Finally, it is that time of the year again. It is the time we get out our warm clothes, and festive decorations and get comfy on the couch to turn on our favorite Christmas movies. During the winter time, the classic holiday films become traditions in most family households, even if they do not realize it. Through all the years and all the Christmas movies that have been created, the top few of that list are very hard to beat.
The best Christmas movie of all time, according to IMDb.com (a subsidiary of Amazon), is It’s a Wonderful Life. Released in 1964, this movie entails a man (George Bailey) who wishes he was never born, he gets an angel (Clarence) sent down to him to show him what life would have been like if he was never born. Throughout the movie, the angel shows him exactly how much of an impact he created on the people who care about him most. On Rotten Tomatoes, Kate Cameron, from the New York Daily News, says, “This movie tells a great story and its conclusion has a heart-warming effect on the audience.” Some might be surprised this classic reigns number one on the list, but to this day it will still remain.
Skipping down a few spots, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in its 60th year release, takes fifth place in the top 100. This iconic claymation stop-motion Christmas film shows Rudolph’s journey to finding his own spot on Santa’s Sleigh. This movie has created many family traditions throughout the country, but apparently none for Lewis Cass Junior, Jedidiah Stone Frey. Jed says, “Even though this movie holds no traditions in my family, it holds a special place in my heart.” He goes on to say, “Every time I watch it during Christmas time it leaves me feeling nostalgic about my younger days.” Along with Jed’s review, many others could also agree that the 1964 version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a must-watch when this time of the year rolls around.
Coming in at number six, is the classic Christmas comedy, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Clark Griswold makes his best efforts towards having the perfect family Christmas this year until things take a turn for the worst. This movie shows the realistic side of how hectic the holidays can get in such a short amount of time. Junior, Brody Hillis, claims this is his favorite Christmas movie. He says, “Every year during Christmas at my aunt’s house, my family and I always enjoy watching National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation together.”
Some honorable mentions that did not quite make it into the top few of the 100 movies are Elf, The Polar Express, and The Grinch. Each one of these films shows a unique perspective of how the main character(s) view Christmas. Senior, Lily Martin, mentions that she and her family love to watch all Christmas movies, but especially Elf. And senior, Wade Tocco, shares his controversial opinion that he prefers the newer animated version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas rather than the live-action version, unlike the rest of his family.
Christmas time is the best time to explore the world of holiday films. There is an enormous variety from new Hallmark cheesy romances to original specials that have been around for decades. These movies are what make Christmas feel special each and every year to families who have grown and will continue to grow life-long traditions around them.
