9 Christmas Movies You Need to Watch This Holiday Season

A Christmas Story-1983

A Christmas Story tells the story of a traditional midwestern family, and the oldest son’s quest to get his ideal Christmas present: a Red Rider BB Gun. In the face of every adult telling him that he will shoot his eye out, Ralphie finally decides to see the man in charge when he visits a less-than-enthusiastic mall Santa Clause. When that fails, it seems like all hope is lost for little Ralphie. In a touching moment with a father who had come across as gruff and unattached through most of the film, Ralphie finally gets the gift of his dreams.

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer-1964

Everyone loves an underdog story, and that’s exactly what Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is about. The song that inspired the movie became famous in 1949, and someone finally realized that there was a great movie plot contained in the familiar verses. Rudolph, who was mocked and humiliated by his reindeer peers is left to wonder if the beacon attached to the end of his nose has made him useless until Santa realizes that he needs some headlights to make those Christmas Eve runs around the globe. A hero is born, and the doubters are silenced.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation-1989

Another story about a midwestern Christmas, but this one doesn’t focus on the magic of Christmas from the eyes of a child. Instead, we’re introduced to Clark Griswald; a grown man who is looking for a way to recapture the magic of Christmas well into his adult life. Along the way, we get to see Clark overdo the decorations at his own home while trying to play host to his parents, in-laws, and his wife’s eccentric cousin and his family. An obviously exaggerated take on the traditional family Christmas, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is arguably the best film to come out of the historic franchise.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas-1966 & 2000

You have two options if you want to watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas this holiday season. You can watch the original 1966 short version which is an animated enactment of the Dr. Seuss book, or you can watch the 2000 version starring Jim Carrey which really brough the popular tale to life. The Grinch is the quintessential tale of a Christmas-hating monster who has his eyes opened to the true love of the holiday season. While he spent most of his early life hating the Whos who inhabit Whoville and their love of Christmas, the Grinch finally undergoes a transformation when his heart grows to three times its original size.

The Santa Clause-1994

At the height of his sitcom popularity, Tim Allen dawned the red suit and the white beard to become The Santa Clause. In the movie, Allen plays the role of a single father who has custody of his son on Christmas Eve. Tragically, Allen’s character accidentally kills a man in a Santa suit. After being magically transported to the North Pole, he finds out that he finds out that he will have to assume the role of Santa by the next Christmas. While he thinks that he’s dreaming, he quickly realizes that he’s gaining weight and growing a white beard and that he has actually become the Santa Clause.

Home Alone-1990

At eight years old, Kevin McCalister acts out the night before his family’s trip, and as a punishment, his mother forces him to spend the night sleeping in the attic. Unfortunately, the family leaves for the trip before realizing they’ve left Kevin home alone. Before their departure, Kevin wished he had no family, and when he wakes up in an empty house, he quickly realizes that his dreams have come true, at least for the moment. His joy quickly turns to stress when two burglars decide to try to rob the McCalister, and Kevin realizes that it’s up to him to defend the home. We would love to say that his family never made the mistake again, but Home Alone 2 and Home Alone 3 seem to say otherwise.

Elf-2003

In this 2003 release, Will Ferrell becomes one of the most beloved Christmas characters of all time. As a child, Buddy was transported to the North Pole where he was raised among Santa’s elves. Obviously, since that was the life he knows, he truly believes he’s an elf. On a mission to find his real father, Buddy leaves the North Pole and tries to assimilate to life in New York City. Upon finding that his biological father is a stoic businessman, Buddy tries to forge a relationship with him with chaotic results.

It’s a Wonderful Life-1946

A movie that was released decades ago, but is just as powerful today, It’s a Wonderful Life has become one of the most iconic Christmas movies of all time. George Bailey is facing more problems than he feels like he can handle, so he’s made the decision to end it all at Christmastime. Just as he’s about to jump from a bridge, he ends up rescuing a man named Clarence who turns out to be his guardian angel. Clarence then takes George on a powerful trip into what the world would be like if he wasn’t a part of it.

Die Hard-1988

Ok, before we dive into this one, let’s settle the debate. Yes, this is a Christmas movie! While visiting his estranged wife at a company Christmas party along with his two young daughters, John McClane is forced to spring into action when a band of terrorists who want to take over the high rise on Christmas Eve. Faced with the fact that there’s no one other than him to save the hostages, McClane makes it a Christmas to remember. It’s probably important to note that you may not want to watch this one when the kids are around, as it is Rated R.

There were certainly more movies that we could have added to our list. This Christmas season, consider spending a few evenings with the family, enjoying some of these holiday classics or those on your personal list of must-see movies.