From Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Photo courtesy of google.com.
By Dara Talbott
Contributing Writer
Maybe you missed the giant 25-foot tree off of University Avenue, intricately decorated with yellow-white lights, or perhaps the fast approach of the end of the semester with the infamous finals week has caught your attention. Regardless, it is in fact almost the end of the Advent semester, signifying Christmas. So cue the Holiday baking, get cozy, procrastinate studying just a little bit longer, and watch these 10 favorite Christmas movies.
The Santa Clause is a reminder that you can truly never be too old to believe in Santa Claus. So put on the big bright red suit, the reindeer will know what to do, and get into that Christmas spirit. But how many Christmas movies has Tim Allen been in at this point?
The Holiday tells the story of two women, one in Los Angeles, California and the other in London, England, who decide to switch places and homes for the holiday after heartbreak. This romantic comedy reminds us how to find relationships in lonely places.
The Night Before is a laugh-out-loud comedy telling the story of three dudes, three bros, three ride-or-dies as they have their ultimate last Christmas night out. Grab your close hometown friends for this one. Plus, Seth Rogen wears a Star of David sweater like a lot.
Christmas with the Kranks is a story that hits close to home for most college students. Empty-nester parents wish to escape the crazy holiday traditions that remind them of their grown-up children and empty house, until their daughter decides to return home for Christmas. At the last minute, the parents put a turkey in the oven and throw together their best hilarious Holiday traditions.
A Christmas Story is a beloved American movie that even grandpa will enjoy. The young Ralphie Parker avoids a bully, dreams about his Christmas gift, and fights with his dad but is always comforted by his mom.
Elf presents the hilarious story starring Will Ferrell as an unusually tall elf who leaves the North Pole and comes home to New York City for Christmas. The best way to spread Christmas cheer is playing this movie loud for all to hear.
Love Actually, for the fans of English accents. Richard Curtis weaves nine complex emotional stories together with love, because love actually is everywhere.
Edward Scissorhands: trust me on this one. The story does not start at Christmas, but does end gathered around a Christmas tree. This one resonates with the quirky and lonely who find Christmas to be an awkward time. The director, Tim Burton, repackages the holiday with inclusivity and compassion.
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (now on Netflix). The 2000 movie stars a green, hairy, grumpy man who prefers only the company of his dog and is tired of Whovillian’s Christmas traditions, but this story goes much deeper than tinsel and toys. Plus, there is a new animated version that just came out.
Ranked first would have to be National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, an unparalleled family holiday disaster that will make you laugh until your stomach hurts. This classic deserves to be enthusiastically watched every year. A perfect family Christmas is not complete without Chevy Chase in this 1989 comedy.
Whether you identify as Santa Claus, Ralphie’s mom, Edward Scissorhands, or the Griswold father the holidays really are only about the love that comes from being with friends and families. So don’t be a Grinch, and surround yourself with people that make you happy, because love actually is everywhere.