Classic Holiday Films To Get You In The Spirit

‘Tis the season for holiday cheer! And there is no better way to enjoy the holiday season than to cozy up on the couch and watch a few classic Christmas films. Grab your favorite blanket, a cup of cocoa, and start binging with a few of my favorite picks:

You can never go wrong with the Home Alone series but in my opinion Home Alone 2 is the best out of the trilogy. Not only is it hilarious, but it puts you in the mood because there is no place like NYC in Christmas. It’s the lights, the snow, Duncan’s Toy Chest, and the excitement of the city during Christmas that will have you asking “Is December here yet?”

We all know Whitney Houston was an incredible singer, but she was also a great actress! ‘The Preacher’s Wife’ is a great movie that shows her range but it’s a classic movie that showcases Blacks in a positive light. Starring Denzel Washington, Courtney B. Vance, and Loretta Devine, this film delivers a Christmas miracle through an all-star cast. Dudley (Washington) is an angel sent to help the Bigg’s with their struggling inner-city church. Packed with laughs and love, this movie will be sure to get you in the giving spirit.

This is one of those classics that our parents used to rave about. No Christmas movie marathon is complete without ‘Miracle on 34th Street.’ A mother hires a man to play Santa for the Macy’s Christmas Day parade only to learn that she hired the real Santa Claus! This is one of those classics that cannot be skipped because it brings so much joy.

Depressed by the commercialism around him, Charlie Brown tries to find a deeper meaning to Christmas. Join your favorite little ones like Charlie, Snoopy, Linus, Pig-Pen, Lucy, and the others and discover the joy beyond gift giving in this cartoon classic!

Everyone loves a movie that teaches a lesson. ‘A Christmas Carol’ tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly man who hates Christmas! Throughout Christmas night, Scrooge is visited by three ghost- Christmas Past, Present, and Future who show him what he was, how he became, and what he will be if he doesn’t change his ways; he only cares about money and shuns his family. Scrooge eventually changes his ways and sees the beauty in Christmas and realizes that it’s meant to be shared with family.

I was hooked when I first saw this movie. It was the singing, the dancing, the graphics, the will to believe, and Tom Hanks! The film follows a little boy who stops believing in the Christmas holiday, so the Polar Express train picks him up, along with other non-believers, and takes him to the North Pole to show them the magic of Christmas. One watch of this movie, and you’ll believe too!

I know the cartoon version of ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ is considered the classic but the Jim Carrey version is just as good- dare I say even better? Jim Carrey really brought the green Christmas hating former WHO to life. It will make you laugh, cry, and put you in the mood to be around family and friends celebrating the holiday because no one wants to be alone on Christmas; not even the Grinch.