Picture a crackling fire, twinkling Christmas lights in the background, and gingerbread cookies coming fresh out of the oven. Sprawled out on the couch under a fluffy blanket, cookies in hand, the TV illuminates as flittering images of Santa and elves trot across the screen.
To many Americans, Christmas is the best time of the year. However, it is not just about getting presents and spending time with family; it is how communities come together dressed up, listening to Christmas music, singing carols, cuddling up and watching Christmas movies. Three movies continue to live on and carry the Christmas spirit through each generation. Those movies are The Grinch, Home Alone, and Polar Express. Most people have experienced the joy these movies bring, and often, watching these movies have become family traditions. However, based on a scale of likeability, Christmas spirit, and nostalgia, I will rate which one of these is the best Christmas movie.
The Grinch follows a mean, furry, green man and his dog as they venture into Whoville to steal away Christmas. The movie wraps up with the Grinch healing from his past trauma and joining in the Christmas fun, which inspires and touches the audience. Many argue that The Grinch is the original Christmas movie. It carries all the quintessential components, with the Antagonist who hates Christmas, the Protagonist who convinces the antagonist to love it, Christmas music, and the whimsical wintery setting. For these reasons, I love The Grinch, and it is definitely a classic, but I would still rate it as an 8 out of 10 because the storyline is quite basic, so it does not stand out. This is a fair score but will vary based on each person’s generation and certain Christmas traditions.
The Polar Express is a nostalgic movie that most Gen-Z students remember watching during Christmas in Kindergarten. The plot focuses on kids leaving their homes in the middle of the night to climb aboard the Polar Express, which takes them to the North Pole. They are immersed in many fantastical adventures and the Christmas spirit to continue to believe in the real world. It was inspiring and entertaining because it presented a fictional possibility of the life of Santa in the North Pole. Since it was a movie essentially engrained in my heart, I rate it a 9 out of 10 because it is not a movie I rewatch every year.
The last movie I will be rating is Home Alone. This movie is well-loved across America and deserves all of the hype it receives. Each year, Americans settle down and rewatch the whole trilogy as it follows a young child left home alone, who uses creative tricks and traps to fend off home invaders. It is heartfelt, funny, and perfectly depicts Christmas ambiance. I rate this movie a 10 out of 10 because there are not many other movies with the same plot, and I make a solid effort to rewatch it every year.
Many new movies contribute unique and funny plots, like one of my personal favorites, Love Hard, which follows a girl meeting a guy on Tinder. Still, she ends up being catfished after flying to his hometown to meet him for Christmas. It is a hilarious movie with the perfect touch of family and romance. Despite my love for this movie, it does not compare to the classics, which many Christmas enthusiasts would agree with. That is why I will not include any new movies in my choice of the best Christmas movie because it would not be fair.
Based on the three factors I mentioned, this movie deserves a permanent spot atop the Times Square Christmas tree. The best Christmas movie in 2024, despite this movie coming out well over 30 years ago, is Home Alone.
