As finals week approaches and winter break is just around the corner (thankfully!), I sat down and thought about all the holiday movies that I was excited to watch, whether on TV, Netflix, from my personal collection or OnDemand, I finally narrowed it down to my top five favorites. Winter break is a perfect time to curl up and watch a good movie, or two, or seven, or ten – whether with family, friends, siblings, significant other, or my personal favorite…my cat, there is nothing better than a good movie.
1.      Elf
It might be just me, but I personally find Will Ferrell to be absolutely hysterical. For those of you who have not seen Elf, it is a must see; you are missing out! After inadvertently wreaking havoc among the elf community because of his rather large size, Buddy (Will Ferrell) is sent to the U.S from the North Pole in order to find his true identity. This is definitely a family friendly film and is definitely one that I find myself quoting quite often. “Buddy the Elf, what’s your favorite color!?”
Duration: 97 minutes
Â
2.      The Holiday
Maybe my woman crush on not only Cameron Diaz, but Kate Winslet as well, this romantic comedy is also pleasing to the eye thanks to Jude Law. Jack Black also stars in the movie, taking on a role that isn’t the typical comedic act. This movie is slightly on the “chick flick” side, but it is still one of my favorites. Long story short, two women troubled with guy problems post ads and swap homes in each other’s countries, where they each meet local guys and fall in love. This is definitely a good choice for a night in with the girls, a nice plate of chocolate chip cookies, and some sort of wintery beverages.
Duration: 138 minutes
Â
3.      Eight Crazy Nights
Adam Sandler typically never disappoints, and this holiday movie will put you in hysterics. Davey Stone, one of the many characters that he plays, is an alcoholic with a criminal record who is sentenced to community service under the supervision of an elderly referee in hopes that the old guy can turn Davey around. This movie definitely brings out some good Hanukkah cheer. Now, I personally love this movie, but it definitely does have some pretty crude humor so watching it with the parents or younger siblings probably isn’t a good idea, however, if you decide to cuddle up on the couch with your boyfriend, crush or just watching a movie with the guys, this is definitely a good choice!
Duration: 76 minutes
Â
4.      How the Grinch Stole Christmas
The Jim Carrey remake is probably an all-time holiday classic, granted, the original animation is a classic, I definitely prefer the newer one any day. It’s crazy to think that Cindy Loo-Who is actually Taylor Momsen pre-Gossip girl and pre-punk rocker.  This is definitely a family friendly film and appropriate for any group. So grab the fam, some hot chocolate, a few blankets and enjoy!
Duration: 104 minutes
Â
5.      A Christmas Story
This movie is almost too cliché to not include in my list. Although it was made before I was even born, this movie is one that I can’t not watch, no matter how hard I try. Whether it’s watching all 24 hours of it on Christmas day, or catching bits and pieces of it over winter break, it’s definitely a classic. YOU’LL SHOOT YOUR EYE OUT, haunts me every time I see something that could potentially hit me in the eye. This is definitely a little more on the mature side, however the whole family will appreciate this movie in one way or another. Fa-ra-ra-ra-ra-ra-ra-ra-ra!
Duration: 94 min
Â
(photos courtesy of Google Images)