I know a lot of us have different ideas about what are classics. We love our Christmas movies in December. Let's look at the long list of good Christmas movies that all of us love.
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| Courtesy of Alpha Coders |
There are three categories that I'm putting them into. The first is directly Christmas related, which means it takes place on Christmas day or directly involves Santa Claus. The second is mostly Christmas related, which involves many Christmas-related themes most of the time. The third category is when Christmas is clearly just a background aspect that isn't a part of the main plot at all.
Directly Christmas Related
These directly involve Santa Claus or Christmas day. I'll describe the plot of each unless it is a broader category. I'll note the ones that I personally love.
Miracle On 34th Street is about a Santa Claus that works for Macy's store. He causes a stir when he claims to be the real Santa Claus and a trial is held. Kris Kringle connects with a woman and her daughter in the process, inspiring them both to believe he is who he claims to be.
Christmas Carol has several versions and my family and I often go to the local theatre to see it live. It is the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a man who is rich and miserable. He learns the true meaning of Christmas and paying attention to the poor on the streets through three spirits his dead partner Marley sends to him.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is about exactly what the title suggests. Rudolph meets up with an elf who wants to be a dentist, a yeti monster, the island of misfit toys, and a lot of reindeer that bully him - that is until he leads the way with his bright red nose.
A Christmas Story follows a family that is celebrating Christmas, with all the comedy you could ever need in a Christmas family film. The actual houses are in Cleveland, Ohio. The family comes up against the neighbors' hound dogs stealing the turkey, little Ralphie asking for a bb gun and being told he'd shoot his eye out, and a kid sticking his tongue to a pole on a dare. That isn't even all the fun. Go watch it. I love it and watch it every single year.
The Santa Clause series (starring Tim Allen) includes more than one film. There are two sequels labeled helpfully with the film number in the title. The first is when Scott (Tim Allen) accidentally kills Santa and is forced by the magic of Christmas to take his place. He then embraces his new life as Santa. The second takes place eight years after, where he discovers he must marry or lose his role, and his son is on the naughty list. The third and final one is when Scott's inlaws come over while Jack Frost is scheming to control the North Pole. It sounds strange, but I've seen stranger plots in movies.
Polar Express is a classic some people adore. It is about a young boy who is allowed to board a train to the North Pole, where he learns the magic never fades if you truly believe. It is cute. I can't say it is my favorite, but it's cute. My one coworker can say it's her favorite, though. This one is aimed at kids in my experience. You can actually find trains doing Polar Express-themed rides.
Nightmare Before Christmas is a hard one to place in a category due to the Halloween theme that is most of the movie. It is here because Jack Skellington takes over Christmas when he tires of being the pumpkin king. He swiftly finds out this was a mistake. In the process, he kidnaps Santa Claus and Oogie Boogie decides to attempt to kill Santa. Santa fixes everything Jack did wrong in the end. It is based on a poem and made by Tim Burton in impressive claymation. I love this one for both Halloween and Christmas.
A Charlie Brown Christmas is beloved among so many people I know. Charlie Brown, as usual, is depressed. He is depressed by the commercialism of Christmas and attempts to put on a Christmas play. This play goes rather badly when everyone has forgotten the true meaning of Christmas - except Linus. Linus then tells Charlie Brown the story of Jesus' birth. Charlie grabs a little tree, which is then saved by Linus when he walks away in depression. Then everyone sings a carol as they come around to the true spirit of Christmas. Yay! It's adorable. Go watch it.
How The Grinch Stole Christmas is my absolute, drop-everything favorite all year long. I kid you not. I have memorized most of it. The green, furry Grinch doesn't like Christmas noise and steals all the presents in revolt. He then goes to drop it all off a mountain, but stops when the Whos in Whoville celebrate despite no gifts under the tree and no feast to eat. He learns that Christmas doesn't come from a store and returns it all, even carving the roast beast at the end. I love, adore, and even cherish this Dr. Seuss classic. Drop everything and go listen to Boris Karloff (the best version in my opinion) read it to you. It's free on Youtube. I'll just put it here for your convenience.
Mostly Christmas Related
Here we have Christmas themes throughout the plot, but not a direct reference to Christmas Day, Santa Claus, or Christmas itself. It is obviously Christmas, yet not the focus of our plot. Let's get into it.
It's A Wonderful Life is a Jimmy Stewart classic that is purely a Christmas movie and nothing else to me. I love it and save it for Christmas week. I am an old soul. I love the old black and white films. This one has a story to it, one that breaks my heart a little. Jimmy Stewart filmed this movie after the war and dealt with PTSD episodes as a result of the war. There are two or three scenes that look like episodes of PTSD, including the one I'll put below this paragraph. The plot is about George Bailey, who owns the building and loan that helps so many people get out of the slums. He loses money that he owes and thinks he's worth more dead than alive. The man is unraveling and people send up so many prayers that an angel is sent to save him. He gets to see what life looks like without him and realizes that he had a wonderful life. He is brought back to this life to find that everyone pitched in to pay off his debt while he was running around town with the intent to commit suicide. It's beautiful. It also happens at Christmas time with strong Christmas vibes.
