Top 10 Favorite Holiday Movies: This is My List, I Have to Defend It

Sometimes at this time of year with the holiday season upon us, I think the human capacity for joy is matched in full with an endless talent for creative expression.

How else to explain Christmas movies? This overflowing sleigh of cinematic abundance keeps getting bigger and more enjoyable, and it astounds me to learn that Christmas movies began in the silent film era, dating back to 1898!

No, I didn’t see that flick when it premiered (readily available now on YouTube), but over the years, many movies have won my heart and continue to bring joy for festive occasions with family and friends.

Here are my Top 10, classics that never fail to capture holiday wonder.

10. Home Alone (1990 • IMDB) This one could easily go right to the top. It was an instant blockbuster when it came out, and the humor, heart and holiday spirit are timeless. May we all bless our nutritious microwavable mac ‘n cheese dinners and the people who sold it on sale.

9. Elf (2003 • IMDB) Who’s hungry for spaghetti with maple syrup? Slapstick comedy meets family dynamics, and Will Ferrell’s comedy genius is at its best. Buddy! I know him.

8. Christmas Story (1983 • IMDB) Admit it. Every time you hear “BB gun,” you know someone’s going to shoot his eye out. This is a cultural lodestone, even in non-holiday times. Peking duck anyone? I triple-dog-dare you!

7. Miracle on 34th Street (1947 • IMDB) This classic won three Academy Awards when it came out. Lots of remakes, of course, and I even played saxophone in a pit orchestra for a high school stage production. The key line is simply, “Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to.”

6. Four Christmases (2008 • IMDB) Yes, I include a rom-com on this list because (1) everyone loves a good rom-com, whether they admit it or not, and (2) complicated family dynamics are universal. The scene in which they play the game “Taboo” is one of the funniest vignettes in cinema.

5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966 • IMDB) An oldie but still a bestie, this is animated Dr. Seuss at its finest. The Whos don’t care if the Grinch steals all their decorations, presents and food. They know why to celebrate. My heart grows three sizes bigger every time I see this 26-minute classic.

4. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965 • IMDB) We’re approaching 60 years with this jazzy gem. For me, the scene where Linus gives his recitation and actually lets go of his blanket is the heart of the film. Always powerful, year after year. The childlike wonder of the animation never gets old.

3. Christmas Carol (2009 • IMDB) I’ve written about Charles Dickens before, in appreciation of Fezziwig. But with Jim Carrey’s over-the-top performance and the supernatural effects of this movie, this modern-day remake of the classic seasonal story never ceases to amaze me.

2. Joyeux Noël (2005 • IMDB) I’m including this French film on my Top 10 list because it stretches the holiday genre by going to the battlefields of World War I. It tells the tale of a momentary truce among soldiers to demonstrate the universal longing for peace and goodwill.

1. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946 • IMDB) Now considered a masterpiece, this Frank Capra film earned its place in seasonal lore on TV starting in the 1970s. It might be the most watched holiday movie in history. It’s an inspiration for the difference we can make in our communities.

And with that, I suggest we all pour some Ovaltine or World’s Best Cup of Coffee and order a Little Nero’s Pizza. There are movies to watch and laughs to be shared!