I hope that everyone is having a great December! While I am so pumped about the holiday season, I’m currently embarking on my first finals week of college and am extremely stressed. The only things getting me through are the prospect of curling up in my bed and spending an unhealthy amount of time watching Christmas movies when I get home, and these cookies that I am actually addicted to: As a child, I was an avid fan of Freeform’s (formerly known as ABC Family) 25 days of Christmas, but since I’m at school I just haven’t been able to watch, and I’m assuming that many of you haven’t been able to either. Therefore, in order to help get you through your finals season I thought I’d list my top five Christmas movies to give you some motivation to push through until the break!
5) A Charlie Brown Christmas
(Running time: 30 minutes)
A quick side note: I grew up listening to the soundtrack of this movie every night before I went to bed all year round, so it definitely has a special place in my heart. The characters and animation are adorable, and you can’t go wrong with a classic movie like this one.
4) The Santa Clause
(Running time: 1 hour 47 minutes)
The only non-animated movie on this list, it definitely has a more realistic and heartwarming feel (although a man turns into Santa Claus, so it’s still a bit out there) . This movie has made Tim Allen and Santa synonymous for me. Also, it has taken me forever to notice, but the pun in the title is top-notch.
3) The Nightmare Before Christmas
(Running time: 1 hour 16 minutes)
Growing up, The Nightmare Before Christmas was one of my favorite movies in general. It’s super weird and creepy (Tim Burton made it, so of course), but that’s part of its charm. While definitely not a conventional Christmas movie, the variety it provides can be a welcome change.
2) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964 TV special)
(Running time: 47 minutes)
Although not technically a movie, it’s still a Christmas classic that I have to watch every year. I mean, who doesn’t love Hermey, the elf who wants to be a dentist! I’ve only seen this style of stop animation in old holiday movies, so it always puts me in a festive mood.
1) Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (1970 TV special)
(Running time: 1 hour)
Finally, at number one is Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town! This movie was a big deal in my household (my dad is obsessed with the Burgermeister Meisterburger), so there was never a question as to which would be number one. Again, while technically not a movie, it’s a staple in my annual Christmas movie marathon, and it uses that distinct Christmas movie animation which I love.
So, there’s my list of my top 5 Christmas movies! Hopefully this gave you some holiday inspiration for when you go on break, or you can watch one as a study break if you’re taking finals (I’ve included the running times, so you know how much time you need to watch). I hope you have a great holiday season and get to spend some time with friends and family or just relaxing and treating yourself!