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Culture > Entertainment

The Official List of Christmas Movies You Have to Watch Every Year

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

It’s officially the most wonderful time of the year! It’s time for baking snowman-shaped cookies, decorating the Christmas tree and relaxing by the fire with a cup of hot cocoa. In a couple of weeks, finals will be over and we will have plenty of time for the best holiday activity: binging Christmas movies. This year, we have decided to create a new list for the perfect holiday movie marathon from the end of finals week to the big day, and now we’re sharing the list for all the Christmas-movie lovers out there. Enjoy!

1. December 15th: Christmas Vacation

This is the perfect movie to kick off our “Christmas vacation”. You can always count on the Griswolds and their “old-fashioned family Christmas” antics to get you in the holiday spirit!

2. December 16th-17th: Any Hallmark Christmas Prince Movie

We have given you two days to get through as many of these movies as you can. The Christmas Prince genre (yes, it is a real thing) is the best movie genre ever created and has a surprisingly large collection of movies. Though each movie has roughly the same plot, each one has its own twist that makes it both unique and extremely entertaining. Our all-time favorite is A Royal Christmas (so you may have to watch it twice!).

3. December 18th: Miracle on 34th Street

Christmas isn’t complete until you watch a classic movie, especially one like Miracle on 34th Street. It never fails to put a smile on your face and remind you of the true meaning of the Christmas season.

4. December 19th: A Charlie Brown Christmas

This movie is filled with both heartfelt and funny moments that make you appreciate the little joys of the Christmas season. It always makes us want to run out, find an imperfect Christmas tree and show it some love!

5. December 20th: Elf

“You sit on a throne of lies” is the most iconic line in movie history, hands down. There’s no way you can make it through the holiday season without watching this movie at least once!

6. December 21st: Love Actually

Some argue that this is not really a Christmas movie, but there are completely wrong. What’s more Christmas-y than romance, new beginnings, and that fantastic holiday hit?

7. December 22nd: White Christmas

This movie will make you yearn for a nice snowy Christmas day, though it never happens in the South. If you don’t get the title song stuck in your head on a loop until Christmas Day, you haven’t watched it enough times!

8. December 23rd: Four Christmases

If you have never seen this movie, be sure to watch it this year! This is a newer release, but we already consider it a holiday classic. Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn are hilarious together, especially when they play Mary and Joseph in the nativity scene.

9. December 24th: The Santa Claus

This movie is so fun to watch during Christmastime because the story is so creative and unique, and there is a sweet ending that will make you believe in Santa Claus again!

10. December 25th: A Christmas Story

This movie is the perfect end to the Christmas season. Not only is it already playing all day on a few channels, but it is a funny film to relax and eat Christmas treats with for at least a few hours.

Madison Kelly

South Carolina '21

Her name is Madison Kelly. She is a sophomore at the University of South Carolina Honors College. She is an International Studies major, and a French and Economics minor. Her goal is to attend law school after graduation and one day work for the United Nations. Her favorite things include: 'The Office', mac-and-cheese, and fluffy socks.
Bri Hamlin

South Carolina '19

Hello, it's Bri (to the tune of Adele please). I am a senior at USC Columbia and am not currently thirty, flirty, and thriving, but twenty-one, anxious, and trying will sure do.