Cue some Andy Williams' because it’s the most wonderful time of the year folks! And with the holiday season comes a wonderful selection of Christmas movies in every genre. I know one of my favorite Christmas traditions is watching holiday classics with my family over a nice hot cup of cocoa and freshly baked goodies. 😍 So grab your fave blanket and snuggle up with your significant other/BFF/furry friend(s) because here are my 10 Must-Watch Christmas Movie picks!
1. "The Santa Clause"
I don't know about you, but I literally "crave" this movie every Christmas. There's just something about Tim Allen aka Scott Calvin (S.C. initials just like Santa Claus? ...what a co-inkydink) and his adorable on-screen son, Charlie, that sets the holiday season in motion. In short, this humorous family movie depicts a divorced businessman faced with a unique career change after accidentally "killing" Santa Claus and must keep it a secret from his disbelieving friends and family.
Fave Quote:
When talking about the existence of Santa Claus...
Charlie: Have you ever seen a million dollars?
Neil (Charlie's Stepdad): No.
Charlie: Just because you haven't seen it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
Right on Charlie! You're one smart kiddo for such a youngster. Let's just hope you continue on the family business...*cough cough*...The Santa Clause 4, where you at?
2. Dr. Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"
Ah, another hilarious Christmas classic featuring the oh-so-talented Jim Carrey as The Grinch! Get ready to laugh as you witness this green Scrooge attempt to ruin Christmas for all of Whoville. Sometimes I feel like the Grinch is a perfect depiction of a lazy college student...aka me 75% of the school year (see quote below LOL).
Fave Quote:
The Grinch: The nerve of those Whos. Inviting me down there - on such short notice! Even if I wanted to go my schedule wouldn't allow it. 4:00, wallow in self pity; 4:30, stare into the abyss; 5:00, solve world hunger, tell no one; 5:30, jazzercize; 6:30, dinner with me - I can't cancel that again; 7:00, wrestle with my self-loathing... I'm booked. Of course, if I bump the loathing to 9, I could still be done in time to lay in bed, stare at the ceiling and slip slowly into madness. But what would I wear?
3. "Elf"
Will Ferrell is Buddy the Elf aka the largest elf you'll ever find in Santa's Workshop. Join him on his journey through the seven levels of the Candy Cane forest and the sea of swirly-twirly gum drops as he searches for his birth-father in New York City, who also happens to be on Santa's Naughty List. *GASP*
Fave Quote:
Buddy: I just like to smile, smiling's my favorite.
Although let's be honest here, this movie is FULL of hilarious quotes. This is just one of many. 😂
4. "Christmas with the Kranks"
Another Tim Allen favorite along with the beautiful Jamie Lee Curtis as Luther and Nora Krank! With their beloved daughter, Blair, away in the Peace Corps, the Kranks decide to skip Christmas and go on a 10-day Caribbean cruise instead. Unfortunately, their spontaneous Scrooge-like behavior cause an uproar within the community and they must go through hoops to celebrate the holiday last minute, when Blair decides to come home.
Fave Quote:
In a scramble to find Blair's favorite hickory honey ham for Christmas dinner, Nora pays an outrageous amount of money for the last one only to have it fall out of her grocery bag and get run over by a truck! She ultimately purchases smoked trout for dinner and when asked about it by her husband...
Luther Krank: Smoked trout?
Nora Krank: It's better than frozen pizza.
Luther Krank: What happened to the hickory honey ham?
Nora Krank: Don't EVER say hickory honey ham again.
5. "The Holiday"
MY MOST FAVORITE ROMANCE MOVIE EVER. Like seriously, can we all just swoon over the oober-ly handsome Jude Law?! 😍 When two women troubled with guy-problems swap homes in each other's countries, they each meet a local guy and fall in love. In addition to Jude Law, other big-name stars in this movie include the goofy Jack Black as well as the lovely Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz. There are so many life lessons to be learned from this storyline and the musical score is incredible. Not to mention, my mom and I can quote this movie like nobody's business LOL.
Fave Quote:
Iris: I wanted to get away from one guy...an ex-boyfriend who just got engaged and forgot to tell me.
Arthur Abbott: So, he's a schmuck.
