Christmas Movies: Fourteen of My Favorites

The Hallmark Channel is in full swing with Christmas and holiday movies already, I've noticed. We don't have TV service here, but we do watch movies fairly often in the winter. And I love Christmas movies!

Here's a list of my favorites. How many of these have you seen?



1. Silent Night: This movie tells the story of a little-known Christmas truce, one that occurred durig WWII in a tiny cabin in the German forest. What happens when a few German and American soldiers find themselves lost in the forest and finding shelter in a cabin with a woman and her son? Captivating, suspenseful, and based on a true story.



2. Joyeux Noel: Yet another war story, this one is based on the well-documented Christmas truce that occurred on the border of France and Blegium in the first World War. According to records (and the movie), men from both sides of the war came together for one evening of fraternization, sharing photos, smokes and in some stories they also played a game of soccer. This version of the true story is very well done, and very touching.



3. Best Christmas Pageant Ever: On the lighter side of holiday stories, this movie tells what happens when a family of ragamuffin welfare kids get involved in the annual church Christmas pagent. Stars Lorette Swit of MASH fame. I watch this one every year, and still laugh every time.



4. Christmas Vacation: Larry's favorite next to the war movies. Chevy Chase's manic Christmas is just over the top funny. We can all be thankful we don't have relatives like his--or do we? A must-watch every year, even though we already know all the punch lines.



5. A Christmas Memory: Starring Patti Duke and based on the memoir by Truman Capote, this touching story is filled with good acting and authentic details of life in the 1930's South. We came upon this one last year and it was quickly added to our favorites list.



6. The Holiday: Yeah, I know, it's just another romcom, but for some reason it really appeals to us. Jack Black and Carmen Diaz are excellent, and Jude Law is as usual, awesome eye candy (for me, anyway). A house swap for the holidays between a California woman and an English woman causes all kinds of confusion and some surprising twists for everyone involved.



7. A Christmas Story: Most people are probably tired of this movie that apparently runs non-stop Christmas Day. Ralphie and his bb gun, the leg lamp, "you'll put your eye out"--you know the story, but it's still a great tale, and I get into looking at all the vintage stuff in Ralphie's home, especially in the kitchen! We don't watch this one every year, but it's still a favorite.



8.The House Without a Christmas Tree: Jason Robards stars in this story of a girl whose sad home has not had a tree since the death of her mother. Death and grief are difficult for children to understand, and this tale follows the young girl's story as she tries to convince her father to get a tree.



9. It's a Wonderful Life: No list of Christmas films would be complete without this one! While we don't watch it every year, it's still one of our favorites, and Jimmy Stewart will forever be one of my ten favorite actors.



10. Irving Berlin's White Christmas: Watch it just for the dancing! The story line is goofy, but it's fun and corny and feel-good and sometimes that just what a person needs. Bing Crosby does the crooning along with Rosemary Clooney, and Danny Kaye and an actress/dancer who seems to have dropped out of show business after this one film, Vera-Ellen, provide incredible dance scenes.



11. The Christmas Choir: A young business man gets involved almost against his will with a homeless shelter, and tries to form a haphazard group of men into a choir. Surprisingly, this is based on a true story. Rhea Perlman adds a good touch with her crazy comedy. A fun, inspirational movie.




12. The Great Rupert: Starring Jimmy Durante of the big nose. A vaudeville actor and his family are homeless but manage to get a place to rent. Money suddenly seems to fall from heaven! It's a great story with some ingenuous twists.



13. Scrooge: Who doesn't like this one, maudlin though it can be in places? I like the 1936 version in black & white, probably because that's the one I remember from my childhood.



14. Beyond Tomorrow: Or, what happens when three wealthy men invite two strangers into their home for dinner on Christmas Eve--and then the three elderly men get killed in a plane crash and their ghosts get busy making romance happen between the unwitting guests.

That's my list. I've probably missed a few.  So, what are your favorite holiday movies? I'd love to find some new-to-me movies this year.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.