7 Movies I HAVE To Watch Every Christmas

I’m pretty weird about some of my Christmas traditions. Weird in that I have to do them or the season just doesn’t feel right to me. 
Like holiday movies for example. I have my absolute favorites that I have to watch every single year, usually several times. Even if I’m not paying complete full attention to them, they have to at least be on in the background while I’m working or wrapping gifts. I just need to hear that holiday dialogue to give me the warm fuzzies.
Let’s take a look at some of my favorites and why they’re my favorites. (I can only assume this list is not at all unique.)

1. Christmas Vacation.
Because it’s Christmas Vacation and it’s written by John Hughes. John Hughes is my absolute hero and everything he ever did is gold in my eyes.

Top moments: When Clark gets trapped in the attic, I cry during that scene every time. When Aunt Bethany says “hello everybody!” And I was a big old pervert as a child because I really loved that weird pool scene. It was so naughty.

2. Elf.
This is how I feel when I watch this movie. Every. Single. Time.

You can’t watch this and be in a bad mood. You just can’t.
Top moments: When the cartoon walrus says “Good bye Buddy, hope you find your dad!” I have no idea why, but that line gets me. I’ll have it stuck in my head for months. I also love when he first gets to New York and pretty much every single moment after. And especially the mail scene room.

3. The Holiday.
John Hughes is my first hero, but Nancy Meyers (the writer and director of this) is right up there as well.

I saw this movie in college with my pals Tyeler, Kate and Steph and I knew right away it was going to be a holiday classic for me. Nancy Meyers creates films that I want to be in. Not as an actress, but as a real person. I want to live this life.
Top moments: Judd Law. He is just… just everything in this movie. The hot single dad living in a cottage in England. I just can’t. It’s too much. Just too much goodness. The Three Musketeers line makes me lose my shit every time I hear it. And Kate Winslet’s sweet relationship with the adorable “Arthur Abbott?” Just yes. And that intimate New Years Eve party at the end is everything to me.

4. How The Grinch Stole Christmas.
Because Jim Carrey is a maniac in this movie and he nails it. And because I can do this exact same face. I really can. If you see me in person, ask me to do it. (After a few drinks.)

Top moments: When he’s in his Grinch cave having a conversation with himself. All of the child humor in this film is just so good. I laugh at all of the dumbest jokes because I want to.

5. The Family Stone.
This is the melancholy one I like to watch all alone when the house is completely dark and quiet except for the glow of the Christmas tree.

The cast in this movie is just spot on.
Top Moments: Sarah Jessica Parker and her damn frittata casserole. And when the pregnant sister is up late watching Meet Me In St. Louis all by herself- something about this moment is just so wonderful. I also love the dynamics between all of the siblings. You think you’re watching a sweet family comedy but you can just feel there’s something looming overhead that’s going to knock everyone off their feet. And even though I know it’s coming because I’ve watched this movie no less than fifty times, it still gets me.

6. All I Want For Christmas.
For this outfit alone.

Top Moments: The scene in the diner. I can’t pinpoint why exactly (actually I can it’s because of Hallie’s waitress-outfit.) These kids live the life in New York getting to live in their mom’s million dollar brownstone or their dad’s cool apartment near his diner. I would watch a young Thora Birch in almost anything.

7. A Christmas Story.
Because you have to.

The first six are all movies I like to watch before Christmas. This is the one movie I like to watch ON Christmas. Over and over and over. Most of the time I’m not even watching it, it just has to be on. I need to hear Ralphie’s narrator voice for it to really feel like Christmas.

What are your holiday favorites?

We’re less than two weeks away. Slow down Christmas, I need to soak you in a bit more. Have a great weekend!

* Embarrassed and ashamed to admit a reader just reminded I forgot the most important movie of all, Home Alone. I don’t know who I am anymore.

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25 Comments

  1. December 12, 2014 / 1:39 pm

    yeeees! totally my favorite line from 'elf' too as well as "not now arctic puffin!" i also need to watch 'the santa claus' every year because tim the toolman taylor as santa is necessary.

  2. December 12, 2014 / 2:06 pm

    I love love love Clark. Christmas Vacation is my favorite Vacation movie. Elf is amazing!!! And the Family Stone, ahhhh! Actually I just love your list in general!

  3. December 12, 2014 / 2:12 pm

    So I've never been a huge movie person (and Eric cannot believe it) so I haven't seen more than half of these. I know. Damn, I wish I had known about the grinch face. Well maybe not, that shit is seriously creepy.

  4. December 12, 2014 / 2:24 pm

    Totally agree! But you forgot Home Alone!! It's a classic!

  5. December 12, 2014 / 2:41 pm

    Yesssss The Family Stone! I'm so glad I'm not the only one! And also White Christmas. Because obviously. Is it even Christmas without Bing Crosby?

  6. December 12, 2014 / 3:28 pm

    i'm mad at you because I had a similar post already written that I'll now have to delete (however it did include home alone JK you drank too much last night or something). I just watcheded all i want for christmas and all i could do is wish i had thora's wardrobe.

  7. December 12, 2014 / 4:09 pm

    I am dying that you forgot home alone because that was the first movie I thought of after I read the title of your post!! haha it's ok though, it's a given, and I'm glad it left room for some that I've never heard of!

  8. December 12, 2014 / 4:37 pm

    It's a Wonderful Life! I'm going to watch it on the big screen at our Paramount Theater tonight. I'm obsessed. So much so that I used to watch it all the time when I was growing up. Even when it was 100 degrees outside in July. For some reason not many people around my age (29) are huge fans 🙁 Maybe because it's in black & white? I've never seen All I Want For Christmas, but I love Thora Birch so I'll have to watch it!

  9. December 12, 2014 / 7:17 pm

    Home Alone is really my only MUST! I mean come on young Mac was the cutest thing ever!

  10. December 13, 2014 / 1:33 am

    To some, home alone might be big but Elf is a big must..so you win! And the nag in the bag has been huge joke with the husband. Thank you for that!

  11. December 13, 2014 / 2:02 pm

    The only one I would need to add to this list is Love Actually. Otherwise, this list is perfect.

  12. December 13, 2014 / 2:54 pm

    Elf and The Family Stone are awesome choices!! 🙂

  13. December 13, 2014 / 4:11 pm

    I love these. The Family Stone, The Grinch and The Holiday are my absolute favorites. I also have to watch a few classics and A Muppet Christmas Carol because that movie basically sums up my childhood. I love it!

  14. December 14, 2014 / 9:57 am

    I haven't even seen all of these, and for that, I feel like I've sinned. Elf takes the cake as my own all-time fave though, and Christmas does not happen before Elf has been watched once with me being quiet and behaving myself, and once with me reciting all of the dialogue with equal parts enthusiasm and ridiculousness.

    lovelovelove,
    Erica
    cominguprosestheblog.com

  15. December 14, 2014 / 8:12 pm

    I love all of these although Ive seen not one for this season! Ahh well!

  16. December 15, 2014 / 11:13 am

    I just picked up a double feature dvd at Wal-Mart in the $5 bin of "The Holiday" and "The Family Stone". How lucky is that?! Definitely on my watch list!

  17. December 15, 2014 / 7:07 pm

    Family Stone and The Holiday are definitely my favorites as well. And the top moments, I can't agree with you more! 🙂

  18. December 17, 2014 / 10:10 am

    Love Christmas Vacation, as a kid though I remember always having to cover my eyes during the pool scene hahahah.
    xoxo
    Brooke|LookBrooke

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