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4 Movies To Ease Into the Holiday Spirit

Kaitlyn Ortengren Student Contributor, Florida State University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at FSU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Now that the holiday season is upon us, it’s officially time to dust off some classic movies to ease our way into winter. Whether you’re ready to cozy up with a mug of hot chocolate or you’re looking for a way to get into the festive mood, a movie is always the way to go!

To help you pick the best movie to start your season off right, I’ve rounded up four of my all-time favorite movies that always bring that holiday feeling.

The Holiday

At the top of the list is one of my forever favorite movies: The Holiday. Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, and Jack Black come together to create a heartfelt holiday rom-com to renew your faith in Christmas miracles.

The story follows two heartbroken women who swap houses for the holiday season in the hopes of escaping their everyday lives. They aren’t expecting the new friendships, fresh beginnings, and unexpected romances that they find on the other side of the world.

Between the cozy cottage scenes, the sweet romantic gestures, and the emotional moments that sneak up on you, this movie is the perfect choice if you’re looking for a feel-good, funny, and occasionally tear-jerking experience. I highly recommend The Holiday if you want that magical Christmas feeling!

Love Actually

Next up, we have the beloved classic, Love Actually. If this movie isn’t already on your holiday lineup, this is your sign to watch it! With an incredible cast featuring Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, Keira Knightley, and many more, Love Actually intricately intertwines nine different stories showing love in all forms.

These stories aren’t your typical picture-perfect romance tales. They depict the messy, complicated, and painful parts of love, alongside the hopeful moments that make love so imperfectly perfect.

This honest portrayal, rather than avoiding the harder aspects of love and heartbreak, is one of the things I love most about the movie. Combined with the magic of London during Christmas time, this movie makes you realize that Hugh Grant may have been right when he said, “Love actually is all around.”

Holidate

If you’re looking for a modern holiday rom-com, Holidate is the way to go! Hilarious and cheeky, this film is perfect for a festive girls’ night in.

Emma Roberts and Luke Bracey reluctantly agree to be each other’s “holidates” for every major holiday of the year to avoid the complications of the dating world. Of course, they agree not to catch feelings
 but does that ever really work? This movie is light, funny, and the perfect way to ease into the holiday spirit!

Love Hard

Lastly, we have one of my go-to cozy holiday rom-coms: Love Hard. Nina Dobrev and Jimmy O. Yang star in this Christmas catfish story, but their unfortunate start to their relationship only leads to an iconic friendship.

As they get to know each other for who they really are, their feelings become a bit more complicated as they navigate Christmas traditions, small town rumors, and family competitions. If you’re in the mood for something uplifting, funny, and heartwarming, Love Hard is definitely one to add to your watch list!

From nostalgic and emotional to cheesy and sweet, these four movies are the perfect lineup to satisfy any Christmas movie craving you might have this holiday season. Hopefully, this little guide helps you start your winter off right and helps you find a new holiday favorite!

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Hi, I'm Katie Ortengren! I'm a born and raised small-town FL girl, and I love all things cozy & comfy! I love to read, write, color (poorly), and play games with friends :) I hope you enjoy reading my articles!