Good morning everyone. I started to think about my favorite Christmas movies over the weekend. What movies do I watch, year after year, that make it feel like Christmas to me? Well here is a top ten list for you. It has my current favorites, although occasionally it changes and I either add a new one or include another one, thus making ties for favorites, as this group must be seen each year.
I’m aware that some of you may not have seen all of these due to where you live and the availability of programs. I’ve tried to give a brief accounting of each as I go along.
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10. The Santa Clause (1994) with Tim Allen. The movie is based on the premise of what would happen if a man suddenly found out that he was Santa Claus after the “real” Santa falls off of his roof!
9. Home Alone (1990) – The first one, not the sequels! A really good family film for the holidays, except there’s no family! Funny gags, hilarious antics and truly feel-good moments as well.
8. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965 – TV) – I know it’s a made-for-TV movie, but to ignore it would be stupid. Generations of kids have grown up on it.
7. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964- another made for TV movie) – Rudolph is wonderful, even with his jerky movements and static sets and Hermey the misfit elf, Yukon Cornelius the prospector and the Bumble seem timeless. Burl Ives singing, never gets old!
6. A Christmas Carol (1938) – The best version of the well-worn Dickens literary classic. At a mere 70 minutes in run-time, it’s a short but sweet classic.
5. White Christmas (1954) Bing Crosby singing “White Christmas” is the definition of the holiday season. And this happy, colorful 1950s musical. Many of you never got to hear Bing Crosby or Danny Kaye sing, but they sure were special!
4. Miracle on 34th Street (1947) The story of a little girl who’s cynical about life and the department store Santa who teaches her to believe in magic. The sweetest story of love and belief and the Christmas spirit.
3. The Bishop’s Wife (1947) – Who doesn’t like Cary Grant as an angel? Features a great movie quote: “The only people who grow old were born old to begin with”.
2. A Christmas Story (1983) If you haven’t seen this off-beat holiday movie, then get thee to the video store now. Ralphie’s Christmas quest for a Red Rider BB Gun will make you laugh until your funny bone is sore.
1. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) Oh, George Bailey! Our hearts break for him every year as we watch him do the right thing and only to be knocked down again and again. If you don’t cry at the end — when George is surrounded by all the lives he changed — then you might need to take up residence with the Grinch. It’s my favorite Christmas movie of all time!
I’ll be watching this next week as I do my Christmas wrapping. It’s sort of a tradition for me now. Me and the Baileys, and scissors and bows!
Some of them I know too, my favorite one is a french movie which is also a theatre play it’s called “Father Christmas is a skunk” (Le père Noël est une ordure) It’s so funny that you cry !
Today I have no access to my Google account can’t read my emails, or access Blogger ! I am furious ! I wait for an answer !
Christmas Story, White Christmas, and Elf…my must sees. We usually watch Home Alone Thanksgiving night to get the season started.
Charlie Brown would be higher up on my list, but the first two are perfect. I love the Grinch and the Polar Express!!! Love YOU, Mel
I love the Grinch, too and Scrooged with Bill Murray and the one that came out last year with Jim Carrey, the animated one. Amazing!
Can’t argue with that number one! Husband and I used to spend so much money with a certain online DVD retailer that we received a free gift one Christmas – a copy of It’s a Wonderful Life. Best free gift EVER!
Really like your selections. The Baileys in the movie are great but so, too, is Baileys in the bottle. Ho Ho HO. Love ya, Carol