Best Christmas Holiday Movies Review

I've made my list and checked it twice. Here are Santa's picks for the best Christmas movies of all time!

1. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) - Your favorite Muppets, like Kermit and Miss Piggy, re-tell Charles Dickens' classic story about Ebenezer Scrooge and the ghosts of Christmases past, present and future.

• Why I picked The Muppet Christmas Carol as one of the best Christmas movies: This is one of my favorite versions of the story because it's good for all ages. Children are especially able to understand the plot as it's told by some of the most loveable characters ever. I chose it over Disney's version because I enjoy the puppets and performance by Michael Caine.

2. Love Actually (2003) - Bill Nighy, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Keirta Knightley and a slew of others star in the tale of four couples dealing with love in the month leading up to Christmas. The characters' lives are all loosely related, so it's fun to watch the story unfold and discover how love really is all around (like the tag line claims).

• Why I picked Love Actually as one of the best Christmas movies: I can't quite get enough of this story. I can't decide whether it's the cast, the plot or the general happy feeling I get at the end of the movie. Regardless, it is one film I love to watch every holiday season so I am reminded to take a step back and enjoy the season with the people I love.

3. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) - Predictably, the Griswold's holiday turns in to a major - and hilarious - disaster. The 25,000 Christmas lights that decorate the Griswold home, the crazy cousins from Kansas and the well-oiled sled are just a few of the surprises the Griswolds experience.

• Why I picked National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation as one of the best Christmas movies: It's funny. It's really, really funny. I couldn't stop shaking my belly like a bowl of jelly the entire time. There is something in the movie that everyone can relate to - whether it's the hassle of hanging Christmas decorations or unruly relatives - and it makes you appreciate the unpredictability of the season.

4. Elf (2003) - Will Ferrell plays Buddy the Elf, a boy raised an elf, who decides as a man that he wants to leave the elf community in the North Pole and go find his father in New York City.

• Why I picked Elf as one of the best Christmas movies: This is an imaginative film that adds a bit of color and a twist to the traditional holiday movie. It is humorous to watch Buddy try to adjust to society when he dresses and acts life an elf but, to the normal population, looks like and should act like a grown man! Buddy's friendliness and naïveté are endearing.

5. White Christmas (1954) - Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye play two GIs, who also happen to be a song-and-dance team, that return from World War II only to fall in love with a sister act. The four team up to save the Vermont inn owned by their former general.

• Why I picked White Christmas as one of the best Christmas movies: It's a musical, so you can't go wrong, and the theme song by the same name is still a classic. The actors and actresses are exceptional, and it has everything you could ask for - comedy, romance, music and dancing.

6. Miracle on 34th Street (1947) - After discovering the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade Santa Claus is drunk and unable to sit on his float, an old man galantly steps in to take his place. He is a hit and is hired to serve as the store's Santa Claus. Trouble ensues when the man claims to be the real Santa.

• Why I picked Miracle on 34th Street as one of the best Christmas movies: It's charming and sentimental, and it makes you re-think your grown-up beliefs about whether Santa is real or not.

7. It's a Wonderful Life (1946) - No, depression and suicide attempts do not usually define the Christmas season, but they do for George Bailey. After realizing he will be charged for a mistake he did not commit, George decides to commit suicide so his family and friends do not have to deal with his woes. The angel Clarence comes to show George what life would be like if he had not been around.

• Why I picked It's a Wonderful Life as one of the best Christmas movies: This movie perfectly defines the holiday spirit for so many people: family, friends and life. It's a Wonderful Life reminds us that no matter our circumstances, love and joy is around us. It just might be in unlikely places or not what we expected. Regardless, we have wonderful lives.

8. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966): Dr. Suess' grouchy green character, the Grinch, makes a plan to steal Christmas from the Whos in Whoville.

• Why I picked How the Grinch Stole Christmas as one of the best Christmas movies: It's an animated classic! I don't know many people who have not seen the Dr. Suess film. The movie reminds us that there is more than ribbons and bows to Christmas.

9. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965): Charlie Brown is the director of the Christmas pageant after complaining to Lucy about the commercialism and materialism related to the holiday. Charlie tries to the find true meaning of Christmas with the help from his friends.

• Why I picked A Charlie Brown Christmas as one of the best Christmas movies: You'll laugh when Snoopy is dressed up as a penguin. You'll feel sad at the small little fir tree Charlie Brown picks out. You'll be empowered when the gang sings "Hark the Herald Angels Sing." At the very least, you'll be charmed by Charles Schulz' crew of characters.

10. Prancer (1989): Nine-year-old Jessica finds an injured reindeer in the woods. Assuming it's Prancer, she brings it back to her family's farm to nurse it back to health so he can once again join Santa's sleigh team.

• Why I picked Prancer as one of the best Christmas movies: Everyone is familiar with the classic Rudolph animated movie, but not many people are familiar with Prancer.  It's a unique Christmas movie that's sure to please.