Best Christmas Holiday Movies Review

"It's the most wonderful time of year!" (for a movie!)

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat and it's a great time to make some popcorn or hot chocolate or both and curl up on the couch with your family.  There are many great Christmas movies for families, including the classics It's a Wonderful Life (1946) and Miracle on 34th Street (1947) but here is an eclectic list of our favorite Christmas movies in no particular order.

Best Family Christmas Movies: Our family's favorites

The Polar Express, 2004

I loved the book, The Polar Express and I love what Tom Hanks did with this movie. Join a brother and sister on The Polar Express on Christmas Eve for a journey through the magic of Christmas.  Do you believe?  Can you hear the Christmas bells?

A Charlie Brown Christmas, 1965

Just hearing the music to this one makes me smile.  A Charlie Brown Christmas still has it.  Kids still love it and it is just as good as you remember. Take a break from the hustle and bustle of the holdiays and let Charlie Brown and friends remind you what the Christmas season is really about.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas, 2000

Not everybody loved the transformation of this Dr. Seuss book into a movie but my kids really do like it.  They love the songs, the rhymes and... the antlers on the dog.  Not even the Grinch is Grinchy enough to ruin Christmas.

The Toy that Saved Christmas, 1996

This is a movie about the true meaning of Christmas, VeggieTale style. Some kids may see some familiar behavior in this movie (I want a..., I need a..., So and so has a...).  The Toy that Saved Christmas is a sweet Christian Christmas movie with kid-fun music.

Rudolph (part of The Original Television Christmas Classics) 2004 DVD release

There's now a three disc set that includes Frosty, Rudolph and Santa Claus is Coming to Town but Rudolph is our favorite.  Remember the elf that wanted to be a dentist?  Remember the "misfit" toys?  My kids tear up just like I did when Rudolph cries and cheer like I still do when Rudolph leads the way for Santa's Sleigh.

Home Alone, 1990

"Kevin!"

Silly yes, but Home Alone still makes everyone laugh every-time and wraps up the humorous pranks with a warm, fuzzy Christmas message bow. Young Macaulay Culkin as the 8 year old "left at home alone" Kevin is a fun Christmas for kids. My kids like to watch this one all year long.

Tim Burton'sThe Nightmare Before Christmas, 1993

I thought this looked bizarre and even scary but the kids absolutely loved it.  It does have a real Christmas message underneath all of the skeletons and stitches. Jack Skellington rules Halloween but he's bored and now he wants to run Christmas. This stop motion film is creepy fun but probably not for the very young.

T'was the Night Before Christmas, 1974

Someone has sent Santa a nasty letter and this year he's just not coming.  Can this usually ho hum town change Santa's mind?  This is a a fun night before Christmas movie for the family.

Mickey's Christmas Carol, 1983

This one is a favorite Christmas movie that my little gang likes to watch all year.  The gang's all here in this Disney version of Scrooge with Mickey as Bob Cratchit, Scrooge McDuck as Ebeneezer and Goofy as Jacob Marley.

Annabelle's Wish, 1997

My daughter the animal lover says this is her most favorite Christmas movie.  Annabelle is a calf born on Christmas Eve.  She's a gift for Billy, a young boy unable to talk after an accident.  The ending is TOO sweet.  This touching Christmas movie is narrated by Randy Travis.  

So ho, ho, ho and now you know... these are our family's favorite Christmas movies.