My Top Christmas Movies

Now that we are finally in December, it seems a safe place to be able to admit to watching Christmas films!

Over the years there have been new movies come and go but we can’t resist returning to our old favourites!
That being said, there are the rare few that we enjoy so much we allow them the privelege of being added to our annual list of seasonal watches!

I am sure many of my favourites are probably on your list too, but who knows? So why not grab yourself a mug of hot chocolate, cuddle by the fire with the tree lights twinkling and have a read of my favourite festive films…

ELF

A film I avoided watching for a long time. It came out when I was already an adult and it looked silly, and not my kind of humour.
Over the years (with the influence from my husband), my sense of humour has changed.
A colleague recommended the film and when I eventually got around to watching it, I did find that I enjoyed it.

It is definitely Christmassy and a ‘fun for all the family’ movie which is what you expect from a Christmas film.

My favourite thing about the movie is some of the great lines to quote like “You sit on a throne of lies!” And “SANTA! I KNOW HIM!”

It is just the kind of movie that gets you in the Christmas spirit and that is why it is on my list!

HOME ALONE

I really think this film has to be on my list just because it truly is a classic.
I have watched it every year for most of my life, since it was a big new movie  during my childhood.
With classic music by John Williams, it is hard not to be sucked into the familiarity of a long loved family favourite.
Macauly Culkin is cute as a button, with more charisma than a lot of adult actors in modern day Christmas movies.

Still to this day, I find it hard not to cringe as Marv puts his bare foot straight down onto the nail on the staircase! 🙈

Definitely full of Christmas warmth as well as slapstick comedy moments that appeal to every age.

ARTHUR CHRISTMAS

A 2011 British animation with classic actors voicing the main characters, this is one of my favourite animated Christmas movies. Voices including James McAvoy, Bill Nighy and Jim Broadbent come together with Aardman Animations (creators of Wallace and Gromit and ‘Chicken Run’) to bring Father Christmas into the 21st Century.
One scene most people I know who have seen it comment on, is one of the first scenes which suggests exactly how Father Christmas (Santa) gets to deliver all the presents in one evening.
What I love about this film is I personally find it is traditional in the sense that it has all the Christmassy vibes (old fashioned letters to Santa, Family board games etc.), but it brings it into the modern day whilst keeping the sentiment of Christmas at the heart of it.
Clumsy Arthur is the loveable lead, and each character can be compareable to people in real life, providing funny moments individually as well as together as a family.
I love having this movie on while wrapping presents and have already seen it time and again.

SCROOGED

Less family film, but still a classic, Scrooged is one of many twisted versions of Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’.
The film was made in the 80’s and was created as a modern version of the story, and although hair and clothing may have dated slightly, the film still stands up and Bill Murray is as entertaining as ever.
Definitely one of my favourite versions of a much loved story and one I would recommend if you haven’t seen it.

THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL

Although I am not a fan of the muppets, The Muppet Christmas Carol is my favourite Christmas movie.
Again, this movie is a twist on the classic story of ‘A Christmas Carol’, although it stays a lot closer to the original story more so than movies like ‘Scrooged’.
With Michael Cain taking the lead as Ebenezer Scrooge, most of the rest of the cast are the muppets.
The songs from this movie are another thing which carry this movie.
They are magical Christmas songs I enjoy singing along to and often get them stuck in my head due to how catchy they are. Marley and Marley is one such song. This muppets version has two Marleys played by Statler and Waldorf.
As one of my favourites, this has wriggled it’s way into Christmas Eve tradition, where myself and my husband settle down to watch it whilst feasting on KFC, enjoying the calm after the chaos of all the buying, wrapping and decorating!

THE HOLIDAY

An enjoyable festive Romantic Comedy starring Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet, ‘The Holiday’ is another Christmas film I have seen again and again.
It is one of those films that you can put on whenever it is on TV.
Break ups, unrequited love, and wanting to escape your life is something many people can associate with, so this film where the two leads switch lives is a great exploration of what could happen if someone were given that opportunity to escape during the Christmas period.
With comedy from Jack Black, and romantic heart warming moments from Jude Law, I really enjoy all the aspects of this film as a whole, not just the focus it has on Christmas.

 
Other films, or animations I love are ‘The Snowman’, and it’s follow up ‘The Snowman and the Snowdog’. No matter how many times I see them I never fail to be overcome with emotion, and the beautiful piano music from ‘The Snowman’ still manages to provoke my tears.

Watch ‘The Snowman’:

‘The Snowman and the Snowdog’ trailer:

‘Father Christmas’ is a great little British animation about what he gets up to the whole year through and what happens when he takes a holiday.

Watch ‘Father Christmas’:

These animations are all classics I tend to put on while I wrap Christmas presents.

So, that is what graces the screen of my TV at Christmas time – what are your favourite movies? Feel free to comment and share your thoughts.