As Halloween ends, my mind makes the switch to Christmas almost immediately. To be honest, my mind is on Christmas the second the school year begins because it is my absolute favorite time of year! Yes, I am well aware that Thanksgiving comes before Christmas, but because Thanksgiving often includes cold weather, I count it as the beginning of the holiday season. While I have many friends and family members who do not agree with starting the holiday spirit this early, I could simply care less because it makes me happy. As Christmas approaches, TV channels and streaming services begin having their holiday movies on full display. Here is a list of my favorite Christmas movies that get me in the holiday groove! Fair warning: I am a romcom type of girl so while some of these are classics, most of these are warm, feel- good holiday rom-coms.
1. Elf
Starting off with a classic, it would not be a holiday movie list without Elf. What’s not to love about it? There’s comedy, romance, drama, and Christmas all in one movie! Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel perfectly highlight the power of the Christmas spirit by the end of the film. It also delivers a deeper message of what believing can truly do. Further, it captures how important it is to have a community come together and be united not just in times of need but always. If you haven’t seen this movie before, get on it! It makes for a perfect family movie.
2. A Princess for Christmas
It would just feel so wrong not to add a classic royal-themed holiday movie to this list. A Princess for Christmas is one of my favorite princess movies because there are so many layers to each character that we generally don’t get to see in these types of movies. Jules, the main character and legal guardian of her sister’s two recently orphaned children, struggles to make ends meet. The kids deal with the loss of their parents and all the changes that come with that. Now imagine on top of all this receiving an invitation to stay at a beautiful castle in Europe. This movie highlights how perseverance can have wonderful outcomes.
4. Christmas with a View
Even though this is not my favorite holiday movie, this one does make the list for its location. Taking place in a secluded holiday inn, restaurant manager, Clara, falls in love with celebrity chef and her boss, Shane. Together they fight to preserve the holiday spirit.
5. A Christmas Prince
This is the epitome of a classic royal- themed holiday movie. American writer Amber is sent to Aldovia to cover Prince Richard’s upcoming press conference and get a juicy scoop as he is set to take the throne after his father’s death. After sneaking around the palace, Amber is mistaken for the princess Emily’s tutor Martha and begins impersonating the teacher. Growing an attachment to the young Emily and Prince Richard, Amber must decide if she chooses her career or love.
6. Christmas Inheritance
This is a pretty simple holiday love story to get you into the holiday mood. New York socialite Ellen returns to her father’s hometown for a business trip and finds herself stranded in a local hotel. Leaving her money, fame, and reputation behind, Ellen learns the true meaning of Christmas by bonding with the town folk, being selfless, and falling in love. Admittedly a very cheesy and somewhat predictable movie, you won’t be able to help but smile at Ellen and Jake’s budding relationship and the humor of the supporting characters make this film worth the watch.