From Miracle on 34th Street to White Christmas, find out which movies to watch to get into the holiday spirit.
With the hustle and bustle of the holidays at hand, Christmas movies can help a person get into the mood of the season. The following considerations were ranked in a few different ways. First, they had to be movies about Christmas, which does not simply mean that the movie happened to take place around Christmas time. For instance, many Top Christmas Movies lists might include Die Hard. Yet, the movie has very little to do with Christmas. Second, the movies that were selected are ones that elicit warm, Christmas-like feelings, whether that be through humor, a sweetly told story, or another effective method. Here's a countdown to the top ten Christmas movies.
10. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (1964) - This stop-motion animation is a timeless classic and great for kids. Based on the famous song, the movie features Rudolph's struggle to overcome being different while Santa and the gang try to save Christmas.
9. Polar Express (2004) - Based on a children's book by Chris Van Allsburg, this animated movie tells a story about a young boy's doubt in Santa Claus.
8. Home Alone (1990) - This is a comedy for all ages and made Macaulay Culkin a child star. When eight-year-old Kevin McCallister is accidentally left home along at Christmas, he learns a valuable lesson about what having a family actually means.
7. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) - The Charlie Brown series sometimes drags on with slow-paced, ambiguous plots and tedious dialogue. Yet, Charles Schulz had a way of conveying warmth through his young, innocent characters. This movie is simple, yet effective.
6. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) - Dr. Seuss' brilliance comes to life in this animated masterpiece. Boris Karloff's voice fits perfectly in this movie.
5. A Christmas Story (1983) - One of Christmas' comedic classics about a boy growing up in the '40s who has his eyes on getting a BB gun for Christmas.
4. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) - A Christmas comedy at its finest and the best of the National Lampoon sagas. Clark tries to have the perfect Christmas, but nothing seems to go right. This is the ultimate example of a holiday disaster.
3. Miracle on 34th Street (1947) - One of the great Christmas classics that will bring spirit to the holidays forever.
2. Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983) - This cartoon gem is heart warming, funny and capable of moving viewers on different levels and at different ages.
1. It's a Wonderful Life (1946) - This is the ultimate feel good movie about a guy who's lost all hope, but is shown a glimpse of what life would be like had he never been born.
Those that missed the cut:
The Muppets Christmas Carol (1992); A Christmas Carol (1938); The Santa Clause (1994); Frosty the Snowman (1969); Bad Santa (2003); The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993); How the Grinch Stole Christmas (re-make 2000); The Family Man (2000); Scrooged (1988); Elf (2003); and White Christmas (1954).
