From the made-for-TV movies on Hallmark to the 25 Days of Christmas offered by Freeform, it’s hard to decide which movies to binge-watch over winter break. To help you decide which movies are worth your while, here are six of my must-see Christmas movies.
- “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”
This is the story of the Grinch, who hates Christmas, and a little girl named Cindy Lou Who, who tries to show him why Christmas is so popular with the Whos. While I love the Jim Carrey version, I recommend watching the animated version at least once. I chose this one as a must-see because it’s one my family always watched while I was little, and it teaches a positive lesson.
- “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”
“Christmas Vacation” is actually part of the National Lampoon’s Vacation series. All of the vacation movies focus on the hilarious Griswold family and stars Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo as the parents. This one focuses on the family’s Christmas traditions, from picking a tree to turkey dinner, but none of it goes as they planned. This movie is a must-see for the Christmas season because its humor might help you de-stress from the holidays.
- “Home Alone”
The McCallister family is going on vacation to Paris for Christmas, but they forget something essential to the trip — Kevin! The family accidentally leaves their youngest member behind, but he believes his wish to have no family came true. At first he’s excited, but he realizes that two men are trying to rob the home, and he has to protect it. This movie is funny, lighthearted, and not entirely about Christmas. It’s a good one to watch with the whole family.
- “A Christmas Story”
This is a coming-of-age Christmas movie that is a must-see every year for me. Ralphie is a 9-year-old boy with only one gift on his wish list: a Red Ryder Carbine Action Air Rifle. He’s determined to open this gift on Christmas morning and will do whatever it takes to get it in his hands. This is a must-see because it’s hilarious, and the movie was filmed and based in Cleveland.
- “A Christmas Carol”
I love this story because there are so many versions out there, from the Jim Carrey animated version to the hilarious “Scrooged” starring Bill Murray. There’s also a version with Donald Duck as the main character. Scrooge, a selfish and wealthy man, hates Christmas. He hates it so much that he almost doesn’t allow his clerk Christmas day off. His hatred causes him to be visited by the three ghosts of Christmas, who aim to change his perspective on the holiday. The adaptions to film are based on the original novella by Charles Dickens, which was first published in 1843.
- “The Polar Express”
https://youtu.be/8HOFMhpxceA
“The Polar Express” has always been one of my favorite Christmas movies because of its message and the beautiful animation in the movie. The movie follows a boy and a few friends he makes along the way as they ride on the Polar Express to visit Santa in the North Pole on Christmas Eve. There’s a really strong message in this movie about the importance of hope and believing. The movie is based on the popular picture book of the same name, published in 1985.
