Top 5 All-Time Christmas Movies

Elf, Home Alone, or Die Hard??

As much as Christmas is the holiday that brings families together and even tolerates strange Uncle Fred for a day. Start a conversation about the "greatest Christmas movie of all time," you are bound to start a fight that will only end in mashed potatoes on the floor, gravy in your hair, and many hurt feelings.?

Since my family isn't here now, I've been blessed with a platform that allows me to write my thoughts and opinions. Today was the day I would rate the top five Christmas movies.?

#5 Die Hard?

Let's first address the elephant in the room. Die Hard is a Christmas movie. If a woman falling in love with a secret Prince is a Christmas movie, then John McClane is a holiday character. Adapted from?Roderick Thorp's?1979 novel,?Nothing Lasts Forever, Die Hard has become a staple holiday flick in many households. Die Hard has all the characteristics of a classic Christmas movie, including the happy ending we all hoped for. It is a little Christmas cheer mixed with good old-fashioned violence and a catchphrase that will last forever. Die Hard easily rolls in at the number five spot of the greatest Christmas movies ever.?

# 4 Christmas With the Kranks

It's not the holiday classic that most people think of when discussing great Christmas movies, but Christmas with the Kranks is a fantastic film that reminds us of the importance of family and the true meaning of Christmas. Spoiler alert: this is not the only Tim Allen movie to make this list. Christmas with the Kranks follows the story of a couple who decides to skip Christmas, leading to arguments with neighbours and unrealistic situations. The ending gives you the warm feelings you expect from a holiday movie, and though not a classic like Die Hard, Christmas with the Kranks deserves its spot on this list.?

#3 A Christmas Story

Who hasn't at some time in their life uttered the words, "You'll shoot your eye out, kid?" You can thank Ralphie Parker and his somewhat dysfunctional family for that. Played on loop in most households on Christmas Day, A Christmas Story has become a classic that no matter what you're doing or no matter what your plans were, if it's on TV, you stop what you're doing and watch it. Follow Ralphie on his journey to getting the coveted Red Ryder BB Gun.?

# 2 The Santa Claus Franchise?

It may be a cop-out, but Disney's Santa Claus franchise makes the list. Disney made Tim Allen the face of Christmas with these witty movies. It combines elements of the classical Christmas Carol, painting Allen's character, Scott Calvin, as Scrooge, always putting work ahead of family and Christmas. A turn of events helps Calvin appreciate the magical season and, oh ya, turns him into

Santa Claus. With three hit movies and a Disney+ series later, the Santa Claus franchise could have quickly competed for the number one spot on this list.

Honourable Mention?

For all my fellow millennials, I know you're scratching your heads, wondering how there is only one spot left, and I have yet to list Home Alone and Elf. This isn't an either-or situation. One movie is an all-time classic, and the other film, though good, is overrated and makes too many top-five lists. If this were a top-ten list, both movies would have been mentioned.

My honourable mention goes to the creative little troublemaker Kevin McCallister and the Home Alone franchise. Though a staple of my childhood and a movie I have shared with my children, Home Alone does not fall on my top-five list.?

#1 Elf?

To think that Buddy the Elf was supposed to be played by Jim Carrey is a little scary. Though Carrey is a brilliant comedic actor, Will Ferrell's child-like comedy was perfect for the Buddy character. Elf makes you smile, cry, and laugh out loud. Despite watching the movie thrice every Christmas season, I still laugh and enjoy Elf as if I'm watching it for the first time. The cast assembled was perfect and captured the true meaning of Christmas.?

Based on the feedback I've already received, I can only imagine what you think of my list. Let me know in the comments why my list was right or wrong, and let me know what your top five Christmas movies are.?