The month of December is reaching its end and with the weather dropping significantly, one cannot help but cozy up on the couch and watch a good movie. Christmas movies have been popular for as long as Christmas became mainstream. Many countless hits have been released over the years and some went on to become “go to” movies during the holidays. But there has to be one that stands above the rest as the representation of the meaning of Christmas, but which one is it?
From a survey of Holt students, there are some features of a movie that make it classics. They have to meet these certain qualifications: they must have been a big part of an individual’s childhood, it can be watched by all ages and still hold up after time passes, and lastly it has to have a good message behind it, tying it together with Christmas as well as teaching a valuable lesson. Those three common traits are present throughout most, if not all, Christmas movies. So what sets each movie apart is it’s story and the greatness of said story that draws back viewers every Christmas.
But now the question remains on which one of these holly jolly movies is the bonafide Christmas movie. One of the most commonly claimed was Elf. This Will Ferrell comedy is the “comedy that people of all ages can watch” according to Grace Bancroft(’21). And Elf is on the top of many Christmas watch lists and was the 6th highest-grossing movie of the genre according to Forbes. Another commonly mentioned one is The Grinch, which has been rebooted time and time again but always “has an amazing message behind it and it’s a classic that everyone knows” according to Bria Jefferson (’22). Both of these movies are different in stories, but the same in holiday cheer.
The whole idea that there is a “greatest Christmas movie of all time” is highly contentious and subjective. Everyone has a different taste, but a common deciding factor is what movies you enjoyed growing up. That nostalgia can get the best of anyone, especially during the holidays. This will be a long-debated topic and there is a possibility a new movie will come and subvert the already established classics. But remember, these movies are all about joy, family, and the season of giving, so there is nothing really to do but sit back and relax because the movie is starting.

Happy Holidays.