I love Christmas time and will be watching holiday movies all season long. Here are my top 6 favorite holiday movies.

1. The Polar Express

The Polar Express will always hold a special place in my heart. My family and I have read and watched The Polar Express for as long as I can remember. The Polar Express follows a young boy who awakes on Christmas eve to a giant locomotive in the front yard of his house. He boards this train and takes a wonderful trip to the north pole as he learns the importance of friendship, bravery and the spirit of Christmas. 

I really enjoy the themes present in this movie; they prove to be very important in life, especially during the holidays. When I used to live in Gardner, my elementary school would have a Polar Express day on the last day before break. We would get to dress in our pajamas, bring a blanket and – one of my favorite things – bring a mug that we got to fill up at the hot chocolate bar. We would get all snuggly in the lunchroom, and the whole school would watch The Polar Express together. When I moved to Olathe that tradition stopped, and I soon realized that those would be days I would never forget. Like I’ve said before, my family and I watch the movie every single year on Christmas eve. First, my siblings and I snuggle up on the couch and read The Polar Express. After finishing the book, we move our attention to the TV and enjoy the family time together while we watch the magical movie. I will forever watch this movie during the holiday season, reliving the memories as I enjoy this nostalgic movie.

2. Dr Suess’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas – 1966 version 

Dr Suess’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas is another holiday favorite. The memories I have from watching this movie are unforgettable. Growing up we would watch it at holiday parties in elementary school. I remember my school having a few copies of the book to read, and I would love getting to experience this amazing story. How the Grinch Stole Christmas is about an old, green, furry, grump who decides he is going to steal Christmas from the Whos (a species of fuzzy microscopic people present in Dr. Seuss’ childrens books) of Whoville. The Grinch doesn’t understand the importance of the holiday season and how incredible the cheer can be.  

I really enjoy this story because the holiday season is so important to me. Growing up, I have been surrounded by decorations, music, and family during the holidays. It made me, in a way, sad that the Grinch had never experienced this incredible time that I got to be a part of every year. I would be like Cindy Lou Who, I would invite anyone who hasn’t had the incredible experience, to join me and my family, to show them the importance of this time. “Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store, maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more,” is a quote from the Grinch that will resonate with me forever. The Grinch shows us that the holidays aren’t just about the presents that we receive on Christmas day but about the time we spend with the ones that are close to us, and that is a beautiful thought.

3. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is a hilarious comedy Christmas movie that gets watched in my household every Christmas. I absolutely enjoy every second of this movie. This story follows the Griswold’s and all the unfortunate events that occur while preparing for Christmas. 

My family resembles the Griswolds in the sense that during the holiday season our house is absolute chaos. We’re always running around like chickens with their heads cut off during this time of the year and, in a way, I believe that my family is the real world Griswold family. In the end though, the Griswolds always have an enjoyable time, making memories that will last them a lifetime. The holidays are always a crazy time, but what matters is that families are together and I think the Griswolds show that perfectly. Even though bad luck follows them everywhere they go, I would choose to be a part of the Griswold family any time of year.

4. The Santa Clause Trilogy

The Santa Clause Trilogy is a classic set of movies to watch during the holiday season. This series follows Scott Calvin who accidentally becomes Santa Claus. All three movies follow him through the adventures that come with the title of Santa Claus, and Scott, while trying to be there for his son, must find a way to make it through all the challenges as well.

I have memories of watching these three movies all throughout my childhood. I would watch them with my grandma, with my parents and my siblings. I would watch them all the time. Not only were they hilarious and magical movies, but they showed how important family is. The movies show how important it is to believe during the holiday season.  Believing is what makes Christmas such a magical time of the year. I remember really enjoying these movies and I still do. I will forever watch these movies for as long as I can and hope that others can enjoy the magical time experienced while watching.

5. The Elf

Elf is a hilarious Christmas movie. It follows the story of an elf named Buddy, who doesn’t feel at home in the north pole. He then finds out that he was sent to the north pole as a child, and isn’t even an elf, he’s a human boy. He goes to New York to find his father and learns how to be a human. It follows his relationship with his father and his new half brother. He must convince New York to continue believing in Christmas so that Santa can continue delivering presents. He works together with his new friends and family to keep the holiday magic.

This movie has followed me throughout the years and I can remember reenacting scenes with my little brother and cracking up with my family in the living room. During the holiday season my family and I quote lines from the movie and proceed to laugh as we realize what we have said. I love Buddy’s quirky personality and will watch this movie for many years to come. 

6. The Year Without a Santa Claus

The Year Without a Santa Claus is an adorable and memorable Christmas movie. Santa Claus gets a very bad cold and decides he is going to take a vacation from Christmas. Two of his most trustworthy elves try to go find children to help convince Santa that the Christmas spirit is still important to everyone. They face many challenges and must figure out how to save Christmas.

I have been watching this movie for as long as I can remember. My stepmom has shown us this movie every single year since she came into my life. We always watch this movie during the holiday season and I love that it shows how important the Christmas spirit is. I have a very large amount of Christmas spirit, and any movie that shows the importance is most likely a movie I will highly enjoy. My favorite part is when the elves run into Heat Miser and Snow Miser and they sing their incredible songs. I love watching this movie every year and it is another movie that I will forever continue to watch.

There are so many Christmas movies out for the public to watch. I suggest you watch these 6 incredible movies and look up other holiday favorites to find your new favorite Christmas movie!