What Christmas Movies are Worth Watching This Year?

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By Ryn Cole

It is about that time when everyone wants to curl up with a cup of hot chocolate and watch a Christmas movie. Thankfully, there are an absurd amount of films to choose from, so you will never be out of options. Here are just a few picks out of the thousands of choices that are really worth watching. 

Every year there are a few staples that hardly get old including Elf (2003). Elf, starring Will Ferrell, is a hilarious account of a human who was raised as an elf navigating regular life. It is light-hearted, funny, and family-friendly. This movie hardly gets old, and if you have never seen it, now is the time. 

 Home Alone and The Santa Clause are two great choices for a movie marathon night since they both have numerous sequels. These are all go-tos, and even though sequels hardly live up to the originals, these franchises scream Christmastime. 

In the same uplifting, festive category, Miracle on 34th Street (1947 or 1994) and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation are two feel-good movies perfect to watch with your family to get you in the Christmas spirit. These movies are covered in Christmas cheer and Christmas decorations to get you in the spirit. 

Now on to a very important question. Which Grinch movie is worth watching? All three of these movie options are based on Dr. Seuss’ children’s book which embodies the meaning of Christmas. The animated How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) is only 26 minutes, so it is an easy one to watch each year because it requires little time commitment. 

Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2002) stars Jim Carrey as the Grinch, and he gives an amazingly hilarious performance. This is a solid film to appease people of all ages because the humor is pretty universal. 

The newest version of The Grinch is the animated movie released in 2018 which stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of the Grinch. This movie contains newer pop music, comedy for all ages, and Pharrell Williams as the narrator. Make sure to carve out some time this season to watch one of these versions with friends or family because, honestly, they are all pretty fun.

A foolproof plan is to put on a Hallmark Christmas movie or even keep the channel running for hours when you are doing some last-minute holiday gift wrapping. Yes, the ending for these movies may all be the same, but sometimes you need a break from the daily stressors of life and need to watch a fun, lighthearted movie. 

There is nothing wrong with enjoying a little cheesy movie every once in a while. The great thing about these movies is that they are on practically every streaming service. Even if you do not have cable, Netflix has a plethora of Hallmark-esque romantic comedies including The Holiday Calendar, Let It Snow, The Holiday Calendar, and The Holiday. 

Last but not least are some of the claymation films from the 1990s. These include Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (1970),  Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964), Rudolph’s Shiny New Year (1976), and The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974). These are usually on television throughout the month of December, so keep an eye out for them when you are hanging around the house or baking some Christmas cookies. 

Since there are so many festive movies out there this time of year, it can be a bit overwhelming deciding which ones to watch, but as long as you are in the Christmas mood, it is hard to go wrong. Hopefully this list helps, and when all else fails, turn on Freeform’s 25 Days of Christmas for other good recommendations. Happy watching, and Merry Christmas!