Here are the eight most popular Christmas movies?ever! Let’s enjoy?some festive trips down memory lane.
Caution, many of you will not agree with the order,?think some movies were snubbed, etc…but to each his/her own. ?Here is the list from eight to one.
8.?A Christmas Story (1983)
While this movie is definitely a holiday classic, I have put it down at number eight because let’s be real,?it is pretty dry. ?Having said that, it has become so iconic that to not include it would be blasphemy. Who can forget the leg lamp? Or Ralphie’s crazy pink bunny pajamas? Or the tongue on the flagpole? So many moments about a very weird family.
7.?How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
We all seem to know that one person who is the Grinch of Christmas; just wanting to destroy it for everyone.Stealing?gifts and decorations from the town of Whoville, the Grinch expects to hear overall sadness from the residents. However, they remain cheerful because they understand that Christmas is not about the material possessions that we have or don’t have. Grinch finally learns this lesson. We owe so much to this movie because it seems that the holiday season is becoming more and more grossly materialistic. This movie helps remind us of what is important.
6.?The Year Without A Santa Claus?(1974)
One of the most classic animated Christmas movies ever. The thought of Christmas without Santa is a bad one indeed. Especially to children, for they cannot even imagine Christmas without the jolly big bearded fellow. Santa becomes sick and when his doctor says that no one even cares about Christmas anymore, Saint Nick decides that he wants to skip the Holidays. However, Claus discovers that plenty of people still believe him. This changes Santa’s perspective and he makes his annual trip to deliver gifts after all.?We could relate to Santa in this movie. We all want to feel appreciated and loved.
5.?The Santa Clause?(1994)
This movie is one of the most popular Christmas movies of our generation. It doesn’t hurt that one of the top American comedians of the 1990s, Tim Allen, shined in this role. As a father who becomes annoyed by, well, everything surrounding the holidays, things take a surprising turn when he starts developing “Santa-like-features.” His son believes he is Santa but his controlling mother does not. Once Scott Calvin (wisely initialed SC as well) realizes that he must take on the role of Santa, his son’s mother and new boyfriend think that Scott is mentally crazy. Shunned, Scott must prove that he is real. A story about a son’s undying love for his father always touches us. But this movie resonates so much because it teaches us that what’s important is? what we feel is true?in our hearts, no matter how crazy others may make us out to be.
4.?The Wizard Of OZ (1939)
I had to include this movie although it is not technically a Christmas movie. Because it is such a classic family film it is shown every year around this time. The idea that there is no place like home has become a staple for everyone who just values spending time with loved ones around the Holidays; an important message that cannot be lost with the materialization of the season. This movie also spawned some of the most iconic moments in history. From the sayings: “there’s no place like home,” “I’m melting!” “and “your?little dog too” to popular songs “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead” and “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” this movie has a special place in American culture. But perhaps the brightest part of this movie is the song “Somewhere Over The Rainbow.” Christmas reminds us ?of hope and praying for better times, aka looking forward to a new and better year. “Somewhere” is often ranked the best movie song of all time and for good reason. The lyrics are simple in verbage but the meaning is profound. No matter what we go through, dreaming is endless and for everyone and Judy Garland’s?gorgeous voice laid out this message perfectly for us.
3.?Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
One of the most popular Christmas movies of all time. This film about a?Department Store Santa who claims to be the real thing, helped create numerous movies after it; ones where the theme is the clash between people who believe and those that don’t. But this movie was the originator. When we realize Susan’s dream house is suddenly for sale, and when Kris’ red cane appears in the house, we are filled with cheeriness and even if for a moment, we actually may have believed in Santa all over again.
2.?National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation?(1989)
In my opinion, the unequivocally funnest Christmas movie that has ever been made. The dysfunctional Griswold family has a cast of characters that would make anyone go crazy. So many classic moments are in this movie that make me laugh out loud, literally. When matriarch Clark’s outrageous brother Eddie shows up with his family, the line about his daughter being kicked by a mule always has me howling. Clark’s response to Eddie showing up is one of my favorite movie lines ever, of any genre. Eddie asks if Clark was surprised that he was there and Clark replies:
“if I woke up with my head sewn to the carpet, I wouldn’t be more surprised than I am right now.”
Genius. Hilarious. Aside from the dysfunction, this movie shows us that family matters most no matter how silly and weird they all may be.
1.?It’s a Wonderful Life?(1946)
While my number 2 movie might be my personal favorite, I HAD to put this movie at number one. Listed as a comedy-drama, it is not nearly as funny as?Christmas Vacation, but the meaning of the movie is life-changing. A troubled and discouraged George Bailey becomes very suicidal on Christmas Eve. He is saved by a guardian angel named Clarence. Clarence goes on to show George, in detail, how things would be if he had never been born. In this reality, George’s hometown becomes?downtrodden and overrun by immorality. Many of the people in George’s life are doing ?worse in this scenario, including his brother Harry who is dead because George wasn’t there to save him from drowning. His?beloved wife Mary is a spinster who doesn’t recognize him. Clarence explains that the town was better off because of George; that he kept Mr. Potter from destroying his hometown. Mr. Potter was a vile slumlord who wanted to take advantage of the people. But since George hadn’t been born, the town was in a horrible state. All of this makes George see how he DID matter and how he was on this earth for a reason. This message is something we all need to hear. So many of us struggle with feelings of irrelevance and that nobody would care if we were gone. While a bit of a taboo topic, millions of people feel these thoughts daily. This movie tackled these common sentiments with grace while providing a cunning reminder that life without us would be drastically different. I greatly applaud its?ability to force us into replaying how our own lives and families would be different if we weren’t born.?This was a scary thought yet one that made us all grateful to be alive.
Do you agree that these are some of the most popular Christmas movies of all time? What are some more of your favorites? Let us know your thoughts at the Liberal America Facebook page. Sign up for our free daily newsletter to receive more great stories like this one.
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