If you’ve already watched Elf and Love Actually ten times this holiday season, give one of these older Christmas classics a chance!
1. I’ll Be Home for Christmas
Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Jessica Biel. College. Enough said.
2. Meet Me in St. Louis
This black and white classic is set around the 1903 World Fair in St. Louis and Christmastime. The romance, drama, and Judy Garland singing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is not something you want to miss this holiday season.
3. A Christmas Story
If you’re looking for a quirky family comedy, then this is the movie for you. Set in the 1940s, it follows a young boy named Ralphie as he tries to get a BB gun from Santa for Christmas. You’ll see and hear lots of pop culture references in this one, including “you’ll shoot your eye out” and a leg lamp with fishnet stockings on it. You might even recognize the main character, played by Peter Billingsly, as one of the elves from Elf.
4. It’s a Wonderful Life
This heartwarming adaptation of A Christmas Carol follows George Bailey, a businessman from Bedford Falls, who is down on his luck and imagines life as if he’d never existed. It’s the origin of the frequently heard phrase “every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings” and you can check it out for free at the State Theater on December 21 at 1:30 PM!
5. White Christmas
This romantic musical features some of the biggest voices from the 1950s – Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney (yes, she’s George’s aunt). It follows a sister duet group and their two performing love interests as they try to save a friend’s Vermont inn from closing. If you want a sing-a-long for the holidays, this is your film.
6. The Christmas List
This cheesy 90’s movie is great to have on in the background while you bake cookies with your mom. Melody is a perfume saleswoman who makes a Christmas list, puts it in Santa’s mailbox, and suddenly all of her wishes start coming true. Is getting everything you want for Christmas the best thing ever or the worst?
7. All I Want for Christmas
All Hallie asks Santa for is her divorced parents to get back together. She and her brother Ethan cause all kinds of shenanigans to try and get their mother’s fiancé out of the picture. Essentially, the Christmas version of Parent Trap minus Lindsay Lohan starring as a pair of twins.
8. Home Alone
If you’re feeling ignored by your parents this holiday season, this can be your pity party movie. Poor Kevin is left behind by his family in the rush to make their Christmas flights and has to spend the holidays by himself. There are sequels if you really like this one, and who doesn’t want to reminiscence about how cute McCauley Culkin was as a little boy?
9. Nutcracker Prince
Take a trip down memory lane with this animated film you probably watched as a kid and share it with your little siblings. It’s an adaptation of the ballet by Tchaikovsky where a toy comes to life and takes his owner, Clara, to a magical world. But if you hate ballets, this version has characters who actually talk.
10. The Santa Clause
Remember that one time Tim Allen accidentally killed Santa and magically becomes his replacement?
11. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Everyone’s dad has a little bit of Clark Griswold in them. Watch dysfunction at its finest with this hilarious comedy and your family will seem normal by comparison.
12. Holiday Inn
If you love crooners and dancers, this movie starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire is right up your alley. It’s the movie that introduced the Christmas carol “White Christmas” and has romance, great dancing, and beautiful songs from decades past.
13. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Nothing is cuter than a red-nosed reindeer saving Christmas, an island of misfit toys finding friends, and a bearded prospector named Yukon Cornelius, right?
14. Frosty the Snowman
Before you make a snowman with all the fresh snow that the polar vortexes are sure to bring, just remember they could come to life, like Frosty does in this short cartoon. It’s the only time this winter you’ll root against the sun.
15. A Charlie Brown Christmas
If you’re irritated by the commercialization of the holidays like Charlie Brown, discover the true meaning of Christmas with him in this TV special. The jazzy soundtrack for this movie also makes nice background music for opening presents on Christmas morning. Just make sure your Christmas tree is more impressive than Charlie Brown’s.
Images courtesy of imdb.com