With Christmas right around the corner, all the lights have been hung and all the Christmas trees have been decorated. It is time for warm fires, hot cocoa, fuzzy socks, fuzzy blankets and, you guessed it, Christmas movies. I am going to list my top five picks, as well as my honorable mentions, so you have an easy guide for your Christmas movie must-watch list this holiday season.

1. “Elf”: “Elf” is the epitome of Christmas movies. It is a classic, joyful and spirited movie that signifies all things Christmas. I love the childlike joy of Christmas time that is portrayed through Buddy and his enthusiasm for Christmas. The two major settings of New York in winter and the North Pole bring ideas of a white, jolly Christmas to life. Will Ferrell is one of my favorite actors, and he brings life to the character of Buddy. Ferrell brings an immense amount of comedy to Buddy, and it makes the whole movie that much better. There are great morals presented throughout the movie portrayed through multiple character growths. Buddy stays himself and true to his beliefs even with everyone around him telling him to change and to think differently, and that is a very important moral to be taught. The whole movie accurately portrays how Christmas feels, and it brings me so much joy every time I watch it. 
2. “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000): I love this live-action adaptation of “How The Grinch Stole Christmas.” The live-action version does an amazing job staying true to the original animated movie, and that made me enjoy it so much more. Jim Carrey portrays the Grinch well; he has the evil side of the Grinch with hints of humor.  He also portrays the character growth that the Grinch shows toward the end of the movie. I love the humor and liveliness that Carrey brings to the character of the Grinch, and it elevates the whole movie.
3. “The Santa Clause” (1994): The backstory and overall development of the plot and its characters make this movie stand out. I like the storyline of this entire movie and love the second and third movies as well. The plot creates an interesting and strong story with lovable characters. I love the way that Tim Allen portrays the lighthearted and joyful Santa Claus with spots of humor throughout the whole movie. I find this movie to be relaxing because it is easy to follow and lighthearted, which is the perfect mix for a great Christmas movie.                  
4. “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”: A tried and true Christmas classic–this movie paints a hilariously realistic picture of a chaotic family Christmas. It is happy, it is joyful and it is extraordinarily hilarious. Because of the mature and occasionally crude humor involved with this movie, this is probably the only movie on the list that is not completely family-friendly. However, it is PG-13, so it is completely appropriate for a high school and above audience. 
5. “Home Alone”: The whole concept of this movie is quite hilarious and more than likely something that most kids have thought about. I know I have thought about being left home alone by my family. Adding in the fact that Kevin was left home alone at Christmas just adds to the imagination of kids. Being left at home by your family and having to fend off robbers with lots of added humor is the perfect mix for a great holiday movie. Additionally, I love the heartwarming messages and morals that are made throughout the movie. There is character development, humor, a great plot and a happy ending. Home Alone is a holiday classic that I watch every year around the holidays. 

Honorable mentions: “The Grinch” (2018), “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” “Mickey’s Christmas Carol,” “Frosty the Snowman” (1969), “The Polar Express,” “Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (1964), Disney’s “A Christmas Carol,” “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” (1970), “Santa Clause 2,”, “Santa Clause 3” and “A Christmas Story.”