My Top Ten Family Christmas Movies

Welcome to a new feature for this festive time of year.  It's the Geeky Dad Christmas Countdown.  This will be a list of ten items, my choosing, to share with you, my faithful readers, to make everyone's holiday season brighter.  Today's list is a top ten countdown of my favorite, family appropriate, Christmas movies.  My top ten may not be the same as yours, and I know people are very sentimental about their Christmas movies, and I am sure that there may be many I left off the list.  I would love to hear from you if that's the case.  Let us know what your favorite movie might be if it's not on the list. A couple of disclaimers before we begin.  First, these are feature length films only.  No short films or TV specials, like Rudolph or Mickey's Christmas Carol.  I love those movies, but this list is feature length films only.  Second, these are all family friendly, so if Bad Santa or Die Hard may be you favorites, just know they won't be on this list.  Third, this is not a critical look at these movies.  I picked them based on nostalgia and how often we watch them, not on how "good" they are.  In other words, this is a completely biased list. So, let's begin the countdown.

10. The Nightmare Before Christmas

The debate rages on.  Is this a Christmas movie or a Halloween movie?  Personally, i tend to lean more toward this being a Halloween movie.  It just feels more like a Halloween movie to me.  I still included this on the list because it is a stunning movie.  The animation is fantastic and the songs are catchy.  I love Tim Burton, generally, and this is one of my favorites of his.  Every Halloween we pull this out and watch it, and we enjoy through November and up until Christmas.  The only reason this is so low on my list is because I do think of it as more of a Halloween movie.  It's fun, it's quirky, and worth the less than 90 minutes. 

9. The Polar Express

This was one of my favorite books growing up.  In particular, I loved the idea of a bell from Santa's sleigh.  I even asked for that one year for Christmas.  It was undeniable proof that Santa was real.  I loved that bell, and loved the fact that I could always hear it.  Sometimes it is hard to get the pacing right when you take a short children's book and attempt to make it a feature length film.  This film does pretty well with that.  The additions are nice and don't distract form the main point of the story.  Despite the creepy animation style, I enjoy pulling this out and watching it each year with the kids.  My boys love it because it has a train, and boys love trains.  

8. Home Alone 2

This is the only sequel to make the list.  I really enjoy this movie.  I know, really what are the odds that Kevin would find himself in this type of a situation, again?  It's a movie, so we'll just go with it.  Personally, I think this film is funnier than the original.  The gags are great at the end with the Wet Bandits, but I also enjoy Kevin's interactions with the hotel staff.  That leads to some great funny moments.  I also feel like there is just something extra Christmasy about New York.  Maybe because it has been the backdrop for a lot of holiday films, or maybe it's because the Christmas season officially starts at the end of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.  Whatever the reason, having New York as the backdrop for this film was a major plus.

 7. The Santa Clause

I remember this film coming out shortly after my parents divorced.  I always wondered what it would be like if my Dad ended up being Santa Claus.  It would be pretty awesome.  The movie has plenty of plot holes, it's true, but I still enjoy year after year.  I enjoy Tim Allen's wit and timing.  He is great with kids, and ends up making a pretty good Santa.  I enjoy the second Santa Clause movie as well, and not so much the third one.  However, neither of the sequels come comes close to the original here.  It was a great concept about how Santa has lasted so long.  If he dies, someone puts the suit on and they become Santa.  Although, the elves didn't seem too broken up about the other Santa falling off the roof.  

6. Home Alone

While I think that the sequel was funnier, the original is better.  It's a little more heartwarming, and I'll admit that I get choked up every time I watch it.  And Erica, my wife, usually makes fun of me, because when it comes to movies, she has a heart of stone.  This was so huge when I was a kid.  There were video games and cartoons that spun off from this movie.  It was just a really big deal.  Usually, when there is that much promotion behind the movie, it's a kind of flash in the pan, and it is not a timeless classic.  I feel like Home Alone broke that mold a little.  I think it has endured the test of time, and has become a staple for a lot of homes.

5. Elf

The movie that introduced the world to Will Farrell.  Elf is one of the few films on this list that I remember seeing in the theaters.  I remember going with my friends to see it, and just laughing the whole time.  I don't know if I thought that it would last as long as it has, but it has seemed to endure and has become a modern classic.  I know it doesn't feel like Christmas until we watch this show.  Will Farrell is hilarious as Buddy, and reminds each of us not to take things so seriously.  Yes, there is a sappy Christmas story with a scrooge behind all of it, but really Will Farrell as Buddy makes the whole movie.  I watch it now and find myself laughing in anticipation for what's coming next.

4. Miracle on 34th Street

This is an old movie, it's true, but it is a great movie.  It should be watched in black and white, not colorized (black and white movies should never be colorized).  The Santa Claus in this movie is perfect.  He is what I picture Santa would be like.  Not the big booming voice that we picture so often now, but a quiet, yet confident demeanor.  I love the idea of challenging the skeptics in the world.  We need a little more magic, a little more imagination in the world.  If we needed it back when this film was released, how much more do we need it today?  The newer version of this film is also good, but for one reason only, at least in our house.  Instead of a little Dutch girl, Santa signs with a little deaf child, so we love that, of course.  Other than that, it has to be the original.  You can't redo the classics.

3. A Christmas Story

You'll Shoot your eye out!  This was the quintessential Christmas movie for me growing up.  There was nothing better than this movie at Christmas time.  I remember this film being one of the first ones I could quote from regularly.  And who couldn't identify with Ralphie?  Who can't remember just wanting that one thing for Christmas, and hoping against hope that it might be there under the tree on Christmas morning?  And then the rapture when you wake up and it is there.  That was a magical moment.  This film captures it all, from the anticipation, the never ending wait for Christmas, to the magic of Christmas morning.  I could almost watch this again and again and again, on like a 24 hour loop all day Christmas.  Someone should do that.

2. The Muppet Christmas Carol

This is one of my favorite Christmas stories, and this is one of my favorite versions of the story.  I know there are probably better, more serious versions out there, but I enjoy this one the most.  I think Michael Caine is great as Scrooge, and often overlooked as a great Scrooge because he played it opposite some puppets, but he pulls it off well.  At first glance, it might seem like having most the cast be made up of Muppets would be a distraction from the story, and who knows how they sold this pitch to the studios, but it works.  The Muppets are not distracting, and the point of this wonderful story shines through.  Plus, the songs are great.  Super catchy and fun songs throughout the film.  This is the Christmas Carol I watch each year.

1. It's a Wonderful Life

Any list counting down to the best Christmas movie should always end here.  This is the best Christmas movie ever made, and may be one of the best films ever made.  It is so good, and I look forward to watching this every year.  I admit that it is hard to sit down and watch this with younger kids, so you may want to put them to bed first.  Despite that, it is family friendly and has a great message.  We don't always know how we have touched the lives of others, but this movie shows each of us that we are important, and that no matter what, Life is wonderful.  We watch it every year on Christmas Eve after the little ones have gone down.  I just love this movie.

Well, there you have it.  There's my list.  What films have to be on at your house once the Christmas season has begun?  Were there some not on my list?  Let me know in the comments.  I would love to hear from you.