As soon as it hits December, I start pulling all of the Christmas, or Christmas related, movies off of our shelves and start watching all of them. I have quite the collection now, which means I have something to watch (or listen to, since I’ve seen all of them so many times I could easily quote most of them) nearly every day. And it all starts with the day I decorate the house – I go through a few of them in that time.
And because I enjoy them so much, I thought I’d share! In no particular order…
Nutcracker: The Motion Picture
Maybe not the classic Nutcracker that many see on stage, but this is the one that I would see Tony Randall introduce on PBS back when I was younger. The DVD I finally found doesn’t have Tony Randall, but everything else remains the same – the Pacific Northwest Ballet, led by Patricia Barker as the adult Clara – and is beautiful every time I watch it
Miracle on 34th Street
This is the newer one, released in the 90s, that stars Richard Attenborough, Dylan McDermott, Elizabeth Perkins and the adorable Mara Wilson. Best word to describe this movie for me is that it’s lush – the set design, costuming, everything. Can’t beat the story, either!
Sisters
Nope, not actually a Christmas movie. But the first time I watched it (and LOVED it), I seriously got into Christmas mode due to the last scene of the movie. I blame Stevie Wonder, though I don’t think he was actually the one singing. I love Amy Poehler and Tina Fey, and always will. (Also, I have the Unrated version, so it’s extra fun!)
Mickey’s Christmas Carol
This movie is straight up 30 minutes of my childhood. All the favorite Disney characters star in a exceptionally short version of a book that I try to read around this time as well. Does it line up with the book well? Of course not! It’s 30 minutes long! But it’s Mickey, and I love it.
Trading Places
One of a handful of Christmas movies that MM approves of. Classic 80s film, gritty, darkly humorous, and starring Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, and Jamie Lee Curtis, to name a few of those actors that were prevalent in that decade. So many of the quotes that MM and I throw back and forth to each other come from this movie – Looking good, Billy Ray!
The Santa Clause
Yep, the fun Tim Allen movie, back when he was still doing Home Improvement TV series, so it shouldn’t be surprising that his patented grunting and “slight” obsession with power tools shows up in the movie like little cameos. It’s cute, funny, and I love the heart that comes with it. I tend to watch this one a couple times over the season.
The Santa Clause 2
Not nearly as good as the first movie. Not nearly. But it does add a little of the romance angle to the comedy. A part I can barely get past is the introduction of the elf “Curtis,” and the fact that the head elf, played by David Krumholtz, seems to have taken a hard left turn into overly cheesy. I enjoyed him more as a bit of a curmudgeon. Still, it’s fun to continue the story of Scott Calvin and his family, so I’ll watch this one at least once as a follow up to the first. But you can be that I don’t continue the path to the third movie. That’s the worst of the three, despite the addition of Martin Short.
While You Were Sleeping
Ah, Sandra Bullock in her early years. It’s one of those movies set in the holiday season, but more focused on the comedy and romance than anything else. Bill Paxton is a great leading man, and all of the secondary characters make me laugh. I mean, the woman who plays the grandmother is the same woman who plays the mother in Mary Poppins! Remember what things were like in the 90s, and just have some good clean fun with this movie.
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Yes, another Christmas Carol, this time with the loveable Muppets, and some musical numbers thrown in for good measure. One of my all time favorite Christmas movies! The songs get so stuck in my head, I sometimes regret the number of times I watch the movie. Not going to lie – I’ve woken up with “It Feels Like Christmas” in my head more times than I can count. And it’s pretty close to the book – more so than you’d expect with a Muppet movie. You don’t have to be a kid to enjoy this one. Might watch it again today… 🙂
A Chipmunk Christmas
Okay, okay, this one is legitimately pretty silly. But if you know me, and some of the hobbies I enjoy, you’ll understand why this one has made the list for a few years. The DVD I have actually has three “episodes” that include the actual “A Chipmunk Christmas,” “Dave’s Wonderful Life”, and “Merry Christmas, Mr. Carroll.” I typically turn this on in the background of decorating, in honor of those three lovely friends with whom I’ve had a multitude of crazy Christmas adventures over the years…
Twas the Night Before Christmas
It took me a while to figure out where I could find this particular one from my youth. It’s another 30 minute or less “movie,” having been broadcast on one of the three local network channels we had when I was growing up (yes, I’m that aged), and a few years ago, one of the songs popped into my head and just WOULD. NOT. LEAVE. Hence the deep investigation to try to remember what the name of the show was, and how I could add it to my collection. Short and sweet, but it stuck with me, so it’s in my list!
Santa Claus: The Movie
Straight up from the 80s, once again, starring David Huddleston (who makes a couple of cameos in a favorite Aaron Sorkin TV series of mine), John Lithgow and Dudley Moore. I enjoy the origin story that it tells, and while the special effects are pretty… 80s, and I have so many questions about how Santa updates the toys that he delivers over the centuries, it’s a nice movie to watch over the holidays. Which is what we’re looking for!
The Original Christmas Classics
I tend to stick to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman, but the two disc set that I have also has Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town! and The Little Drummer Boy. It just takes me back to those nights as a kid when we’d all rush back home after the elementary School or Middle School Christmas program in order to catch these, the other 30 minute specials I’ve already mentioned, or the Garfield or Charlie Brown specials that would be on. So, so old school, but I still remember the songs and the stop motion animation with fondness.
The Holiday
Let’s see… Kate Winslet, Jude Law, and Cameron Diaz. Of COURSE I was going to have this one in my arsenal. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Jack Black when I first watched this, but he grew on me in this film. I’m not sure what other movies I had seen him in up to this point, but his go to style of comedy just wasn’t in my wheelhouse. Then I saw this movie, and I realized that he has a couple other facets to him – which have made it a little easier to watch something like the new Jumanji movies. So many questions at the end of this movie, but in general, I love it.
And now I know just how many Christmas movies I have, because this isn’t even the full list! Stay tuned for the rest of the movies that I rotate through during the month of December.
Also, just in case you were wondering, I am watching Muppets again! 🙂