I’m sitting here watching Santa Clause the Movie and started thinking about an hour ago how underrated this movie is. Maybe because I loved Dudley Moore – not sure, but I was always curious how this movie wasn’t a blockbuster.
So, it got me thinking … what are the greatest Christmas movies of all time? I came up with a Top Five list that is somewhat interchangeable depending on my mood, but number one is always number one…
- Scrooged. I’m somewhat swayed because I love any movie made between 1984 and 1989 (I view Sixteen Candles as the beginning of greatness and it all went downhill with Ghost in 1990). It doesn’t matter – Scrooged is a great movie and the ending actually makes an emotional impact on me every time I watch it.
Suggested Viewing: Try a Friday night with pizza delivery. Watch Scrooged in its entirety or it’ll just seem like a typical 1980s film.
- Miracle of 34thStreet (original version). Besides history’s fastest and most unrealistic courtship of a commitment-phobic, scorned woman, this movie is a must watch every year. The views of Manhattan in the 1940s make this movie worth your time.
Suggested Viewing: Thanksgiving morning, 7:00 am, followed by the live Macy’s Day Parade. Yep, 7:00 am – you’ll thank me later.
- A Christmas Carol(1951 version). I’ve seen pretty much every version of this Charles Dickens classic, and this one is by far my favorite. The scene where Scrooge and Marley take over Mr. Jorkin’s company is very cool for anyone in business, especially considering that the novel was written in 1843.
Suggested Viewing: Christmas Eve, either immediately after dinner or after everyone else goes to bed.
- Christmas Vacation. This also makes my favorite comedies of all time list. Due to the magic of skipping sections of movies, I’ve watched the scene where Uncle Eddie and Clark are drinking eggnog in the Griswold’s living room at least 5 million times.
Suggested Viewing: Christmas Vacation should be the first Christmas movie you watch every year (I consider The Nightmare Before Christmas a Halloween movie). The weekend before Thanksgiving is a perfect time.
- It’s a Wonderful Life. I didn’t need to add “original version” because there isn’t a remake. Who would take the challenge of following Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey? No one, that’s who. For the record, I’ve watched it 33 years in a row and have cried every single time.
Suggested Viewing: Saturday night, prime time within two weeks of Christmas. This is the greatest Christmas movie and one of the greatest movies of all time. It’s a “Saturday night, favorite bottle of wine” kind of event.
A few that received votes but didn’t make the list: The Bells of St. Mary’s, Elf, and Love Actually.
Happy Holidays everyone!