Iris: As a matter of fact, he is...a huge schmuck. How did you know?
Arthur Abbott: He let you go. This is not a hard one to figure out. Iris, in the movies we have leading ladies and we have the best friend. You, I can tell, are a leading lady, but for some reason you are behaving like the best friend.
Iris: You're so right. You're supposed to be the leading lady of your own life, for god's sake! Arthur, I've been going to a therapist for three years, and she's never explained anything to me that well. That was brilliant. Brutal, but brilliant.
6. "Unaccompanied Minors"
Here's another silly family friendly movie about a group of unaccompanied minors who bond while snowed in at an airport during the holiday season. These misfits must make the most out of their situation while wreaking havoc among the airport's terminals, all in the name of Christmas.
Fave Quote:
Without parents to control their every movement, one unaccompanied minor treats himself to the luxuries of airport food...
Spencer Davenport: Nachos. Oh, my mom never lets me eat those, you know? So, an order of those. She's banned all sodas from the house, so extra, extra, extra-large root beer.
Airport Restaurant Waitress: My mom never let me eat mozzarella sticks.
Spencer Davenport: Mine either. Two orders. On to dessert, huh?
Airport Restaurant Waitress: You don't have a tapeworm, do you?
7. "Eloise at Christmastime"
I remember watching this movie as a young girl and it's remained a favorite ever since. Meet Eloise, a rambunctious 6-year-old whole lives in the infamous New York hotel, The Plaza, along with her quirky Nanny played by the beautiful Julie Andrews. Wherever Eloise goes, chaos shortly follows, despite her innocent intentions. This Christmas, it has become her mission to reunite a young woman with a former boyfriend before she marries another man. Will she succeed? You'll just have to watch to find out. 😉
Fave Quote:
Bill (a friend of Eloise as well as a Plaza employee): So, how's that Christmas list coming?
Eloise: Still one or two items short.
Bill: How many you got so far?
Eloise: Seventy three. What? I think it's nice to give Santa lots of options.
8. "Surviving Christmas"
A lonely, obnoxious young millionaire named Drew (played by Ben Affleck) pays the dysfunctional and spunky Valco family to spend Christmas with him in his old childhood home. Drew becomes obsessed with executing the "perfect" Christmas, silly traditions and all, however when the holiday contract ultimately ends, he finds himself in a sticky situation.
Fave Quote:
Drew Latham: Please! Please, let me stay here!
Tom Valco: No!
Drew Latham: I'll pay you.
Tom Valco: My family's not for sale, pal.
Drew Latham: I'll pay you $250,000!
Tom Valco: Welcome home, son.
9. "A Boyfriend for Christmas"
As a teenager, all Holly wanted for Christmas was a boyfriend. Well, 20 years later, Santa keeps his promise and delivers the "perfect" guy to her doorstep, wrapping bow and all. Unfortunately, love is never perfect and the pair must overcome many obstacles. I know I know, a bit cliche for a storyline but what can you expect from a Hallmark movie? I will say, this is pretty much the ONLY Hallmark movie I will ever watch with my mom but we watch it every. single. year. 👏 So much romance. I love it.
Fave Quote:
Ryan Hughes: You know, I might be difficult to exchange without a receipt.
Holly Grant: That's ok. I think I'll keep you.
10. "The Family Man"
Jack, an investment broker living life in the fast-lane, is given the opportunity to see what his life would have been like if he had chosen love over his career. Nicolas Cage owns his role as a selfish, but successful, man who must tackle his new life as a husband and dad of two young kids while trading in his sports car for a mini-van. Will Jack ever return to his old life or is he going to be a "family man" forever?
Fave Quote:
On day one of the switch, Jack "meets" his young and adorable daughter Annie for the first time. Annie quickly realizes the man who looks like her daddy isn't really her daddy and asks him a few important questions...
Annie: Do you like kids?
Jack: On a case-by-case basis.
Annie: Do you know how to make chocolate milk?
Jack: I think I could figure it out.
Annie: Promise you won't kidnap me and my brother and plant stuff in our brains?
Jack: Sure.
Annie: Welcome to earth.
Give the gift of laughter this Christmas!
