Christmas is by far my favorite Holiday. Decorating, baking, giving gifts all of the trappings and cultural traditions are things that I love. Rituals are very important to me and I suspect by most of my fellow Homo Sapiens.
One of the traditions that I love is the showing of the classic Christmas films on television. Some might find this excess of nostalgia annoying, I find it rather comforting and fun. I’d like to share my top five favorite Christmas Movies:
It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)
The big daddy of all of the Christmas films, and one of the best. There are a few interesting things to remember about this film, that it wasn’t actually much of a success when it came out, but was later became a holiday tradition mainly due to the proliferation of television and babies. Baby boomers that is, who watched this as children on television and the film was forever etched it’s place on the Holiday landscape.
The other thing to note is that in most way’s it really isn’t even a Christmas movie per se. Think about it, there is really nothing that the film really has to do with Christmas. When the town comes to George’s aid in the third act, this could’ve just as easily happened at Arbor Day.
A Christmas Story (1983)
A film that for my generation is the equivalent of It’s A Wonderful Life is definitely A Christmas Story. The film is based on the semi-autobiographical writings of author Jean Shepherd and details the life of a typical family in late depression era Chicago and specifically about the young Ralphie’s obsession with getting a BB Gun, a Red Ryder Carbine Action Range Model Air Rifle with a compass in the stock.
This film has, like It’s A Wonderful Life, as entered into our popular cultural discourse, “you’ll shoot your eye out,” “I can’t put my arms down,” and “oh, fudge” are phrases I use all the time and almost anyone of my generation would know these lines by heart. The film has inspired an annual 24 hour marathon, a museum and even a musical. Though, I’ve seen the musical and I’d recommend a pass, just watch the movie, though the dance number with the leg lamp was pretty good.
Charlie Brown Christmas Special (1965)
Another Christmas film that I love is Charlie Brown’s Christmas Special. The heart warming tale of loveable loser Charlie Brown’s quest for the perfect Christmas is a wonderful moral lesson that the point of Christmas really isn’t about material things it is about family, faith and love. Even for the secular, this simple lesson is one that you can take to heart.
Charlie and his friends turning a horrible tree into the most beautiful tree in the neighborhood through community and love is something we should all try to emulate.
Elf (2003)
The hilarious film Elf, staring Will Ferrell is a classic film we watch every year around Christmas. Maybe it is not quite as magical as the first two, but for my money it is the single funniest Christmas movie ever.
Ferrell is perfect as the overgrown man-child who was raised by Elves, Bob Newhart in particular, and sees the world through sugar coated glasses. Seeing him as an innocent navigating the real world is laugh out loud funny. It is a classic fish out of water story, but one that has it’s heart in the right place. Yule love it! HA!
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reign Deer (1964)
This film is great, I remember watching this on television every year as a kid. But as an adult I find that I like it much more for it’s creepy absurdities. It has it’s heart in the right place, but the King of the Island of misfit toys as rather creepy. I also love the stop motion animation that is used in this film. Wonderful work by the animation team of Rankin/Bass Productions.
Honorable Mentions:
- Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Similar to Rudolph, I love the Rankin/Bass style of stop motion animation. - Frosty the Snowman
I always feel a bit sad when Frosty has to leave, even if I know he’ll come back next year I still feel sad when he leaves. - The Polar Express
The Chris Van Ellsberg book is way better, the songs are terrible and the animation falls off the cliff into the uncanny valley, but I still love the bit with the Christmas Bell. - Emett Otter’s Jug Band Christmas
A wonderful film from Jim Henson with great music and puppetry. - Bob the Builder Christmas Special
This only made my list because the incongruity of Bob the Builder and an animated Elton John in the same movie is way too bizarre, not to love. - Die Hard
Well, it takes place at Christmas doesn’t it?
