Photo by Corina Rainer
With a little preparation and a lot of luck, you might be all ready for the final holiday rush before we wave goodbye to 2021. In that case, celebrate Christmas Movie Marathon Day with with some relaxation before getting wrapped up in travel, relatives and cleaning up from all that unwrapping. (If you haven’t finished your shopping yet, we’ve got some local gift ideas too.)
You don’t need to dust off the DVD player, plenty of holiday favorites are available across streaming platforms. We’ve got some top picks and where to find them.
It’s a Wonderful Life
Thought by many to be the greatest Christmas film of all time, Frank Capra’s 1946 holiday masterpiece casts James Stewart as a man who feels worthless and is visited by an angel who shows the impact Stewart’s character has made on the world. Find this heartwarming tale on Amazon Prime.
A Christmas Story
For a certain generation, nothing beats A Christmas Story. Less caught up in warm feelings and holiday spirit, this movie captures the trials of its era’s youth from washing a mouth out with soap to getting a tongue frozen to a telephone pole. And, of course, it follows Ralphie’s quest for the ultimate BB gun despite warnings that, “You’ll shoot your eye out, kid.” A Christmas Story is available on HBO Max.
Elf
This 21st-century classic features Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel in a Christmas story that’s funny for all ages with plenty of holiday spirit. If you’re not quite in the mood yet, Buddy the elf will show you how: The best way of spreading Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear. Elf is available on HBO Max and Starz.
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How the Grinch Stole Christmas
There are multiple versions of Dr. Seuss’ Christmas tale. The widely beloved 1966 animated movie can be found on Peacock. The more divisive Jim Carrey-led live-action adaptation from 2000 is also available Peacock. Both those versions and the star-studded 2018 animated film, The Grinch, which features Pharrell Williams narrating and Benedict Cumberbatch as the Grinch, are available with Hulu+Live TV.
Home Alone
This slapstick comedy stars a lovably mischievous Macaulay Culkin. Once the hijinks start, they just keep coming. Home Alone and its sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, are available on Disney+.
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Short, sweet and utterly iconic. Charlie Brown shows us all the true meaning of Christmas, and also proves it's OK to feel down around the holidays. The Vince Guaraldi Trio soundtrack alone is reason enough for this brief holiday favorite. Stream A Charlie Brown Christmas on Apple TV+.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Chevy Chase leads this romp through holiday season absurdities from absurd relatives to grouchy neighbors and stingy bosses. Find it on HBO Max.
A Christmas Carol
Charles Dickens' Christmas story has almost too many film versions to keep track of. The Muppet Christmas Carol, found on Disney+, is one of the most popular and a safe bet for kids. For a more adult take on the novel, try the 1984 adaptation, which is available on Hulu.
Die Hard
Not a fan of all the holly jolly and jingle jangle that comes with most Christmas movies? Die Hard fans have waged a largely successful campaign for this Bruce Willis action movie to enter the Christmas canon. Watch it on Disney+ or Peacock and decide for yourself.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
If you want something a little spookier for the holiday, this Tim Burton classic turns Halloween into Christmas – or, really, turns Christmas into Halloween. The Nightmare Before Christmas is available on Disney+.
Cameron Carr is the associate editor. Feedback welcome at ccarr@cityscenemediagroup.com.
