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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Howard chapter.

With the holidays right around the corner, it’s time to start getting into the Christmas spirit! Here’s a list of films that are sure to fill you up with joy and cheer during your winter break from school. Whether you’re watching these movies to stay occupied during the holidays or you just need some background noise as you’re wrapping presents, this list has got you covered. So, grab some hot chocolate, get cozy, and tune in!

 

This Christmas (2007)

This movie is based on the popular 1970 Donny Hathaway song “This Christmas.” It centers around the Whitfield family, whose oldest child has returned home for the holidays for the first time in several years. The movie documents the many trials and tribulations of the family during the holiday season.

 

The Best Man Holiday (2013)

A sequel to The Best Man (1999), this movie features many of the same actors and actresses, including Nia Long, Saana Lathan, and Morris Chestnut, among many others. Despite its innocent-sounding title, this movie is filled with a lot of drama and secrets! If you’re looking to watch a romantic comedy this holiday season, this is the perfect movie for you!

 

Home Alone (1990) 

If there were ever such a title, the Home Alone series would probably be the mother of all Christmas movies. In this classic Christman film, eight-year old Kevin McCallister is literally left ‘home alone’ when his family flies to Paris for their Christmas vacation. Like any 8-year-old boy would be, he is originally over the moon to have the whole house to himself. This happiness is short-lived, as Kevin has to contend with two burglars later on in the film. Home Alone was actually the highest- grossing Christmas film for nearly two decades, until it was surpassed by The Grinch in 2018.

 

The Grinch (2018)

Speaking of The Grinch, I couldn’t leave out this cult favorite! This animated classic is based on How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss. The story is set in the town of Whoville, in which the Grinch is the only creature who isn’t excited about celebrating Christmas. In fact, he hates the holiday, and is described as having a heart that is “two sizes too small”. Later on, the Grinch originally comes to enjoy a Christmas celebration with friends, admitting that it wasn’t Christmas he despised, it was feeling lonely and neglected. How heartwarming is that?

 

Polar Express (2005)

This Christmas classic follows a young boy who sees a mysterious train stop outside his house on Christmas Eve. He is invited on board the Polar Express by the conductor and joins several other children already aboard the train. This train is bound for the North Pole to visit Santa Clause as he prepares for Christmas. The plot of the movie is as magical as Santa himself, and will warm the hearts of “all who believe”. 

 

While this list by no means includes every good holiday movie there is, it should cover all your bases- the classics, comedies, and even the romantic holiday movies. I hope these five movies warm up your holiday season on those chilly winter nights and I know you will enjoy them as much as I do! Happy holidays! 

 

Camryn Clanton is a rising junior at Howard University with a Political Science major and Philosophy minor. She's a city girl through and through, having been born and raised in Chicago. She has enjoyed writing since an early age, but a few of her other interests are music and foreign language (been learning Mandarin for 7 years). In the future, Camryn hopes to combine her passions for law and foreign language by pursuing the field of international law. Camryn's main goal with her writing is to inspire, encourage, and uplift the women around her.
Deni Dedmon is a sophomore speech-language pathology major from Albany, GA. Her first love was writing but her second love was helping others, which led to her choosing a career in speech pathology. When it comes to her writing, she loves to write about everything, from entertainment (she’s an avid Kehlani fan) to book reviews (she’s been reading since the age of one) to controversial topics and current events (ya know, your average angry black girl things). Being the oldest of five girls, she is also passionate about young black girls, their self-esteem, and making sure that they’re proud of being who they are. At the age of seventeen, she became a contributor for MTV Founders and a spring writer for Affinity Magazine.