From Rudolph to Home Alone: 9 Christmas Movies That Define the Season

With December in full swing and Mariah Carey’s holiday spirit on the radio, whether you like it or not, it’s time to talk about Christmas. One of the more fascinating topics this time of year is Christmas Movies.  But a great question to ask is what qualifies a movie as a Christmas Movie? There are several schools of thought on what defines Christmas Movies these days. For instance, some people believe movies around Christmas or the holidays qualify as actual Christmas movies.

Some examples are Diehard, Gremlins, Lethal Weapon, Batman Returns, and Edward Scissorhands. While the holiday season is in the backdrop of all of these movies, celebrating the holiday is never the theme or a central plot point that remains relevant for more than 2 minutes. In my determination, this distinguishes these movies from actual Christmas movies. For it to be considered a Christmas movie, the holiday must be incredibly relevant to the plot or be something that brings an important message to the movie. 

 Some prime examples of true Christmas films would be Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and even Home Alone. Think again if you think Home Alone doesn’t belong among these names. The holiday season is the biggest part of the entire film. The story doesn’t occur without the holidays because Kevin’s family never leaves. Therefore, the burglars never attempt to break in, Kevin never learns to fend for himself, and all the hijinks that take place never exist. Therefore, the main theme of Home Alone is Christmas.

Of course, movies aren’t the only yearly releases that center around the holidays. At this point, every recurring TV show has an annual holiday episode. It's not your fantasy show but shows like Family Guy, The Simpsons, and South Park are current examples of animated sitcoms consistently putting out a holiday episode. Shows like The Office, Arrested Development, Friends, Seinfeld, and many others featured holiday episodes as part of their series.

While some have been memorable and usually lead to hour-long specials, they’re certainly not movies. Also, holiday TV episodes never genuinely seem to capture the true feelings and invoke the same emotions as full-blown Christmas movies. It seems more challenging to make a memorable TV holiday episode than a movie, at least from the point of looking back on years later.

In my opinion, Charlie Brown is the only exception to the rule. But what makes a great holiday movie? Some movies are overly cheesy and cliche, which is the main complaint of many people who watch Hallmark movies. However, people still watch Hallmark movies year after year, time and time again. On the flip side, I've had one complaint with some Christmas movies: sometimes the plots are too complicated.

 A good holiday film should consist of holiday cheer or sadness, themes of Christmas, interesting characters, and a plot with some creativity. The story doesn’t need to be groundbreaking; however, it needs to be at least creative or memorable enough to leave a lasting impact. Or at the very least, it needs to get me to watch it more than once. Look at the nine best movies you must watch this holiday season. Better yet, here are the nine greatest actual Christmas movies ever made!

The Santa Clause might be my favorite Christmas movie ever made for several reasons. One is that Tim Allen is the perfect choice for Santa. But also, you get to enjoy an exceptionally unique plot. Like, come on, A man accidentally kills Santa and puts on his robe, so he has to take up the mantle as Kris Kringle. I love it! Also, it’s filled with cheerful comedy, such as Tim Allen’s diet changing to only Milk and Cookies, his magically intense weight gain, and his inability to keep a clean-shaven face. It's a must-watch for every holiday season. The sequel is just as good, if not better; both are truly memorable holiday films!

Home Alone is the perfect Christmas movie. It’s incredibly unique, good family fun, and iconic. How The McCallisters left their little boy Kevin Home alone for the holidays not once but twice will always shock me. But the first movie is the only one we’re talking about. The original Home Alone should be a staple for every Christmas season.

I personally believe the 1966 TV - movie is the best adaptation of The Grinch. However, I think any version gets the same message across, live-action or not; the Grinch’s story is consistent throughout. It’s creative, thought-provoking, and heartwarming all in one. It's the perfect movie for every holiday season.

This list would be incomplete without this iconic staple of the American holiday season. It doesn’t get more classic than “You’ll shoot your eye out kid.” The Red Ryder BB gun, the leg lamp, and licking a frozen flagpole because of a “triple dog dare.” Everyone should watch “A Christmas Story” at least once per holiday season.

Buddy the Elf is a must-watch during Christmas time. It’s hilarious, cheerful, and wonderfully unique in terms of plot when it comes to Christmas movies. Like the formula I mentioned earlier, be creative and leave a lasting impact. “Elf” is such a memorable film, and Buddy is everything we wish we could be during the holiday season.

Yet another unique Christmas movie. The plot is not important other than it’s Christmas time. But the family's hilarious and ridiculous chain of events is worth the watch.

 First of all, who doesn’t love Bill Murray? Secondly, it is the timeless classic of a heartless rich guy who learns the true meaning of Christmas. There are plenty of laughs or awkward looks to be had while watching this one. It’s an entertaining watch, for sure.

Spirited is a newer edition yet a wildly entertaining watch for the holiday season. Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell are both hilarious and touching at times in the reiteration of the classic from Charles Dickens, “A Christmas Carol.” While some may think the plot lacks depth, I urge you to look past it as this is a brilliant modern version of a “Christmas Carol” in musical fashion!

Rudolph is the most iconic Christmas movie ever and should be the staple of every holiday season. I watch it 1-3 times every holiday season and can’t get enough of it. It is an entirely original plot and a heartwarming tale of a misfit who is treated differently because of his appearance. It’s a movie that transcends time with that message, even though it came out in 1939—a necessity for every Christmas season.