My Six Favorite Christmas Movies

May I begin by saying that, when it comes to Christmas movies, I generally prefer the old school approach and the classics over the modern stuff. Having said that, the first two films on my list are of the latter variety. Also, TV specials such as Charlie Brown and The Grinch have been left out only because this post is about movies.

6. The Santa Clause – A modern Christmas movie with enough substance that it doesn’t need to rely solely on its Christmas theme for survival. I find this movie quite funny without resorting to potty humour and pop culture references like so many modern movies do. Add in a cocoa making elf named Judy, steel cutting tinsel and a touching ending, hey what’s not to like?

5. Christmas Vacation – Speaking of potty humour, yeah you know exactly which scene I’m thinking of without me even mentioning it don’t ya. Hey I never said I don’t enjoy the silly stuff now and then. Super-sonic snow saucers, exploding storm sewers and the usual Griswold shenanigans make for a few laughs that just by chance happen at Christmas time. This movie fills a particular niche like no other does; you just need to be in the mood for it.


4. Miracle on 34th Street – The original 1947 version. A great Christmas story with cute as a button little Natalie Wood and the real Santa Claus. The scene where Santa meets the little Dutch orphan girl gets me every time and is probably the most unexpectedly and instantly moving Christmas movie moment I have ever seen.

3. A Christmas Story – A more recent but definite classic. This movie IS Christmas from a child’s and especially a boy’s point of view. We all know it too well by now so what can I really say, except that I will watch it again, probably two or three more times, this year.




2. One Magic Christmas - Surely the least famous and least watched movie on this list. Filmed in Ontario it definitely has that made in Canada look and feel. This film has a dark side and is not always fun to watch but that is part of what makes the transformation at the end more satisfying. This movie also has a Santa, probably one of the most realistic ever, but it is not about the Santa side of Christmas. It is about the real spirit of Christmas, about love and giving, not getting. It's about forgiveness, not revenge. You may have already seen it, but if you haven’t I hope you will.

1. It’s a Wonderful Life – Although I never saw this movie as a kid I have since come to love it and think that it’s probably the best Christmas movie ever made. It has the always great Jimmy Stewart and the completely lovely and extra awesome Donna Reed.
No appearance by Santa, elves or even reindeer and one might argue that it's not really about Christmas at all. The story of George Bailey's lifetime of self sacrifice and of putting others always before himself, of how he comes to think it was all for naught and is then shown how much it has really meant to all he loves, and finally of how he receives the kindness he had always been the giver of, well what can be more Christmas like than that.