Elf is the next one with all of the Christmas vibes, yet most of the focus is on our main character. Buddy the elf accidentally crawled into Santa's bag as an infant, was raised in the North Pole, and now gets sent to his father in New York. His father didn't know he existed. Most of the movie is Buddy trying to deal with his new reality and generally being a man-child. Will Ferrel does an excellent job of acting like a child. He's a talented man that can do more than comedy but is mostly known for comedy. This one gets lots of attention. Will Ferrel made himself sick on the food he ate and the 2 liter soda he chugged (for real!) while filming.
Frosty the Snowman is about Frosty the Snowman, a snowman who comes to life and plays with children. Simple, aimed at kids, and family-friendly. I can't say too much about the plot other than it is what the song describes, just like Rudolph. He promises to come back on Christmas day when the children get all sad about him leaving. Santa transports him to the North Pole. There are more than one, if you look up Frosty the Snowman. It's adorable and cute.
Jingle All The Way is one I was kind of annoyed by, but if it's your jam you can freely watch it to your heart's content. A man is trying to make up for missing parts of his son's life by getting him Turbo Man at a parade featuring Turbo Man. Every store sold out of this toy and his one shot is at the parade. Every human who wants this toy is going far and wide to find it. It doesn't really embody the true meaning of Christmas and a toy won't fix a relationship that has broken. If you like Arnold Schwarzenegger, though, he's the main character and you might love it.
Home Alone is all about a kid who got left at home during Christmas vacation and has to protect his home from burglars. Christmas vibes are everywhere. Most of the plot is the kid laying traps and destroying the house and the burglars. I know it has sequels that are mostly the same concept. They are universally known as Christmas movies.
White Christmas is mostly dancing and lots of Fred Astaire. It takes place at a Christmas show in a Vermont lodge. There are romantic mix-ups and comedy. The two main brothers find out that their former general (during the war) owns the lodge. If you love dancing like my bestie does you'll love this movie. It might be close to the style of Singing in the Rain, so if you like that movie this might be a fast favorite.
Christmas is the background only
Now we talk about the movies that give the vibes of Christmas and don't put Christmas at the heart of their plot at all. Maybe they just include winter. Maybe they put Christmas in one scene and the rest of it has nothing to do with Christmas. Yet, we still consider them Christmas-y films. There is nothing wrong with that.
Little Women is a story written by Louisa May Alcott. It stars four young women growing up in the years after the civil war. One scene is all about their father coming home for Christmas. It is a beautiful tale of sisterly love and family that won't bore you to tears. I even read the book, which is just as amazing. Pick up the book or pull out the movie (2019 is the best one in my opinion). Grab some popcorn for the tree and start stringing cranberries.
We have to talk about those Hallmark movies. Some will watch them all year. Christmas and winter may be the background, but well all know the focus is the romantic tension and cute vibes between the couple featured. There are hundreds of these fluffy Christmas tales out there. One could watch them all year long and never run out. I don't, but you can. I don't find much depth in these stories. You can only see a series of movies with a clear formula so many times before you tire of it.
Jack Frost is heartwarming. It is the tale of a man who dies in a car crash and is given one last chance to put everything right with his son as a snowman. It stars Michael Keaton as Jack Frost. It is amazing. You should watch it at least once. It is mostly just winter themed with sprinkles of Christmas vibe. You'll find this one charming and emotional. You might cry and that is okay.
While You Were Sleeping is a movie that my mom watched so many times in my childhood that I was thoroughly tired of it by age seven. Nevertheless, it is a cute movie, just not after the twentieth time of watching it. Sandra Bulloch (Lucy) and Lonestar - sorry, I mean Bill Pullman (Jack) have a romance as a result of a misunderstanding. Lucy saves Peter (Jack's brother) from falling onto the train tracks and the family welcomes her under the misunderstanding that she is his fiancee while he is in a coma. It all gets comedic and complicated from there. It's cute and funny. I do like it.
Die Hard seems to be a Christmas movie and I don't understand. I don't have to understand. I just have to put it on the list. A Christmas party is held hostage by terrorists and a New York policeman (played by Bruce Willis) visiting his estranged wife is the only hope of saving everyone. Fun times. There are also sequels. This movie is lots of action and only one connection to Christmas. You may love this and you can feel free to. Everyone has their own classics in their head and this could be one of yours.
Lastly, we have Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. It is Christmas in only one scene. This is the first Harry Potter film. Ron decides to stay over Christmas break to be with Harry at Hogwarts, so he isn't alone. Harry also gets a sweater from Mrs. Weasley. Harry Potter plots get complicated. You can watch the movie for yourself. The basic rundown is this; Harry discovers he's a wizard and chaos ensues at Hogwarts. Although, the chaos ensuing at Hogwarts could describe the entire series minus one book.
I hope you liked my list of Christmas classics and Merry Christmas! God bless us, every one!
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