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The Best Holiday Movies (And Where to Find Them)

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

When you’ve finally finished stuffing your face with that last bite of Thanksgiving turkey, it’s safe to say that the holiday season has arrived. The weeks leading up to Christmas (and Chanukah, of course) are festive and fun, with twinkling lights, hot cocoa, and quiet Christmas tunes. A great holiday movie can be the perfect remedy for a cold December day, especially when streamed online from the comfort of your bed.

Bad SantaThis movie won’t quite leave you with that warm and fuzzy Christmas feeling, but Billy Bob Thornton plays a hilariously dark Santa. His real plan is to take advantage of the holiday season by robbing department stores of all they’re worth. Find it on: Netflix

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Dr. Seuss’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas: Personally, I’m a sucker for the 25-minute cartoon version of this famous Christmas tale. Its clever rhyming and adorable animation serve as the perfect short dosage of Whoville festivities. Find it on: Amazon Instant Video.

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Elf: Will Ferrell’s role as an oversized, overeager elf is one of his best performances yet. When Buddy leaves the North Pole to find his real father, he gets himself into all sorts of shenanigans in the Big Apple. Find it on: Amazon Instant Video.

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The HolidayA home swap between Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet (need I say more?) allows each woman to take a much-needed break from her usual routine. Winslet moves from her adorably quaint English cottage to Diaz’s hip Cali mansion, and vice versa, and of course they manage to find a few men along the way. Find it on: Amazon Instant Video.

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Home AloneIn this adventurous classic, Macaulay Culkin might just be the cutest little boy ever. When his chaotic family accidentally leaves him behind for vacation, 8-year-old Kevin is forced to fight a pair of robbers all by himself. Find it on: Amazon Instant Video.

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Love Actually: Multiple interlocking storylines come together in this romantic film, perfectly set in the month leading up to Christmas. An awesome cast including Keira Knightley, Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Alan Rickman – Professor Snape, is that you? – and more helps us to explore the trials, and magic, of love. Find it on: Netflix.

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Article cover photo via theguardian.com

Sydney Davis is a senior at Washington University in St. Louis majoring in Film & Media Studies and minoring in Writing. She loves running, exploring new cities, fashion, boating, and most importantly, Whole Foods.