Though I have been trying to ignore it (where did this year go, after all?), the Christmas season has arrived. With it comes cuddling up to seasonal movies with hot chocolate, and sharing with our kids what some of our favorites were as children (or adults, have to admit some of the new ones have been good, too). Here is a list of the top ten movies that your children must see during the holiday season!
1. For me, Christmas is not complete until this movie has played at least once, and the songs from it listened to over and over again. White Christmas is the ultimate family Christmas classic! Yes, it is an old movie, and yes young children (under the age of five) will probably not like it. That being said, both of my children sat down and watched it multiple times at the ages of 5 and 7, and have become obsessed with the movie, forcing all of their friends who came to visit to sit down and watch it. Between Bing Crosby's voice, Vera Ellen's dance moves, the hilarity of Danny Kaye, all of the songs, and the gorgeous Christmas scene at the end... I've had a hard time not watching this already. Give your kids a piece of the past, and have them watch this gem!
 |
| Photo courtesy of www.supertran.net |
2. Who could let their children grow up without showing them A Charlie Brown Christmas? This is just one of those movies that is a right of passage - all must see it, and know of the sad, pathetic little Christmas tree that Charlie Brown got and couldn't even decorate on his own. Plus, Linus does a great job sharing the Christmas story!
3. You either love it, or you hate it, but at least give your kids a chance to decide what they think. Our second must see Christmas movie is A Christmas Story. Our family roars with laughter over the Red Rider BB Gun, and the dad's grief over his lost turkey (which my husband can empathize with, only substituting ham for the turkey).
4. A Muppet Christmas Carol is another movie that you simply have to show your kids. It takes a classic, and puts it on a much more understandable and approachable level. Plus, as an adult, the Muppets are great at bringing back childhood memories! Besides, seeing Michael Cain, serious actor
extraordinaire, interact with a bunch of Muppets if pretty priceless!
5. The last on my list is a newer classic. Christmas with the Kranks was released a few years ago, and is absolutely hilarious. Jamie Lee Curtis and Tim Allen are a delight that will leave you, your spouse, and your kids snorting from laughter. And who can forget the cat! My own daughter refers to it as the cat movie, and is requiring I put a picture of said cat in this post. Watch it, you'll never look at Hickory Honeyed Ham the same way again, or Christmas Cruises, or umbrellas for that matter!
6. Frosty the Snowman is another must see. Adorable cartoon, magical story, and the voice of Jimmy Durante. It is important to note, though, that someone had the bad idea to make a new Frosty cartoon. Do not, I repeat, do not see that one. It is terrible, misleading, and not at all full of the joyous Christmas spirit that fills the original Frosty!
7. This is a movie from my own childhood, which I used to love. No longer one of my own personal favorites, but it is great for kids. Not only does it cover the interest of two age ranges (a character who is second grade and one in 8th grade. Any kid likes watching another kid near their own age accomplishing something), but it has the elegant Lauren Bacall (who sings, by the way, and it is not to be missed), cute little mice, kids helping each other solve a family problem, an awesome Santa, and references to The Nutcracker.
8. Two versions of this film, and both are great! Our personal favorite, though, is the Jim Carey version of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. He is the epitome of what a Grinch should be, and all kids (no matter their age), will love watching him terrorize Whoville.
9. Tim Allen makes the list again with his film, The Santa Clause. Technically, this is a series as there are parts 1-3, but I am a fan of the original. Scott Calvin (note, initials S.C.) has his son for Christmas Eve, and the two hear Santa fall of the roof. They find his business card, which says to put on the suite. After Scott Calvin does this, he becomes Santa. Permanently. This is a magical, happy movie, complete with some laughs (all I have to say is fire extinguisher and turkey).
10.
The last movie on our list is a new one. Usually, I am not a fan of the newer Christmas movies (some are cute, don't get me wrong), but this one was watched on repeat after our first time seeing it. The fantastic new Christmas movie is Arthur Christmas. Santa has a son who is kind of clumsy, and not at all as polished as he needs to be to fit in with the family operation. What he does have, though, is heart and plenty of it. Watch the movie, you and your kids will love it!
No comments:
Post a Comment