1. Elf
Will Ferrell’s casting in this movie could not be more spot-on. While it looks like another cliché Christmas movie on the outside, Elf is so much more hilarious than that. With Santa’s blessing, a Christmas elf named Buddy travels from the North Pole to New York City to find his real dad. In doing so, he learns the realities of city-life. He has trouble grasping some more than others, like why people are so miserable, or why they eat their spaghetti with red sauce instead of maple syrup.
2. Love Actually
This romantic comedy is special because all of the amazingly, diverse, and love-themed vignettes within it that come together in the end through a fabulous string of connections. Christmas is the time of resolutions in love, and this movie brings the people of England together in a heartfelt and comical way.
3. Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas
This classic Dr. Seuss story seems childish, but it actually contains many subtle adult references if you pay attention. The Grinch is famous for hating Christmas, when in fact, he loves it. What he really can’t stand is people, but he realizes in the end that what makes this time of year so magical is people coming together to celebrate it.
4. The Holiday
This romantic comedy is about two women who switch places and find themselves in the process. This crazy idea to switch houses for a vacation develops on a miserable Christmas Eve, and ends on a joyous Christmas the following year with the new family that these women, who were once strangers, created during their holiday.
5. Home Alone
This classic tale never gets old. The adorable Macaulay Culkin makes this movie with his incredible talent at such a young age. The breaking of the fourth wall when Macaulay’s character, Kevin, talks to or makes facial expressions at the audience is part of what makes this movie so special. His family, who he is annoyed with, accidentally leaves him behind on their vacation for the holidays. Kevin learns to fend for himself and realizes he would rather have his family with him for Christmas than not. He gets his Christmas miracle in the end, of course, and is reunited with his family.
6. Edward Scissorhands
Tim Burton’s creepy style is intertwined with the Christmas themes of love and acceptance in this strange, fulfilling story. Jonny Depp plays the tormented Edward, who is the product of a scientist’s work. When his creator dies before being able to give him hands, he’s left alone in the world and must find a way to show people that he is good. He struggles to fit into suburbia, where everyone is the same. In the end, he finds a family that accepts and loves him for who he is. This movie shows another Christmas miracle at work.
*All images are courtesy of IMDb.