As soon as the clock hits 12A.M following Thanksgiving Day, families everywhere begin to hang their adorned stockings on the mantle and pull their dusty Christmas trees out of the box in early anticipation of Santa’s arrival on December 25th. But as they carefully hang their sentimental ornaments on the tree, what is on the TV? Chances are, it’s one of the many iconic holiday movies that regain their annual popularity every December. Here are 5 all-around favorites that won’t fail to fill you up with nostalgia and Christmas spirit. 

Elf

Making it’s premiere in 2003, Elf is a classic movie that many kids of our generation have grown up watching. Starring Will Ferill and Zooey Deschanel, this heartwarming comedy follows the life of Buddy the Elf (Ferill) in his pursuit to find his father in New York City. Along the way he experiences difficulty fitting in as an elf-raised man in a world of people who don’t believe in Santa, finds accidental love with a girl named Jovie, and meets his brother Michael. If you haven’t already seen it, Elf is definitely one to check out! 

White Christmas

While Texas certainly does not grant White Christmases very often, you can pretend that you are surrounded by blankets of cheerful white snow while watching the 1954 film White Christmas. In this feel-good musical comedy set during World War II, war buddies Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) meet sister act Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy Haynes (Vera-Ellen) as they embark on an adventure to put on a Christmas show in Vermont. Featuring well known songs such as White Christmas, Sisters, Snow, Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep, and The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing, and entertaining dance numbers, White Christmas is a great sing along for the whole family. 

Home Alone

Featuring possibly the most iconic scene from a Christmas movie to date is 1990 family comedy Home Alone, starring a young Mcauley Culkin who plays the frightened 8 year old Kevin McCallister as he is accidently left home alone when his family goes on a holiday vacation. Left to fend for himself, Kevin battles a daunting duo of two men aware of the family’s plan to be absent during the holiday who plan on breaking into the McCallister residence. If the original Home Alone isn’t quite enough, there are five sequels following!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

While this year it seems that the pandemic has adopted the Grinch’s job of stealing Christmas, it’s still worth it to give How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) a watch! Jim Carey delivered an expressive performance of the Grinch in this live action adaptation of Dr. Suess’s children’s book, taking us through the many emotions of the irritable green creature on his expedition to steal Christmas from the benevolent citizens of Whoville. The story guides its audience through flashbacks of the Grinch’s past as he meets six year old pig-tailed Cindy-Lou Who, and finishes with hints towards new beginnings. 

A Charlie Brown Christmas

The last movie of this short list is A Charlie Brown Christmas, a comforting 30 minute short film that originally aired as a television special in 1965. With the well known and beloved animated characters of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, Lucy, Sally, and more, this brief movie follows the story of Charlie Brown directing a Christmas pageant with his friends by suggestion of Lucy. While the plot is shallow, you can’t go a year without a viewing of this classic cartoon!

You can find all of these movies on either Netflix, Disney+, or Apple TV, making them a perfect pick for a covid safe virtual watch party. You could even watch one after every semester exam or final assignment as a reward. So, throw on your best Christmas pajamas and a red Santa hat, grab some popcorn, and get to watching!

Citations

A Charlie Brown Christmas. (December). Retrieved December 5, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Charlie_Brown_Christmas

Elf (film). (2020, December 05). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elf_(film)

Home Alone. (2020, December 04). Retrieved December 5, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_Alone

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000 film). (2020, December 03). Retrieved December 5, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_the_Grinch_Stole_Christmas_(2000_film)

White Christmas (film). (2020, December 05). Retrieved December 5, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Christmas_(film)