With the holidays right around the corner, it’s no surprise that TV stations like ABC Family are gifting us with hours upon hours of Christmas movies every day of the week. These movies carry a deeper meaning than the commercialization of the holidays. ‘Tis the season of getting, but it’s also a time to reflect on the things that are most important: family, friendship and some Christmas spirit.
Our childhoods may be behind us, but these movies offer a reminder of what Christmas is all about, because let’s admit it: we may have grown up, but we still love Christmas. Here’s a list of my favorite Christmas movies that are sure to get you into that Yuletide mood.
- “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (1965)
A short film that premiered almost 50 years ago, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” questions our materialistic view of Christmas and puts it back into perspective. Dismayed by the commercialized nature of the holiday season, Charlie Brown decides to become the director of a school Christmas pageant. While everyone else is obsessed with the season of gifts and decorations, Charlie goes about discovering the significance of the Christmas holiday. He discovers it in a tiny Christmas tree and Linus’s speech about the original meaning of Christmas day: the birth of Jesus Christ.
- “Dr. Suess’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000)
The Whos of Whoville adore the Christmas season, but one character hates it — and the Whos too. Charming as an eel, the Grinch (Jim Carrey), is a malevolent green being who lives in a cave outside of Whoville and is intent on stealing Christmas. Cindy Lou Who (Taylor Momsen) sympathizes with the Grinch; she finds out that he used to love Christmas, but bullying turned him sour. The Grinch steals the Whos’ gifts, but is later moved when they sing together despite the fact that the Grinch stole Christmas from them. He returns their gifts with an apology and a heart that has grown three sizes larger. The spirit of Christmas is returned to Whoville, and we see that Christmas isn’t about getting gifts, but being together.
- “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993)
Tim Burton is known for directing macabre yet touching movies, and “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is no different. It offers a unique twist on Christmas that is essentially a mashup of Halloween and Christmastime. Jack Skellington, voiced by Chris Sarandon, is the pumpkin king of Halloweentown who is tired of celebrating Halloween the same way year after year. After discovering Christmastown and his chorus of “What’s this? What’s this?” Jack decides that Halloweentown will commandeer Christmas by kidnapping Santa Claus and whipping up some skeletal reindeer. As you can guess, Jack ends up spreading horror instead of joy; he gives children some pretty terrifying gifts. To save Christmas after his mistake, Jack must save Santa from the evil Oogie Boogie, and Santa gives Halloweentown a real taste of Christmas: fresh snow.
- “Elf” (2003)
Starring Will Ferrell as a human who was raised as an elf, this film tells the timeless story of fitting in and discovering your identity. Buddy (Will Ferrell) is sent from the North Pole, where he lived among elves, to the concrete jungle of New York. Unaccustomed to the norms of a human life, Buddy tries to change the cynical hearts of the New Yorkers, spreading the warm Christmas cheer that fuels Santa’s sleigh. Buddy is reunited with his biological father and eventually settles in with a new family of both humans and elves, and Christmas is brought to life again. The film also stars Zooey Deschanel, James Caan and Bob Newhart.
- “The Polar Express” (2004)
“The Polar Express” is based on the children’s book of the same name, written by Chris Van Allsburg. The movie follows the Christmas Eve journey of an unnamed Hero Boy (Daryl Sabara) who is at the age where we all start questioning Santa’s existence. On the night before Christmas, a mysterious train appears in front of Hero Boy’s house, and it turns out to be filled with other children on their way to the North Pole to see the elves and Santa Claus. The conductor of the train is voiced by Tom Hanks, who also voices adult Hero Boy, the Hobo, Scrooge and Santa. Hero Boy is the first to receive a Christmas present: a bell from Santa’s sleigh. By the time Hero Boy returns home, he has learned what his ticket punches spell out: to believe.
