I find it tough to be a writer during the holidays. With the shopping and the baking, festive movies and parties, writing time can take a serious backseat. So this year, I figure I’ll just go with it – there is nothing wrong with enjoying the season. Without further ado, here is a list of some of my favorite Christmas movies. 
1. A Christmas Story
Nothing makes me laugh like this movie. It’s not only a favorite holiday movie, it’s an all-time favorite. There are so many quotable lines I could seriously write a whole thesis on this film. (And I know you’re all saying, “You’ll shoot your eye out,” right now. Admit it!) Whoever decided to play it nonstop for 24 hours on Christmas day was a genius!
2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
I’m talking about the cartoon, not the one with real people. What’s not to like about this movie? It’s short, it’s sweet and it makes my heart grow three sizes too big as well.
3. Holiday Inn
I remember the first time my parents showed me this movie. I quickly got over my aversion to black & white because it’s so fantabulous! Plus, my mom and I like to guess what color all of the gorgeous costumes are.
4. White Christmas
I find myself very drawn to White Christmas. The dance scenes are amazing and I would kill to be as thin as Vera Ellen. And I love when Bing Crosby says, “what’s the beef” and how the train looks all clean and fun. Those were different times.
5. Elf
Elf is so funny! But I think my favorite thing about it is how committed Will Ferrell is to the role of Buddy the Elf. He believes he’s Buddy and so do I. “Santa!!!!!!! I know him, I know him!”
As a self-appointed Christmas movie aficionado, there are many, many more movies I could have listed (Bill Murray’s Scrooged, Miracle on 34th Street). But I just wanted to give you the basic idea. No matter what you like watching this time of year, I hope you have a wonderful holiday and a fabulous New Years!
What is your favorite holiday movie?
And I forgot that I love, love, love the Mickey Mouse version of A Christmas Carol. And Love Actually. And The Holiday. And Rudolph. Okay, seriously, I could play this game all day!
It’s a wonderful life. I always cry at the end when the townspeople put money in George’s tub to help him out after mean old Mr. Potter stole the money from Uncle Billy.
Yes! This is one of my favorites.
I have 2 categories: tv movies and regular movies. My favorite tv movies are ‘The night they saved Christmas Eve’ with Jacquline Smith (for years I wanted a reindeer vest for over my nightgown) and ‘The Christmas List’ with Mimi ??, which is rarely on at a sane time. I love ‘Holiday Inn’ , Santa Claus 1,2,3, Elf (I’m screaming ‘Santa’ in my head right now), “Christmas Story’ which my kids got me hooked on,… ok, almost all of the Christmas movies!!!!
I love the traditions at Christmas. My favorite Christmas movie growing up was the musical version of “Scrooge” with Albert Finney and Sir Alec Gueniss. (SP). I loved the song–“Thank You Very Much” and “I Like Life” and still sing them at times today. But for years, with the kids and DH we now make the first Thursday night of December our kick off to the Season with “A Muppet Christmas Carol” and nibbles of cheese/meat/crackers and petite fours from Swiss Colony mail order gifts. It’s a magical night for all of us and it doesn’t matter how many times we see the movie–we still laugh at Rizzo the Rat having his tail lit by Gonzo. “Light the lamp . . . not the rat!”
Great post, Kerri! Merry Christmas and enjoy yourself!!
Hugs!
Hold up – there is a musical version of Scrooge with Obi Wan and Daddy Warbucks??? Must find immediately!
Yay! This is an awesome post! Um let’s see here, I think my faves are divided between the ones I grew up watching and now what I’m seeing with my son. For my baby’s generation, I definitely have to claim Christmas love for all of Tim Allen’s Santa Clause movies and the Shrek Christmas cartoon.
For myself, it wouldn’t be the Christmas season without classics like Home Alone and The Wizard of Oz. And on a side note, this is always the best time of year to watch all the iceskating on TV. Love that too!
Thank you Kerri Mermaid, for bringing some sparkly cheer to the pond….and don’t you go shootin’ yer eye out!
It’s corny, but I LOVE It’s a Wonderful Life. And A Christmas Story. I must watch them every year.
I love “Christmas Vacation” with Chevy Chase. I laugh so hard each time I see it, that movie will never get old!
How did i forget that one? I remember watching that with my grandma. I’m not sure who laughed harder.
I totally agree! Christmas Vacation seems like a slightly over the top version of what Christmas is like for me. The crazy relatives, the getting the Christmas tree, the over the top Christmas decorations… it’s just Christmas. I especially love, “It’s Christmas and we’re all in misery!” and (the whole rant but this part always sticks in my head) “We’ll have the hap hap happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tapped danced with Danny f***ing Kaye!”
I love, love, love that line as well!!! It’s been running through my head for the last week.
OMG!!! Sooo many great movies!!! I love Elf (You did it!!! World’s Best Coffee, Congratulations!) and could watch Love Actually over and over again. I also enjoy watching Harry Potter during Christmas. It is sad but I must say I have never seen It’s a Wonderful Life… But most of all I love sitting in my warm Pjs watching The Sound of Music. I can still see myself singing, ‘raindrops on roses…’ with my mom while she plays it on the piano. Great topic to write about K! Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year!
That’s a solid list of five movies you have there Ms. Carpenter. A Christmas Story will always have a special place in my heart. There was a girl who liked me in elementary school – I was young and didn’t act on this, damn youth – that thought I looked exactly like Ralphie. In turn, every December, from that day until I graduated high school – I lived in Western HoCo and everyone went to school with everyone their entire life – I was called Ralphie by my class.
Mmmm…I have to put them categories – classic old movie favorite – toss up between White Christmas and It’s a Wonderful Life with Zuzu’s petals bringing it home…
Then I get kind of silly and go with the classic holiday combination – violence and friendship — and Lethal Weapon and Home Alone get honorable mentions:)
Bad Santa, A Christmas Story, and Elf (in no particular order).
Elf is my new fave (because Will Ferrell *is* brilliant in it and I can never go past a movie with Zoey Deschanel singing), but I still get goosebumps from Scrooged…Christmas holidays just wouldn’t be as good without all the fabulous Christmas themed movies!! We’ve started watching our collection already 🙂
Kerri,
I loved It’s a Wonderful Life. One of my favorite quotes of all time is the one Clarence says to George: “Remember George, no man is a failure who has friends.” Love, love, love it! Brings a little tear to my eye. That’s probably my favorite older one.
My new favorite is Polar Express. Love the quote at the end when he talks about how–through the years–his friends and then his sister stopped believing. But he didn’t. “Though I’ve grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe.”
Kim (wiping a tear from her eye one more time)
Very interesting, Kim-Mermaid, because I happened to buy Polar Express (the book) today. I have a very vivid memory of our elementary librarian reading it to us. And I especially remember that end quote about hearing the bell. It resonated to me as a child and now as an adult! 😉
“Does syrup have sugar in it? Then YES I love maple syrup,” and I love the movie ELF. It’s actually the only one on the list I’ve seen.
Thanks so much, everyone, for the awesome movie choices!!!
Home Alone and It’s a Wonderful Life. Great post! I especially need this, since I am so not in the mood this year… but I promise to cheer up!
Warm happy memories of The Christmas Story playing all day and night and the good mood all shared!
Thanks Kerri for helping us all remember good times!
Merry Christmas to You!
I love Love Actually. I love when Margaret Thatcher (whom I share birthdays with) is called a saucy minx. I like shouting ‘nitch’. I tear up when they say ‘love actually is all around’. I heart the use of the word dodgy. The soundtrack is the bomb. I am not sure if I love it more for being a Christmas movie or a British movie but no matter what – it is love.