The holidays, to me, are one of the best times of the year. Lights and decorations turn the outside world into a wonderland that still mesmerizes me to this day, Christmas music is played in malls, on the radio, and TV specials every week.
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Little kids get excited for Santa, while those who have outgrown the fantasy wish they never had. It's a time of year where you can think about others and spending time with family, no matter what holiday, is super fun and makes for great memories. As it happens, it is also the time of year where Christmas movies are played nonstop for a month, and everyone's inner child is content again as they watch the magic of the holidays unfold on their screens.
In no particular order, here are a few of my favorite holiday films.
1. It's A Wonderful Life (1946)
Okay, so I know I said "no particular order", but this happens to be my favorite Christmas movie ever. Since I was very young, it's been a film that my family has been sure not to miss every year. And although it took me until well into my teens to fully understand and grasp the concept of George Bailey and his journey back to his family with Clarence, it's one that I will always appreciate and admire.
2. Elf (2003)
A classic and most everyone's favorite, no one can resist this holiday comedy when it comes on every year. It's got joy, romance, family, friendship, and a lot of Christmas spirit. Some of my favorite parts include Buddy's date with Jovie, the snowball fight, "Buddy the Elf, what's your favorite color?", and, of course, the end when NYC's holiday spirit powers Santa's sleigh and saves Christmas.
3. Dr. Suess' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Who doesn't love the Grinch? The Who's of Whoville, that's who. Jim Carrey delivers a fierce Grinch in this live action version, with hysterical one-liners and a fantastic conveyance of what a feeling can do for Christmas spirit. The Grinch is the character that you secretly love to hate, but don't actually hate at all.
4. The Santa Clause (1994)
This particular film has been one of my favorites since I was little, as well as it's second and third installments. I love watching the magic of the North Pole unfold onscreen, as well as Scott and Charlie's relationship mend through the journey they take as Scott becomes Santa. When I was little, this movie had me convinced that the North Pole worked in this way and that snow globes were filled with magic.
5. The Polar Express (2004)
As child I dreamed of the Polar Express showing up outside my front door on Christmas Eve, transporting me to the North Pole, where all my doubts would be confronted and turned around. The music and scenery is really what did it for me with this film, and every year I watch it over and over again, feeling again what I felt as a kid and what I think of to this day when I hear a bell ring.
6. Love Actually (2003)
Probably one of the most recent editions to my list of must-watch Christmas films, it's one of the few that I start to watch in November to get me into the holiday spirit. I find it both a sad and happy experience, watching the stories of all the different couples unfold on screen. My personal favorite couple is the Prime Minister and Natalie, although my favorite scene in the whole movie is probably one of the saddest: when Mark declares his love for Juliet with cue cards and a good-willed thumbs up.
7. The Family Stone (2005)
One of the more dramatic films on my list, The Family Stone is one of those movies that you know will make you feel all types of emotions, but you watch it anyway. Viewers have to be patient, as it isn't full of Christmas cheer but rather with comedy and upsetting storylines, which conveys the family's celebration of the holidays rather than an outcry of Santa Clause, reindeer, and gift-giving.
8. Fred Claus (2007)
This is a classic to me, starring two of my favorite actors as brothers, one Nick, and one Fred. Vince Vaughn's lesson in family and brotherly love (and jealously) makes for a unique comedy with some seriously touching moments, great North Pole scenery, and one seriously lovable elf, portrayed by John Michael Higgins. It doesn't get a lot of time on television, but I seriously suggest you seek it out if you haven't seen it yet.
