCalister is everything everyone wanted to be as a kid and adding Christmas shenanigans tops off the recipe for an ideal holiday movie. Be sure to follow this one up with “Home Alone 2: Lost in Manhattan.”
“Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town”
For anyone looking for a bit of nostalgia this holiday season, look no further than this claymation masterpiece. This film tells the story of how Kris Kringle became the Santa Claus we all know and love to this day. Not only does the old style of stop-motion animation stand the test of time, but the songs and story do as well. If you want that warm and fuzzy feeling from your Christmas movies, “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” is the perfect fit.
“The Nightmare Before Christmas”
Alright, sure, it’s not Halloween anymore, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up the spooky stuff just yet! This is another claymation original that takes on the tale of the King of Halloween, Jack Skellington, as he looks for something new to bring to the old holiday. That may just happen to mean stealing Christmas. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is a blend of jolly and scary for all those who like a little thrill with their holiday cheer.