The best part of the year is here. Christmas is almost upon us and what better way to indulge in the season’s warmth than to make a cup of hot cocoa, snuggle in cozy blankets, and tune into the world of memorable Christmas movies? From Love Actually presenting the beauty of love, to Arthur in Arthur Christmas learning about responsibilities, all Christmas movies have a beautiful lesson in them. While these films are filled with memorable moments, here’s a quick rundown of some of the most engaging scenes one can watch.
1. It’s a Wonderful Life
One of the most endearing Christmas movies based on Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”, It’s a Wonderful Life, is about a debt-ridden man, George Bailey, who decides to kill himself. However, after the intervention of an angel helps him realize that he deserves a happy life, he changes his decision and holds his daughter tearfully, who innocently says the most meaningful words, “Teacher says every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.” A wholesome end to an iconic movie.
2. Jingle All the Way
In Jingle All the Way, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad star as two dads, Howard and Myron, who must get the popular toy, Turbo Man, on Christmas Eve, for their kids. Both get into a lot of adventures as they try to get a hold of the elusive toy. First, the two are caught in a mayhem at the superstore. This chaotically snowballs and Howard is chased by a pet reindeer, while Sinbad is caught by the cops.
3. Scrooged
Based on Charles Dickens’ novella, “A Christmas Carol”, Bill Murray plays Frank Cross, a modern-day Scrooge, who is a selfish TV executive. After rebuffing the visits by three ghosts, he finally realizes that he is low on Christmas cheer. To enliven himself and his colleagues, he hilariously holds them at gunpoint and forces them to sing, dance, and enjoy the season. This one’s a comedy caper.
4. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
This slapstick comedy film is about Clark Griswold, an over-enthusiastic man, who is determined to celebrate an old-fashioned Christmas with his family. But things go awry when he chops down a tree too big for his house, sends the whole neighborhood into a blackout after trying to light up the tree, and most memorably, finds an annoying squirrel inside the tree that wreaks havoc in his family. With people screaming and fainting, this one is an engaging watch.
5. Elf
The beloved Christmas movie is about a joyful man, Buddy, who is raised by Elves. He lands in New York City, after finding his biological father and wanting to meet him. Buddy’s spirited personality comically clashes with the cynical crowd of New York. In the popular scene, he bursts into his father’s cabin and blubbers on, before shouting, “I love you”, three times, much to the amusement of Walter’s staff and the audience.
6. Home Alone
A movie that has become a tradition to be watched every Christmas, Home Alone, has many memorable scenes. From Macaulay Culkin’s Kevin, getting stung by his father’s aftershave, to his little grocery run. But one of the most impressive scenes is his setup for his own little Christmas party. He fools the thieves into believing there are people in the house after he innovatively controls mannequins with a string and makes them drink and dance.
7. Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
A heartwarming movie, Miracle on 34th Street, has many versions. In the 1994 iteration, Richard Attenborough plays Santa and brings kindness and warmth to every scene he is in. One of the best scenes, however, is when a young girl who is deaf, gets dejected thinking that she cannot interact with Santa. But Attenborough’s Santa responds to her using sign language, which brings a beautiful smile to the child’s face. A beautiful scene indeed.
8. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone has a lot of Christmas cheer to it. While Harry gets accustomed to his new life, the halls of Hogwarts abound with caroling by ghosts, and huge Christmas trees. One memorable moment from the movie is when Harry finds out on Christmas day morning, that even he has received gifts. After he gets a mysterious note, he finds out that his gift is the famous invisibility cloak. This beautiful scene is a must-watch.
9. The Princess Switch
The light-hearted holiday movie has become a modern-day Christmas streaming classic. Vanessa Hudgens plays a double role as a commoner and a Princess. After the two look-alikes decide to switch positions for the holidays, they run into many comic moments. One such scene is when the commoner-turned-princess must play a song on the piano and is perplexed. Luckily, a dashing royal saves the day by helping her and charms his way into the commoner’s heart.
10. Christmas with the Kranks
Jamie Lee Curtis and Tim Allen are the Kranks, who decided to skip Christmas celebrations after their daughter moves out. But things get chaotic when their daughter surprises them with a surprise visit with her fiancé and the Kranks must fight off the last-minute Christmas rush to have a beautiful holiday. While Allen hangs upside-down while installing a giant snowman, Curtis has an adventure at the supermarket and runs after a piece of ham!
11. The Night Before
The Night Before, is about friends, Issac, Ethan, and Chris, who unite every Christmas Eve for a party-filled night in New York City. As the three congregate for the party, the night proves to be more than they can handle. In one hilarious scene, a Grinch steals Chris’s weed, and the three decide to chase her with an open sleigh. But this turns into chaos as Isaac is dragged around by the horses.
12. Love Actually
This Richard Curtis movie is filled with love, Christmas magic, and warmth. Love Actually is all about showcasing the various shades of love. One such love story, however, that melts hearts, is about the young love between Sam (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) and Joanna. As Sam races through the airport to tell Joanna about his feelings, with some help from his stepdad, the movie highlights the father-son bond and the beauty of first love.
13. Arthur Christmas
The animated movie, Arthur Christmas, is about the youngest son of Santa Claus, Arthur, who finds out that his father missed giving a present to a girl and decides to personally deliver the gift before she wakes up. The movie has beautiful themes of responsibility and father-son bonding. But the most important scene is when Arthur overcomes all adventures to place the gift under the child’s tree and Santa Claus looks proudly at his son.
14. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Jim Carrey’s iconic rendition of Dr. Seuss’s Grinch is a memorable part of pop culture. From over-the-top expressions to physical comedy, Carrey’s Grinch keeps the audience entertained in every scene. In one such scene, the Christmas-hating recluse terrorizes the Christmas-loving people by telling them how their gifts end up becoming garbage. He destroys the decorations and burns the Christmas tree. A movie full of frenzy.
15. The Muppet Christmas Carol
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Another movie based on Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”, The Muppet Christmas Carol, is about the greedy and grumpy moneylender, Ebenezer Scrooge, who realizes his mistakes through three ghosts. One of the most engaging scenes in the movie occurs when the ghost of Christmas present rouses Ebenezer’s spirits by singing “It Feels Like Christmas” which is full of Christmas magic and warmth. A must-watch.
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