Some of Our Favorite Christmas Movies

Christmas movies are a holiday tradition among my friends and I, and I bet they’re a tradition for some of you folks too. There are so many great ones, it’s hard to pick favorites, but I’d like to share with you my top five. If you haven’t seen them, I suggest you bundle up in some blankets on the couch, make some popcorn and hot cocoa, and have a Christmas movie night with someone near and dear to your heart (or at least someone who won’t spoil the ending).

My Top Five Christmas Movies

1. A Christmas Story

A classic Christmas favorite, I’m fairly certain A Christmas Story plays all day long on several channels on December 25. My brother and I watched it together every year growing up, and now we watch it every year with my niece and nephew. Here’s a fun fact for you to impress your friends: in the iconic “tongue stuck to pole” scene pictured above, they used a fake tongue with a magnet inside to get the desired effect without damaging any children.

2. Love Actually

I cry every time. For me personally, a good movie makes me laugh, but a great movie breaks my heart. This movie is full of heartbreak, but especially the sweet kind from the scene above (which I won’t spoil for those of you who haven’t seen it yet). This is usually one I watch by myself every year, because of the whole crying thing.

3. The Muppet Christmas Carol

Movie versions of A Christmas Carol have been done many times, many ways, but this will always be my favorite. Every year the local movie theater does a special showing of the movie with contests and prizes for the kids. In my experience, nothing says “It’s Christmastime!” like The Muppet Christmas Carol. It’s next to impossible to walk away from this film without feeling at least a little bit more joyful and festive.

4. Last Holiday

This is one of those movies that, if one of my friends says they haven’t seen them, I make them watch it immediately. As in, I will put the DVD on right then and there, pop some popcorn, and insist that the next 112 minutes be spent watching this great film. Queen Latifah is amazing, and absolutely perfect for this role. Last Holiday is about a woman being brave enough to do everything she always wanted to do, but still being the same warm, genuine person. Sure it’s a little cheesy, but if you can’t watch cheesy movies around the holidays, when can you?

5. A Charlie Brown Christmas

New Christmas movies come out ever year around this time, but for me, the best Christmas movies are the ones I’ve been watching since I was a kid. Christmas is always a little nostalgic, and I grew up reading Peanuts every Sunday with my dad. A Charlie Brown Christmas is the movie equivalent of favorite Christmas cookies – special, delicious, and comforting.

As far as Christmas movies goes, this list isn’t even the tip of the iceberg. Share your favorite Christmas movies in the comments, and let me know if we have any in common!