To continue my list (for those looking for something to watch this Christmas Eve)… PS, my most favorite is all the way at the very bottom!
A Christmas Story
To be honest, this isn’t my favorite. But I have to add it to the list because: A) I own it. B) My father loves this movie, and I love tradition, apparently, and C) MM actually enjoys this one, which means I get to watch it with him. Don’t tell Dad, but it’s starting to grow on me…
In the Good Old Summertime
I’m a sucker for old musicals, and while this one doesn’t have too much about Christmas in it, it does end on Christmas Eve, and has a song at the end that gets stuck in my head. Finally found it on Spotify, so there’s that. Starring the incomparable Judy Garland and Van Johnson, it shares a plot with many movies I’m sure we love (like You’ve Got Mail). It’s not a Christmas song, but “I Don’t Care” is another catchy tune. (Warning: As is the case in a fair amount of these older movies, there’s a touch of racism in one of the songs, about 3/4ths of the way through.) I’m a Garland fan, so this one ends up on my list. As does…
Meet Me in St. Louis
The movie follows the family through the entire year, with scenes from each season. Of course the most remembered is the Winter set of scenes, with the famous “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” sung by Garland in a gorgeous red velvet number, having just returned from a dance with her sister, brother, and grandfather. I just flat out love this movie!
The Ref
Swinging right back into the last couple of decades is The Ref. I struggle with watching this movie these days, due to one of the main actors and me serious distaste for him now, but Denis Leary, Judy Davis, and the other secondary actors (remember the grandmother from “While You Were Sleeping” and the mother from “Mary Poppins”? She’s back!) give me the rationalization I need to enjoy the movie more than I should. It’s not for kids, as it’s rated R. But it makes me laugh, and has just enough of the 90s to make me nostalgic.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Let’s stay in the last century (close enough to the 90s) with this one. Can’t have a Christmas season without this movie. MM and I can basically quote this movie from start to finish, so usually we plan to watch it when we don’t really care if we’re paying too much attention. Like playing a game, or in the background while cooking a meal. Or doing homework, cleaning our room, or feeding the hogs…
Home Alone & Home Alone 2
Hanging around the early 90s, we have these two John Hughes films! Again, I’ve seen them both so many times that really they become background soundtracks to whatever I happen to be doing at the time (baking cookies or wrapping presents, possibly cleaning). MM and I disagree about whether Home Alone 2 is worth watching, but he’s wrong. They’re both worth it. 🙂 Just like Ghostbusters 2 is worth it, too. That being said, anything that DOESN’T star Macaulay Culkin and Catherine O’Hara is not actually Home Alone, and there’s nothing you can say that will change my mind.
Elf
Haven’t watched this one yet this year, but will definitely be doing so. It’s campy, and crazy, and I’m not 100% in love with it, but I’ll still give it a shot. After all, I do enjoy Will Ferrell in his other movies!
The Polar Express
In the early days of Motion Capture, this movie came along, with Tom Hanks staring in most of the major roles. As is the case with all digital animation, more recent efforts are far better, but to be honest, I don’t care. You can call the characters in The Polar Express creepy, and you’re probably right. But maybe it’s the source material, the colors and richness of the scenes that pull me in. Maybe it’s just the magic from the start. I will not be budged. This is an awesome movie. Also, it doesn’t matter what time of day, or how many times I watch the movie, there’s a song that makes me weep every single time. There, I admit it.
Disney’s A Christmas Carol
Updated Motion Capture, and Robert Zemeckis back at the helm, and all of the sudden you have a pretty faithful version of Dickens’ classic. Jim Carrey surprises me in this movie, with the soulful representation of the number of characters he plays, and OMG Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, and Cary Elwes! Add in Robin Wright Penn, and you’ve got yourself a treasure. Beware, though – it can definitely be scary, so if you’ve got younger kids, they may be freaked out at a couple points.
Last Christmas
Who wouldn’t love a movie that stars Emilia Clarke that is warm and funny? And heart wrenching, too. I found this movie last year when Covid was at its first peak and MM and I knew we’d be staying home to ensure that all our families were safe. Yes, it made me cry, but it also showed me the kind of depth that Clarke can reach. Just such a good movie. Also, thanks to AL for mentioning it to me in a conversation or two!
Jingle Jangle
Beautiful, Beautiful movie. Love the animation, the actors, the songs, the premise. Just overall, a wonderful find. I’ll be watching this one again and again, though I may not own it (yet).
Noelle
Again, not one that I own, but I’ll add it here for those of you who enjoy streaming and have Disney+. Light hearted, silly, and kinda insane, but worth a laugh or two. I enjoy it, though it may not be a favorite (yet).
The Christmas Chronicles
Yep, another one that I found on a streaming service. I think it came out last year and I wasn’t too interested in it. But this year, something just had me click the movie on Netflix, and I was pleasantly surprised! Love this movie, and will definitely be watching it again in the future (or tomorrow)!
A Boy Called Christmas
I saw a trailer for this one on Netflix, probably sometime after I watched one of my typical movies, and something drew me to it. Again with the gorgeous colors and cinematography, with actors I recognize from many, many other movies. Wonderful story, lovely acting. And hands down one of the best quotes I have ever heard: “Grief is the price we pay for love, and worth it a million times over.” Beautiful.
White Christmas
You’ve made it! This is my favorite Christmas movie, the one that has to be watched over and over and over. I love all the songs, all the dancing, all the jokes and antics. Are there plot holes? Of course! Are there crazy misunderstandings that could be fixed with a simple conversation? Of course! Does any of that matter? NO! Watch it anyway!
And there you have it, friends – my Christmas movie list. I love all of the moves I’ve listed, and even a few others I didn’t mention. Every December it’s like I remember why I love the m all again, and it makes my days and evenings happy. So I ask you – what are the movies you MUST watch every holiday season? What did I miss? What should I watch?
For all those who celebrate, I hope you have the merriest of Christmases, one that will remove all the stresses and worries of yet another crazy year, fraught with uncertainty. From our house to yours, may your holiday season be filled with peace and love.
