5 Great Holiday Movies to Watch with Your Family

Shirley Simpson writes for Help Desk Software where you can find all the best in help desk software solutions on the market today.

When the temperature plummets, frost forms on the windowpanes, and the snowflakes begin to drift lazily to the ground; when you step outside and see a mist of breath in front of your face; when you have to pull down the boxes of mittens, scarves, and long underwear that have been tucked away in a closet for six months; you know that winter has arrived.  And what better way to wait out this cold and inhospitable season than by throwing a few logs in the fireplace, boiling up a batch of hot chocolate, and snuggling under the comforters for a few holiday movies?  If you’re going to hibernate, you might as well pull out some family classics that will have you feeling the warm glow of the season in no time!  Here are a few to kick off your holiday movie marathon.

1.     The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992). You all know this Dickens classic, probably from other cinematic versions.  But the tale of bah-humbugging Ebenezer Scrooge is made family-friendly with a little help from the stable of stars down at Jim Henson Studios.  With Kermit the Frog in the role of put-upon Bob Cratchit (Scrooge’s underpaid and underappreciated right-hand man), Miss Piggy as his long-suffering wife, and an entire cast of colorful muppets to flesh out the story, kids and parents alike are sure to love this puppetty, muppetty retelling of the Victorian-era classic.

2.     Home Alone (1990). The original film that made Macaulay Culkin a star has not suffered a loss of relevance in the 20 (that’s right, 20!) years since it was released.  Culkin is still cute as a button in the role of 8-year-old Kevin, who gets left home alone on Christmas (as his family desperately tries to get back to him).  He learns to take care of himself even as he fends off some sticky-fingered bandits scouring the neighborhood while everyone is out of town, and ultimately realizes the value of a family he thought he could do without.

3.     Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964). This one is an oldie but a goodie, and kids are sure to get a kick out of the stop-motion animation (practically a lost art-form these days).  Follow the woebegone Rudolph (who runs away after being banished from the reindeer games) as he picks up a band of misfit friends, returns to plead their case, and ends up saving Christmas one foggy night.

4.     The Grinch (2000). Whether you opt for this live-action remake starring Jim Carrey or you go for the 1966 cartoon, you’re sure to enjoy the story of the fantastical Dr. Seuss character that looks down on Whoville with jealousy and hatred.  He ultimately decides to rob the Christmas-loving Whos of their joy (since they rejected him), that is until he is befriended by the kind and caring Cindy Lou Who.

5.     It’s a Wonderful Life (1946). It’s hard to believe that this Frank Capra classic could have flopped upon release, especially considering it was headlined by James Stewart and Donna Reed.  But the story of a man who has to lose everything to see what he’s got is simply too touching to be resigned to the annals of film history (which is probably why it runs on TV every year at Christmas).  Treat your family to this classic story of love and redemption that will warm hearts and evoke tears (of joy).  This is one film that will almost certainly become a part of your yearly holiday tradition after the first viewing.