The 12 Plays Of Christmas

by Liv Stecker

I set out to make a top ten list of Holiday movies with the help of my family and friends. Having relatives and acquaintances from all walks of life, I knew that throwing a poll out there would give me a pretty well rounded version of all of the must-see Christmas movies. I was not disappointed with the results.

After mediating semi-heated conflicts over which version of the Grinch was better, whether George C. Scott was the best on-screen Ebeneezer Scrooge ever, and whether A Very Minty Christmas Featuring the cast of My Little Pony characters should even be allowed in the running, I came out with a diverse and satisfying, if not much too long, list. It didn’t help that I had convinced my exchange student from Vietnam that any movie with snow featured in it could be technically considered a “Christmas Movie”, so she kept throwing in suggestions like Snowpiercer and all of the Harry Potter movies.

I also had to filter out movies that I would consider less than family friendly, which bumped several very popular suggestions, including Love Actually and Die Hard.

So, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, inlaws, outlaws, cousins and creatures, I present for you, the 12 all-time-best Holiday Movies (please note that a limit of ten was impossible, and the only reason I could make 12 work was because it’s festive).

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) - George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) is a boy with big dreams, and after real life in a small town leaves him struggling just to get by, he questions his value on earth. Enter the angel Clarence, to set the record straight. No movie, in the seventy years since it’s release, has done a better job world-wide of reminding us how beautiful life is - every hair-brained, haphazard minute of it. Available to rent on Amazon, Google Play and vudu.

Elf (2003) - This “new” classic was the most widely agreed upon favorite among my friends and family, with the exception of my younger sister, who can’t stand Will Ferrell. While this raises the question of the condition of my poor sister’s mortal soul, the rest of us feel that this warm-fuzzy story of a childlike adult human who has been raised by Christmas Elves is the best way to spend at least 50% of the nights in December. Buddy the Elf travels to the scary world of New York City to find his biological father, and as a result, save Christmas for the whole world. It might just be the thing that saves your soul as well (sister!).  Rent it on Google Play, Amazon, and Netflix in DVD form.

White Christmas (1954) - Without argument, this post World War II Irving Berlin traditional classic has it all: the comedic genius of Danny Kaye, the melodramatic croon of local boy Bing Crosby, the starlit feet of Vera-Ellen and the fireside comfort of girl-next-door Rosemary Clooney. Irving Berlin composed the song “White Christmas” for a previous film, Holiday Inn (see below), and the success of the song took on a life of it’s own. It’s a feel-good love story with history and drama and hilarity all built in. You can rent it on Amazon, vudu.com and Google Play. It is also available on DVD from Netflix.

Christmas Vacation (1989) - In an attempt to keep this list family friendly, I had to filter out a couple of titles that came highly recommended, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable watching with my 12 year old. This one totters on the brink of barely acceptable to some of the more conservative holdovers, and reasonably so. HOWEVER: Being a rational human being, and appreciating the value of laughter, I have to say, every year I laugh until I hurt watching this movie. So if you are sensitive to a smattering of obscenities, brief suggestions of scantily clad women, and some mild vulgarity, this one might not be the best pick for your family. If you can handle it, the benefit outweighs the damage, I believe. It’s the story of the All-American family with the best holiday intentions, and how, inevitably, everything that can go wrong, will. It’s relatable and hilarious, every single time. Available on Amazon, vudu and Google Play and Netflix DVD.

A Christmas Story (1983) - Set in 1950s midwestern America, the story of Ralphie and his suburban family is another piece of cultural history for many of us. Told through the eyes of an elementary aged youngster, he experiences the holiday in true American style, complete with misadventures, neighborhood dilemmas and the realization of his mother’s worst nightmare when he nearly shoots his eye out with the prized Red Ryder pump action BB gun. Watch it on Amazon, Google Play, and YouTube.

How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) - As mentioned earlier, there was some discussion about the best version of this Dr. Seuss classic. With a courtesy nod to the 2000 live action version starring Jim Carrey, I have to say that the two have little in common other than the storyline. Because I am a radical traditionalist, the original Chuck Jones animated short will always have my heart. Plus, what could be better than Boris Karloff’s timeless narration, and Thurl Ravenscroft bellowing out the Grinch’s theme? I found this story on an audio DVD once, with the same voices as the animated movie, and it became a constant traveling companion during the holiday season. It is available for purchase on Amazon.

