My 5 Favorite Christmas Movies

No matter what religion you do or don’t observe, everyone has their favorite Christmas movies. Fact of the matter is, you turn on the TV at any given moment the week or so leading up to Christmas and your bound to find one – and not be able to stop watching it.

Since I have time for this, I thought I’d share with you my Top 5 Christmas movies (there are only five because I can’t say I’ve even seen ten Christmas movies) of all time. Enjoy the read and have a Merry Christmas.

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5. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)

Although you can see the jokes coming all the way from the North Pole, Christmas Vacation is screwball physical humor with charm. With Chevy Chase, crazy relatives, physical humor and animals attacking, Christmas Vacation is something you can watch over and over again – and that’s what Christmas movies are all about. I might be a little biased because it takes place in Chicago and the suburbs (courtesy the late John Hughes) and Bears and other sports paraphernalia are plastered all over the place, but I think many would agree.

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4. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

I can’t even remember the last time I saw this movie, but I was fascinated by the “second chance” concept. It’s such a classic movie premise that it touches you every time. Other than A Christmas Carol, no other story weaves a better morality tale about the true meaning of Christmas. Jimmy Stewart is also my favorite old-school actor, making this a great classic, not just a great Christmas fim.

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3. Jingle All the Way (1996)

The guilty pleasure on my list is this mid-‘90s classic starring none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad. I think the reason I loved it as a kid was because I knew all about hunting for popular toys back-ordered and in hot demand … aka Power Rangers, clearly the inspiration for the Turbo Man action doll that Schwarzenegger will do almost anything to get his hands on to make his son’s Christmas a memorable one. It’s still fun because of that competitive physical humor as the toy slips barely out of reach every time they inch closer. It’s that watchable formula.

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2. Home Alone (1990)

One of my earliest movie theater memories (at 3 and half years old) was this amazing kids movie. Another John Hughes classic, Home Alone is a story that all kids forge an instant bond with because it’s all about a kid outsmarting adults. Home Alone is the perfect mixture of danger and fear with a kid being alone and crooks trying to break in, and hilarity with the way he takes them out. Christmas is mostly the backdrop, but the family themes makes it Holiday-appropriate – and the number 2 film on my list.

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1. A Christmas Story (1983)

My favorite Christmas movie ever – and I think many will agree – is this ‘40s period film made in the 1980s. Every scene is simply classic – whether it’s the tongue and the poll, the Red Rider rifle or when Ralphie beats up the school bully – and you can pick up watching it at any time and make it through the end without a problem. There’s something about the film’s mildly cynical narration and attitude toward Christmas and childhood in general that make it one-of-a-kind as a movie, not just a Christmas film. I just love its style and the fact that it’s kind of socially offensive in that 1940s naïve way.

Merry Christmas, and don’t shoot your eye out.