Top 10 Christmas Movies

#10 Die Hard (1988)

Yes, it is a Christmas movie! The ending of the movie sells it for me, and the set up of the film is a Christmas party in a high rise building that is interrupted by thugs. It is also the only R rated movie on my list. It's also one of the greatest action movies of all time.

#9 It's A Wonderful Life (1946)

I do think this is a fantastic movie in its own right. Many people don't realize that most of this film does not take place during the Christmas season. That is one of the main reasons why it is not higher on my list. I really do like it and its message though.

#8 Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

I get that it is just a retread of the first film just in New York, but I love the setting and I think the film is funnier than the first for younger kids. The violence is way over the top and that is why it really can't be taken seriously. I think the movie has aged better over time and is very underrated. The film has a lot of heart, and I connect more with how alone some people can feel at Christmas time.

 #7 A Christmas Story (1983)

I think a lot of people might wonder why this isn't higher on the list. The answer is simple. I think the film appeals more to people that grew up a little earlier than I did. I was only 2 when it first came out and I just don't identify with the characters as much. I find it cheesy in a way that is not convincing. I have performed the film as a play back in 1995 at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse. Don't get me wrong, I do like little parts of it, but I'm just not as high on it as most people.

#6 Gremlins (1984)

Here is a horror-Christmas film that I could watch every year. I love the setting in the small town and the creature effects were brilliant for its time. I will admit that I like the 2nd film better but that isn't a Christmas movie. The part where a character tells about her father and the chimney is still one of the most bizarre parts of any film. 

#5 A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

I am aware that this was a television special and not a movie, but I had to include it on my list. This is one of the shows that would come on every year, and I made sure to watch it. I liked that they were bold enough to tell the story of Christ's birth even though most might shy away from it. My favorite part is the unloved tree that they took care of.

#4 National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

This film does a great job of showing family dysfunction during the Christmas season that really connected with me. The characters are over the top, but still feel believable. I love that it is a Christmas movie where everything that can go wrong does go wrong. There are some parts that I really don't like, but all in all, it is very enjoyable.


#3 Elf (2003)

This film came out of no where to becoming one of my favorites. I never saw it in theaters, but just loved how child-like Will Farrell is in this movie. It has a great ending and I love the relationship that elf has with his father. Some of the scenes have become iconic for me and it is annual watching for Christmas. "It's Santa!!!!!!!! I know him."

#2 The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

I have always loved the Charles Dickens story, and I don't think it has been done better than by the Muppets. this is obviously annual viewing for me. My dad always laughs at the part where rizzo tells gonzo to "Light the lamp not the rat." I have performed "A Christmas Carol" several times, and I still think about this movie first. I thought they really did a wonderful job with the songs they added. I still listen to some of them every year.

#1 Home Alone (1990)

Everyone has a special reason why they like a certain Christmas movie over another one and so it is important to understand why i love this one more than others. In 1990 when this film came out, I was almost 10 years old. I was almost exactly the same age as Kevin in the movie, and would play tricks on my younger sisters and get into minimal trouble like he did. I really connected with Kevin for these reasons. It was also one of the first commercial VHS movies that we bought. Most others were just taped from TV. I had a tradition that I would watch this show and Hook every single Christmas Eve. I would get up in the middle of the night and watch it. I still watch it every single year.

"Merry Christmas you filthy animals"