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) - At last count, according to Wikipedia, there are at least 25 film adaptations of Charles Dicken’s classic tale, A Christmas Carol. I have seen a half dozen or so, and after consulting with the experts (my friends and family), the resounding conclusion is that The Muppet Christmas Carol wins the day. Not to say that George C. Scott, Mickey Mouse and Alastair Sim didn’t all do their darndest, but nobody can compete with Statler and Waldorf as the Marley Twins, Michael Caine as the most believable Scrooge I have seen, and of course, Gonzo the narrator. The original songs in this version are heartwarming, and according to even real Dicken’s experts online, the storyline is more true to the book than many versions. Watch it on Amazon, Google Play or vudu.

Home Alone (1990) - Another modern classic, this takes the traditional holiday fiasco genre and adds the twist of a young kid accidentally left to his own devices in a suburban neighborhood when his parents go to France for the holidays. Enter a pair of brutally clumsy burglars and the game is afoot! While Macaulay Culkin may have never done another worthwhile thing with his life, we don’t mind, because we take joy from his misadventures every year. Again, this movie has some mild vulgarity and profanity, if that’s a problem for your family, beware! You can rent this one on Amazon, vudu and Google Play.

Holiday Inn (1942) - Not to give Bing Crosby more than his share on the list of holiday blockbusters, but the man’s name is more or less synonymous with Christmas, and since he’s from our own Spokane, we’ll give him a free pass. Alongside the immortal Bing, Holiday Inn also stars the intrepid Fred Astaire, and tells the story of two stage performers struggling to find their niche out of big city politics and in the midst of social and global turmoil during World War II. Overlapping love triangles tell a comic story of near misses and perfect timing. This one gets bonus points for encompassing ALL of the holidays and therefore being a justifiable watch before Thanksgiving. You’re welcome. Watch it on vudu, Google Play, or Amazon.

Miracle On 34th Street (1947) - While we’re tottering on the brink of the transition from black and white to color, this one deserves a nod. The 1947 original starring the recently late and forever fabulous Maureen O’Hara, and a very young Natalie Wood, made enough of a splash to warrant a remake in 1994 (which is terrible - don’t waste your bandwidth). This movie pitches the value of childlike faith and the power of believing, even for the worst cynics. It’s a timeless message that we might just need more now than ever before. It is available on Amazon, vudu and Google Play.

Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer & The Original Christmas Classics (1964-1970) - If Costco can bundle these babies, then I can too. There aren’t many of us who can’t remember the claymation classics from the 1960s that included not only Rudolph and the first public anti-bullying campaign, championed by none other than Santa Claus himself, but Frosty the Snowman, The Little Drummer Boy, Jack Frost, and Santa Claus is Comin to Town. Narrated and acted by such memorable voices as Burl Ives, Jimmy Durante, Jose Ferrer, Fred Astaire and the recently lost Mickey Rooney, these hour-or-less gems take every one of us back to the holidays of our childhood, when things were simpler and claymation was cutting edge technology. Most of these are available on Amazon for streaming or purchase, and they often air on local networks during the holiday season.

The Santa Clause (I, II & III) (1994…) - While there are multitudes of worth-mentioning movies about the fight to save Christmas, including Ernest Saves Christmas, Santa Claus: The Movie, and a thousand more, Tim Allen takes the cake for reluctant heroes as he assumes his role as Santa Claus. A little bit comedy, a little bit love story, and a lot of heart warming holiday warm fuzzies, The Santa Clause trilogy is a great family tradition. Watch it on Amazon, Google Play or vudu.

Just because I didn’t also mention Prancer, The Polar Express, Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas, and many others is not to say that they don’t also have an important spot on the Christmas activity advent calendar, however, time being of the essence in the brief 25 days we have to observe a myriad of holiday traditions, sometimes it’s important to prioritize our time, and these top 12 get my vote, along with many other hard core tradition observers.