Photos Courtesy of IMDB.com

At the end of what many would consider to be an exhausting and unprecedented year, we have arrived at the holiday season. The holidays are typically a time for family bonding, shared food, and overall joy. The family bonding and traditions may look differently this year than they have in the past, but the shared joy should not fade. Holiday movies are often a part of many families’ holiday traditions, and, luckily for us, holiday movies can be enjoyed over Zoom calls. 

Elf, starring Will Ferrell, is a great comedy movie to enjoy this holiday season. The movie, which was released in 2003, follows Buddy, a man who was accidentally sent to the North Pole as a toddler and raised amongst Santa’s elves. When Buddy becomes aware of his real identity, he travels to New York to meet his real father, a businessman named Walter. The movie is incredibly funny and heartwarming. Ferrell leaves audience members with no choice but to fall in love with Buddy the Elf, and teaches us that, above all, it is important to spread cheer to others.

If you are in the mood for a more cynical Christmas figure, Dr. Seuss may have the story for you. The live film adaptation of Dr. Seuss’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas was released in 2000 and is about the self-isolating Grinch of Whoville, who vows to steal Christmas presents and spirit. However, the Grinch is met with a challenge when he meets young Cindy Lou Who, who shows him that Christmas is not so bad after all. How The Grinch Stole Christmas has fantasy elements in its fictional and mystical setting of Whoville, as well as elements of comedy, credited to Jim Carrey’s outstanding portrayal of the Grinch. Carrey transforms the notoriously evil Grinch into a humorous and almost lovable character. Lovers of the holiday season should watch this movie for the wonderful scenes of Christmas decoration, if nothing else.

There are films that have taken twists on the classic holidays tales of Santa Claus, such as the stop motion 1974 animated movie, The Year Without a Santa Claus. In this untraditional Christmas film, the famous Santa Claus is sick and surprisingly lacking Christmas spirit. This disturbs Mrs. Claus, so she, along with a few of Santa’s elves, go on a mission to restore Santa’s spirit just in time for Christmas. This film may appeal to more creative holiday viewers (as it is a musical), featuring The Snow Miser Song and other holiday tunes. This movie is great for younger viewers, as it shows that true spirit is never lost, and can be restored with the support of loved ones. 

As Mrs. Claus and the elves in The Year Without a Santa Claus knew, Christmas cannot happen without the man with the white beard, so what happens when a man accidentally kills Santa? This strange question is answered by the film, The Santa Clause, starring Tim Allen. The 1994 film follows divorced dad Scott who accidentally kills Santa Clause on a rooftop, and is magically transported to the North Pole along with his son. Once there, an elf informs Scott that he must replace Santa and begin preparing for next Christmas. As Scott suddenly begins gaining weight and growing a white beard, he soon realizes he has a lot to learn in order to fulfill all of Santa’s responsibilities. The Santa Clause has themes of family connection and overcoming new challenges, which is perfect for this specific Covid-19 era holiday season. Similar to Elf, this movie is incredibly funny and will have viewers rooting for Scott to be the best Santa he can. This film comes with an added bonus of two sequels, making it a great holiday movie night series.

Whether it is a film listed above, The Polar Express, or another favorite holiday movie, it is important to maintain holiday traditions in times such as these. Make time to connect with distanced family members and share the holiday spirit.