Even though I haven’t lived in the USA since 2006 I still mark the start of the Christmas season by American Thanksgiving. I do not start listening to Christmas music, I do not watch holiday movies, I often don’t even start my Christmas shopping before American Thanksgiving. But American Thanksgiving was this past Thursday and so we can let the fun begin! Christmas has always been our family’s biggest holiday, when my parents were growing up in Northern Ireland Easter and Christmas were the big holidays and they really kept that going even after we added in the Valentine’s Days, Independence or Canada Days, Thanksgivings, and Halloweens that are so celebrated in North American culture. That’s just a long way of saying, Christmas is our favourite holiday and our biggest rest season and we all love it.
The Polar Express
I know this is a controversial choice, but I think that this is easily in my top 3 favourite Christmas movies. You literally cannot get more Tom Hanks at one time, and that alone is enough to make it a perfect movie. I love the Hot Chocolate song, I love all the characters, even the annoying little boy, I love the song that the boy and girl sing off the back of the train, I love how they move the reindeer. It’s a dash musical, with a pinch of morality, a scoop of child-like joy and a heavy hand with the Tom Hanks bottle and I just love it. HBO Max and Hulu+ in the USA
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
The live-action, Jim Carey version of course. It’s just so fun and is a quintessential part of my Christmas routine. And I think we all start to relate to the Grinch a bit more as we get older. Netflix (in Canada at least)
The Holiday
This is my favourite Nancy Meyers movie. It’s so beautiful and definitely has me looking into house swaps each time I watch it. I also love that Jack Black got to play a love interest. Netflix
The Santa Clause 1 and 2
I think these were the first Tim Allen movies I ever saw, I also think we had the sequel on DVD and I saw it first before the original. These are just so fun and I love the play on the story of Santa Claus that if you put on the suit you become the new Santa Claus and his son’s unwavering belief in him. Just so wholesome. Also, did you know the original was made in 1994?!? Disney+
Love, Actually
So this is actually lower down on my list of favourites than I think most people have it, but I just think it’s good. I also think that not seeing it until like 2017 meant that I didn’t see it until after we had started to see some of its flaws which ruined it a bit. But it is a Christmas classic, and it shows humans as we are more than most Christmas movies. Also, the cast is superb. Netflix
Frosty, the Snowman
I don’t know if this is still considered a movie, it’s so old that it’s only half an hour long because it was a TV special originally. But I love the storytelling it. YouTube
Miracle on 34th Street
Just a beautiful classic Christmas movie. HBOMax and Hulu
Home Alone
Obviously. Disney+
A Christmas Story
So I actually have never seen this movie before, but I learned while making this list that it is the leg lamp source movie and so I am sold. Actually, I think I have seen the tongue stuck to the pole scene once when I was a little kid. Hulu and HBO Max
A Christmas Carol
I think we had the VHS of the Mickey Mouse version of this story when I was a kid. This is another classic and there are so many versions of it that I’m sure you’ll be able to find one you enjoy. The Disney version is on Disney+
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
I have also heard that people think this is creepy as well, but to me it’s a classic. YouTube
Dash and Lily
So this isn’t a movie, and I didn’t expect to like it, but it is so cute. I’m not sure if it will be as good a second time around but I’m going to give it a chance. Netflix
Thoughtful Millennial 