Christmas is a time looked forward to by many. The activities and traditions that surround Christmas bring lots of joy to people during the holiday season. One major tradition that must be done each year is watching Christmas movies. Now, it is quite clear as to which Christmas movies fall higher on the spectrum than others, but the best Christmas movies can be looked at as quite a debatable topic, but not for long… these are by far the top three Christmas movies around.

• Elf

The movie “Elf,” starring Will Ferrell, was released in 2003 and was directed by Jon Favreau. This movie earned its first-place status for many reasons, one being the great awards it received and was nominated for. The movie won “top box office films” and “best comedy.” This movie is extremely heartwarming and funny. In the movie, a man named Buddy was brought to the north pole as a baby and raised into adulthood by Santa’s elves. Buddy soon began to realize that he didn’t fit in and decided that he must go on a mission to find out where he truly came from. He ends up in New York City in search of his biological father. He was led to a local businessman named Walter Hobbs who was proven to be Buddy’s dad through a DNA test. Throughout the movie, Walter and Buddy try to rekindle a relationship; this turns into quite a chaotic yet hilarious madness, which leaves the audience laughing out loud. This movie brings a great sense of comedy to the Christmas season as well as touching the audience’s hearts with the reconnection of a long lost family. For these important reasons, the movie “Elf” earns the title of being the best Christmas movie. 

• How the Grinch Stole Christmas

The movie “How The Grinch Stole Christmas,” starring Jim Carrey, is a close second. This movie was released in 2002 and was directed by Ron Howard. The film is an action adaptation of the beloved and popular book written by Dr. Seuss. It received a Kid’s Choice Award for Favorite Movie. The message behind this movie is extremely powerful and leaves a great impression on the audience. In the movie, the Grinch decides to ruin Christmas and spoil the joy of the citizens living in the town of Whoville. The Grinch makes his way down to the town when all the whos of Whoville are sound asleep, and it is then that he steals all Christmas-related items. He leaves the town bare of all things Christmas. During his rampage to ruin Christmas, he encounters a sweet little who named Cindy Lou Who. She causes the Grinch to have an epiphany as he realizes that Christmas isn’t just about materialistic objects. It’s about something much more important than that–this movie taught the audience that Christmas time is not a time for greediness, which is a great message to share.

• Home Alone

The movie “Home Alone,” starring Macaulay Culkin, is a classic. It was released in 1990 and was directed by Chris Colombus. Home Alone won the Kid’s Choice Award for Favorite Movie, as well as the British Comedy Award for Best Comedy Film. In this movie, a little boy named Kevin McCallister is forgotten at home as his family leaves for a Christmas vacation. By the time the parents realize they have forgotten Kevin at home, it is too late; they have already arrived at their destination. Kevin must hold down things at home all by himself. He is forced to become very independent, very fast. He is now responsible for doing everything himself, even fending off burglars! With all of the time he has to himself, Kevin realizes how much he misses his family and how he may have taken them for granted. This movie provides the audience with a good laugh, a sense of madness, and a realization of how important it is to be with your family during the holidays. This movie earns its spot on the top three best Christmas movies list because of its good nature and unrealistic storyline which makes it very comedic. This movie is a Christmas must-watch!

Overall, every single one of these movies spreads lots of Christmas joy and spirit during the holiday season. They are all fan favorites with heartwarming messages. It is always debatable as to which film makes the “best Christmas movies” list, but these three are non-debatable. They are fan-favorite classics and award-winning films. They deserve a spot on the list of best Christmas movies.